API Stories
Innovation Unleashed: Highlights from the Life Sciences Investment Summit Finale
Last week, we witnessed game-changing pitches from the Top 6 companies of Startup TNT’s Life Sciences Investment Summit powered by API and crowned the 2024 Finale winner at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute.
Congratulations to OligomicsTx! They secured a minimum of $155,000, with the potential to receive more as investors decide on their final investment amounts. OligomicsTx is also eligible for future investment through the $5 million TNT Capital VC Fund.
Pulmvita, a Health Innovation Hub at UAlberta member company, and Qualisure Diagnostics Inc. also received side deals from investors.
Additional side deals were also negotiated with other participating companies. The Life Sciences Investment Summit Finale was a resounding success bringing together more than 150 industry leaders, ecosystem partners, investors, and innovators for a day of collaboration and innovation!
Today, let’s revisit the exciting series of events that transpired in celebration of the Summit Finale:
- The celebration was kicked off by site visits to different life sciences companies across Edmonton, attended by Madison Dube, our Associate Director of Business Development & Partnerships.
- Local life sciences companies, investors, and industry partners gathered and connected at the Alumni Showcase Lunch at Edmonton Unlimited.
- The Health Innovation Hub at UAlberta hosted an Alumni Companies Panel as part of their March meetup at Edmonton Unlimited, featuring previous Life Sciences Investment Summit companies.
- Co-hosted by Tessa Vriend, our Director of Engagement & Brand, and Zack Storms, Co-founder of Startup TNT, the Finale Night was kicked off by opening remarks from Hon. Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology & Innovation, and Gigi Ho, Senior Business Officer, Regional Innovation Ecosystems at PrariesCan.
- Life sciences companies across the region were presented in the Alumni Showcase, highlighting live announcements of selected deals.
- The Top 6 life sciences companies – Difinity Solutions Inc., MACH32, OligomicsTX, Pulmvita, Qualisure Diagnostics Inc., and Wave View Imaging, hit the stage for their live pitches.
- Investments were announced, along with the winner of this year’s Life Sciences Investment Summit!
A big thank you to everyone who celebrated and participated in the 2024 Life Sciences Investment Summit! Your contributions and enthusiasm made the summit journey a huge success. We look forward to continued collaboration to propel life sciences innovators and advance the growth of our life sciences sector!
Watch the Finale Night Live StreamForging alliances across Alberta to accelerate drug development
Earlier this month, we were pleased to announce a new partnership with Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. by signing a Master Services Agreement (MSA), solidifying our commitment to advancing innovation in Canada’s thriving life sciences sector.
This strategic partnership enables API to accelerate Voyageur’s product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of imaging contrast mediums, leveraging our scientific and pharmaceutical expertise. The new alliance also targets streamlining regulatory approvals and expediting the launch of Voyageur’s contrast imaging products.
“We are thrilled to embark on this groundbreaking collaboration with Voyageur, advancing healthcare through the commercialization of mineral-based active pharmaceutical ingredients for the medical imaging market. This partnership underscores our commitment to driving innovation and elevating the life sciences landscape in Canada and globally,” said Andrew MacIsaac, CEO at API.
Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd., is a Canadian public company, headquartered in Calgary, dedicated to establishing a sustainable and reliable source of naturally-derived contrast media agents to prevent material shortages.
Read the full press releaseMeet Patrick Mayo, API’s VP of Quantitative Solutions
Our team is excited to welcome Patrick Mayo, our new VP of Quantitative Solutions!
Pat brings over 40 years of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry, where he worked at numerous biotech and contract research organizations integrating quantitative clinical pharmacology (pharmacometrics) with systems pharmacology, bioinformatics, and large data machine learning analytics. His more recent work includes the development of a neural network (AI) to dose narrow risk-benefit drugs, and his experience spans all phases of drug development from pre-clinical through Phase 4 clinical trials.
In his new role, Pat will lead our team of clinical pharmacologists and biostatisticians in the analysis of objective and measurable data that will help advance the research of solutions to treat life-threatening diseases.
We’re honoured to welcome Pat as another distinguished expert among our team and look forward to the valuable contributions that his team can accomplish at API!
New Program Launch – Shaping the Pharmacometrics workforce!
We’re thrilled to highlight the upcoming launch of our Pharmacometrics Fellowship program – a new addition to API’s Life Sciences Training Hub that will help enrich talent in the pharmacometrics workforce.
Launching on April 2, the Pharmacometrics Fellowship will offer comprehensive and hands-on training focused on harnessing essential skills in pharmacometrics and biostatistics. Courses include statistical and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PKPD) models, quantitative systems toxicology and pharmacology, advanced drug modelling, and more.
This program is being piloted to individuals within the University of Alberta and the broader Canadian drug development community. Stay tuned to our social channels to learn more about the program and inquire about future iterations.
Read our recent blog to discover more about how we support talent development in the life sciences!
Cultivating Success: Fostering Local Talent in the Life SciencesWe’re hiring!
Are you a dynamic leader, passionate about driving engagement and building a strong brand presence? Join our team as the Manager of Engagement & Brand, and play a pivotal role in shaping our brand identity and fostering meaningful connections with our audiences!
Apply now and take the lead in elevating our brand to new heights!
I’m interested!Events
SPARK Conference
Are you passionate about shaping successful career pathways for Indigenous youth? From March 26-28, the 2024 SPARK Conference will bring together various sectors and industries across Alberta to highlight available career opportunities for Indigenous youth, at Wyndham Edmonton Hotel & Conference Centre.
Paramita Chaudhuri Basu, our Director of Programs & Ecosystem Development, will be presenting and showcasing talent development and career opportunities in life sciences. Register and be part of meaningful conversations geared towards igniting career opportunities for Indigenous youth!
Join the SPARK ConferenceCHFA NOW Trade Show and Conference
Discover the latest trends in natural health and innovation at the Canadian Health Food Association Natural Wellness Organic (CHFA NOW) Trade Show and Conference from April 3-5 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
CHFA NOW is Canada’s premier trade event for natural health products, sharing the newest industry insights, and highlighting innovative brands in natural health, organic food, clean beauty, and lifestyle goods. Attendees can also look forward to engaging experiences, networking opportunities, and fostering partnerships and community connections.
We’re excited to showcase API, make new connections, and share our expertise in the realm of natural health products at the event!
Sign me up!Life Sciences & Innovation News
University Hospital Foundation receives $4M donation to boost Alzheimer’s disease research in Alberta
Earlier this month, the University Hospital Foundation announced a $4 million donation from local philanthropist Don Hunter, to support research and development of modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
University of Alberta professor and renowned neurologist Jack Jhamandas, Dr. Lorne Tyrell, Founding Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology and Nobel Laureate Sir Michael Houghton, API’s Chief Scientific Officer, are currently leading research on a groundbreaking new drug candidate that has the potential to not just prevent, but also reverse the catastrophic effects of Alzheimer’s. With their collaboration, the team has propelled the development of this treatment to its current stage — poised to enter human clinical trials.
API is looking forward to working with the University of Alberta and the University Hospital Foundation to support further drug research and development for Alzheimer’s disease.
Edmonton venture capital investment tripled in 2023
The Government of Alberta was recently pleased to announce Alberta’s remarkable 48.5 per cent growth rate in venture capital investments in 2023, surpassing Canada’s average growth rate of 13% threefold, as reported by the Canadian Venture Capital Private Equity Association fourth-quarter report for 2023.
Alberta’s top two cities – Edmonton and Calgary, continued to attract investments in 2023. Calgary saw a total of $501 million invested in 64 deals, while Edmonton saw a 324 per cent increase in investments from $58 million in 2022 to $188 million. Overall, Alberta accounted for 10.3 per cent of the total investment dollars and 13 per cent of venture capital deals in Canada in 2023.
“While Canada as a whole saw massive declines, Alberta has held steady. We are a major venture capital player in Canada, as technology drives growth across all sectors.” – Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation, in a statement.
Canada’s first proton therapy treatment centre to be built in Edmonton
Last week, Western Proton Therapy Inc. announced their intentions to invest in the construction of Canada’s inaugural Proton Therapy Treatment Centre in Edmonton. The centre will be named in honour of Ben Stelter, an Edmonton Oilers superfan who died of cancer at age six.
The Ben Stelter Centre for Proton Therapy and Neuroscience accounts for approximately $120 million in investment and is projected to generate over 250 jobs during construction, along with up to 100 permanent positions in the region.
The state-of-the-art facility will be the first in Canada to offer the most advanced radiation treatment for cancer patients, enhancing patient outcomes and offering cost-saving benefits to our healthcare system. The establishment of the facility in the Edmonton region will further solidify its position as the mecca for life sciences research and innovation.