API Stories
Scaling Canadian Manufacturing
CMPC to support production of generic semaglutide in Canada
A recent Globe & Mail feature on the launch of generic semaglutide in Canada included exclusive photos of our fill-and-finish line that we custom-designed with manufacturer Steriline, one of our main equipment at the Critical Medicines Production Centre (CMPC).
Through our first commercial product contract with Vimy Pharma, the CMPC will support the production of generic semaglutide, the active ingredient in medications that help treat type 2 diabetes such as Ozempic.
This is just the beginning of the exciting work underway at the CMPC, where we’ll be supporting the production of Canada-made medicines to help strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity.
Read the full articleNew Alliance to Boost Domestic Manufacturing
API and Alchem Laboratories partners with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug
Our partnership with Alchem Laboratories has recently expanded to include Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, following the announcement of their new strategic alliance last month.
This expansion marks another important step in our commitment to strengthening domestic manufacturing while advancing collaborative efforts that improve equitable access to antimicrobial agents and other critical, high-quality medicines that address critical public health needs.
Read the full releaseCMPC Completes Factory Acceptance Test for new equipment
This month, our Technical Operations team successfully completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for our rotary autoclave at Fedegari’s facility in Pavia, Italy.
As a key addition to the Critical Medicines Production Centre (CMPC), this system strengthens our sterile manufacturing capabilities and supports critical processing stages for liquid products prepared in our fill-finish suites, including:
- Terminal sterilization of liquid pharmaceutical products, including emulsions and other sensitive formulations
- Sterilizing sealed vials, bottles and other filled containers
- Using a controlled hot‑water cascade process to deliver consistent sterilization
- Gentle rotation to promote uniform heat distribution and protect temperature‑sensitive products
API Events
Lean Derisking: Taking Your Proof of Concept to the Clinic
Our first live webinar with BioSpace is coming up fast! Join our team of experts on February 24 and learn practical strategies that will help accelerate your life sciences product to market using lean, cost-effective approaches.
Our subject matter experts, Chief Scientific Officer, Sir Michael Houghton, Chief Translational Officer, Dr. Launa Aspeslet, and Executive Scientists, Dr. Daren Ure and Dr. Daniel Trepanier, will share valuable insights on how to:
- Leverage lean, integrated teams to support development from early stages through the clinic—without added overhead
- Navigate cost-effective development pathways enabled by Canada’s collaborative innovation ecosystem
- Build de-risked timelines supported by a stable regulatory framework and advanced infrastructure
BioAlberta 2026 Annual Policy Forum
Join leaders from across life sciences, industry and government at the BioAlberta 2026 Annual Policy Forum on March 5 and explore the trends shaping our province’s health innovation ecosystem!
The full-day program features panel discussions on key sector issues including:
- U.S. Trade Policy: Implications of Trump-era policies on Alberta’s health and innovation ecosystem
- Building Future-Ready Talent and Human Capacity
- Impacting Patients through Monitoring and Early Detection of Disease
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the conversation, gain insight from sector leaders and connect with peers working to advance health innovation in Alberta.
Register todayMore Events
- March 12: ERIN x Technology Alberta – Pi(e) Day Meet-Up (Edmonton)
- March 19: U of A Researcher Spotlight Series: Advancing Health Equity Through Digital Innovation (online)
API Life Sciences & Innovation News
Several Alberta startups and organizations were recognized by BioTalent Canada in its 2026 I.D.E.A.L. Bioscience Employers list, including: API, Gotcare, Health Cities, Neuraura, Northern RNA, and Providence Therapeutics
Cubresa has filed its first FDA 510(k) premarket notification for the BrainPET system. The Calgary-based company also expanded its Master Interface Agreement with Siemens Healthineers to include the Biograph One MR, bringing simultaneous PET/MRI capabilities to more brain imaging institutions.
DrugBank released its 2025 product roundup, highlighting new tools to browse and use its data. New products include the Table Builder for structured data analysis, an AI assistant for plain-language queries, and a Journal Reader that surfaces insights from newly published PubMed articles to help researchers explore the drug pipeline earlier and connect discoveries across development stages.
Effica Health is preparing to launch virtual, clinician-led menopause care in Alberta and Ontario, beginning with a friends-and-family group to refine the care model before opening to a wider audience.
Fedora Pharmaceuticals Inc. presented research on its novel antibiotic FPI-2119 at the Interdisciplinary Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance and Innovation conference in Las Vegas. A press release states the drug showed eight- to 16-fold greater activity against carbapenem-resistant infections compared with current therapeutic options in preclinical studies.
Future Fields was featured in Peptide and Protein News in an article highlighting how the EntoEngine platform leverages transgenic fruit flies as living bioreactors for protein production.
Neuraura is building technology to map the brain and deliver targeted treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome and other complex conditions. “What sets Neuraura apart is not just the technology, but the philosophy behind it,” the company shared in an overview post.
NiaHealth‘s biomarkers and biological age “can give a life-changing heads up about cancer risks, lifestyle factors impacting your day-to-day happiness, and nutritional insights,” according to a review in Sharp Magazine.
OncoHelix announced that its test requisitions are now available to more than 38,100 healthcare providers across Canada through TELUS Health Med Access EMR, QHR Technologies Accuro EMR, and Ava Industries EMR. The company’s diagnostics extend beyond oncology to include pharmacogenomic testing, non-invasive prenatal testing, and complex immunology panels.
PanTHERA CryoSolutions and Canadian Blood Services published a study in Cytotherapy investigating how ice recrystallization inhibitors protect cryopreserved cord blood stem cells from damage during brief warming and re-cooling cycles. The results demonstrate that ice recrystallization inhibitors provide strong protection against ice crystal growth.
RJH Biosciences announced it has begun work with a second Riipen Level UP cohort, collaborating with students to develop a tool for predictive analysis on genetic variants found in leukemia.
Voyageur Pharmaceuticals president and CEO Brent Willis spoke with InvestorNews.com about “how the company’s acquisition of proprietary iodine-extraction technology and the appointment of its inventor, Dr. Brian Mueller, as Director of Chemistry, materially alters Voyageur’s cost structure, supply security, and manufacturing strategy.”
BioAlberta announced that Alberta Innovates CEO Michael Mahon will deliver the lunch keynote at its Policy Forum on March 5. Mahon will share Alberta Innovates‘ new strategic direction and how the organization hopes to partner with the life sciences ecosystem.
biohubX announced a collaboration with Innovate Canmore to create a mentor network supporting MedTech companies aiming to scale successfully. The organization also announced lab and office spaces are available for biotech and medical device innovators.
GlycoNet is inviting researchers to submit abstracts for the ninth Canadian Glycomics Symposium, taking place May 12–14 in Canmore. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 28.
Plans are advancing to increase inpatient capacity at Alberta Children’s Hospital and build a new pediatric Centre for Research & Innovative Care, supported by a $2-million investment from the Government of Alberta and $2 million from the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Researchers from the University of Alberta‘s College of Health Sciences received more than $16.5 million in funding through the Fall 2025 Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant competition. The 18 funded projects span neuroscience, cardiovascular and metabolic health, rehabilitation, long COVID, diabetes, Indigenous health, and health services.
University of Calgary researchers are investigating vitamin B3 as a treatment for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Findings indicate the vitamin looks promising to help rearm a compromised immune system against the deadly cancer.
An international research team led by the University of Calgary identified a genetic factor that may explain why people respond differently to opioid pain medications. The study found variants of the RUNX1 gene influence effectiveness, dose requirements, and risk of dependency, potentially leading to more personalized pain management strategies.