API Stories
Welcome Dr. Truong Ta
API’s new VP Commercialization & Growth
We’re pleased to announce that Dr. Truong Ta has joined API as our VP of Commercialization & Growth. Bringing his passion for bridging partnerships, Truong will be leading API’s business development, commercialization, and incubation operations, and he’ll be regularly engaging with other life sciences leaders.
Originally from Edmonton, Truong is now based in Toronto and will be splitting his time between the two cities.
Truong has worked in the life sciences sector spanning vaccines and pharmaceuticals for 20+ years. He was a consultant at a biotech startup and then held positions of increasing responsibility in R&D and commercial operations, including Head of Marketing, Immunization Policy, and Business Operations at Sanofi Canada.
More recently, Truong was an Associate VP, Commercial Operations at Medicago, a Canadian Biotech company developing plant-based vaccines and therapeutics.
Truong is a past chair of BIOTECanada’s Vaccine Industry Committee and former member of Innovative Medicines Canada Senior Advisory Group.
API launches coaching program specifically for life sciences ventures
Getting your product to market is a more regulated and complex path for life sciences companies, so API has developed a coaching program unique to this industry.
This 6-month program runs from July to December 2023 and is free of charge. It includes:
- 6 monthly workshops, 2 in-person at API’s downtown Edmonton location and 4 live online.
- One-on-one sessions with a dedicated coach who will give you individualized information and support.
- Curated templates for building your business model and pitch decks.
- An opportunity to hone your skills at the Peer Pitch Practice session at the end of the program.
The deadline for companies to apply is June 20, 2023. Learn more about this program and apply now.
Alberta is a great place for startups!
The 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report was just released, and Alberta has a lot to be proud of.
Highlights of Edmonton’s profile:
- Edmonton’s ecosystem value has increased by 96% and is now worth $1.3B
- #4 in Affordable Talent in North America
- Top 40 in Funding in North America
- Life Sciences was identified as a top sector, and both API and the Health Innovation Hub mentioned as support organizations
Highlights of Calgary’s profile:
- Top 10 in Performance in North America
- Top 20 in Funding in North America
- Top 40 in Talent and Expertise in North America
Life Science & Innovation News
Edmonton is a life sciences newsmaker
If you wanted proof that the home of API’s head office is one to watch, check out the plethora of announcements from the past few weeks!
- Future Fields is collaborating with Jenthera Therapeutics to combine a fly biomanufacturing platform with a new drug delivery mechanism to enable a more cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable method to mass-produce a novel cancer therapeutic. Future Fields also led venture investment in Q1 in pre-seed and seed deals with $11.2USD for a first of its kind production facility.
- Hepion announced positive topline results from its recently completed Phase 2 ALTITUDE-NASH clinical trial. ALTITUDE-NASH met its primary endpoint by demonstrating improved physiologic liver function and was well tolerated after four months of treatment in subjects with stage 3 or greater fibrosis based on the AGILE 3+ criteria.
- Entos Pharmaceuticals announced a new grant awarded to its sister company Aegis Life, Inc. from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop DNA-encoded antibodies against infectious diseases. The two companies will work collaboratively to use the Fusogenix PLV gene therapy delivery platform to develop novel DNA-encoded therapeutics.
- Ceapro announced they had encouraging results from a study with McMaster University for PGX-processed yeast beta glucan (PGX-YBG) as a potential therapeutic option for individuals suffering from interstitial lung diseases (ILD), and are now evaluating the go/no go decision to advance to a Phase 1 clinical trial.
- Pacylex announced the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2a expansion study in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (R/R NHL) with PCLX-001, its treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumour cancers. The expansion study will enroll up to 20 patients to assess the preliminary clinical activity of PCLX-001.
- Aurinia Pharmaceuticals announced favorable results when their treatment LUPKYNIS was used in patients with lupus nephritis, a serious kidney disease. Their Phase 2 AURA-LV (NCT02141672) and Phase 3 AURORA 1 (NCT03021499) studies found that LUPKYNIS with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and low-dose steroids resulted in earlier and greater reductions in proteinuria in lupus nephritis (LN) patients.
- Gilead was profiled on CityTV for their work on Trodelvy, a drug that continues to show ongoing survival advantages in pre-treated HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer.
Events
Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Innovation Symposium
Presented by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), this Symposium will showcase exciting work in the biomanufacturing and life sciences ecosystem in Canada at a virtual symposium being held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM MDT
This event aims to bring together leaders and participants in the life sciences and biomanufacturing ecosystem in Canada. It’s an exciting opportunity to connect, exchange information and ideas, discuss topics of mutual interest, collaborate, and explore potential partnerships within the Canadian life sciences and biomanufacturing ecosystem.