corporate profiles 2012

Sponsored byPublished by

The B.C. life sciences industry is ranked among the smartest and fastest-growing research communities in the world

Featuring:BLG VancouverBRI Biopharmaceutical ResearchThe Centre for Drug Research and DevelopmentGenome British ColumbiaGlaxoSmithKlineMichael Smith FoundationMPI ResearchSeed IPSirona BiochemStemcell TechnologiesTees Consulting

Verisante

Corporate P rofiles2012

A supplement to LifeSciences British Columbia

Corporate Profiles 2012.indd 1 2/7/12 2:06:10 PM

http://lifesciencesbc.ca

http://www.biv.com/publications/spcorpp.asp

www.bivmagazines.ca

www.SeedIP.com

As one of Canada’s leading research-based pharmaceutical companies, GlaxoSmithKline understands that scientists require commitment and resources to discover the next medical breakthrough. This is why we invested more than $141 million in Canadian research and development in 2010 alone. At GSK, we stay ahead by putting the health of Canadians before anything else. Discover more at GSK.ca

STAYING AHEAD BY STAYING INVESTED IN THE HEALTH OF CANADIANS.


http://GSK.ca


http://verisante.com

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GENOME BRITISH COLUMBIA www.genomebc.ca

Spreading the value of genomics

colonies were either dead or unproductive after wintering last year and cold weather was not the only cause. These losses threat-en not only our honey production, but our food supply. Genome BC is supporting the development of technology to breed a more resistant honeybee — and hopefully improve the survival rates of the colonies. It’s a critical tool for ensuring the future health and viability of our honeybees — our tiny, yet mighty, pollinators.

Environmental canaries in a coal mine

Animals have been used as early warning systems to protect human health since at least the early 1900s, when coal miners began taking canaries into the mines to monitor the presence of toxic gases. More recently, animals such as frogs and mus-sels have been studied as ‘bioindicators’ for

monitoring the health of an environment or ecosystem, such as a coastal area or watershed. Genomics is taking this type of envi-ronmental monitoring to a whole new level. Effects from pollut-ants or other environmental stressors often manifest themselves first at the molecular level, well before the animals show obvious physical signs. Scientists are using genomics tools to detect these effects sooner, help identify possible causes and measure impacts on the environment as well as human health.

Atlantic salmon swim to the forefront of science

The International Cooperation to Sequence the Atlantic Salmon Genome (ICSASG) is a multi-phase research initiative formed to chart new knowledge about this salmonid species. The challenges facing fisheries and aquaculture in BC are not limited to only our region — other regions in the world face similar challenges. Therefore, Genome BC is collaborating with international part-ners in Chile and Norway to collectively conduct research which is expected to generate a high-quality resource for those respon-sible for the management of wild salmon stocks and the salmon aquaculture industry, as well as providing a reference genome for work with other salmonids.

Genome BC’s research portfolio is funded by the Province of British Columbia, the Government of Canada through both Genome Canada and Western Economic Diversification and over 100 end-user, industry and international partners.

Contact: Richard HowlettEmail: [email protected]: 604-637-4379

... means translating research findings into real world results. Results that can make a real difference to our province, like practi-cal tools for protecting our natural resourc-es, new ways of diagnosing and treating disease, and better methods for developing alternative sources of clean energy.

Genomics research is delivering these benefits all over British Columbia. Ask the cancer patient whose early diagnosis saved her from a ‘lifetime of worry’ ... or the beekeepers who are closer to knowing the causes of honeybee colony collapse ... or the forest managers who are able to deter-mine which tree species are better suited to a changing climate ... or the international research team that is using genomics to improve the management of salmon fisher-ies and aquaculture.

Genome Brit ish Columbia del ivers results by investing in, managing and enabling large-scale genom-ics and proteomics research projects and technology platforms. Over the past decade the organization has invested over $550 million in research that has made impacts in areas of strategic and economic importance to British Columbia, Canada and the world, including human health, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, bioenergy, mining and the environment. In addition, a critical element of responsible genomics research is to provide a forum through which accompanying environmental, ethical, economic, legal and social issues can be explored so that the context for sci-entific research remains focussed and relevant to society.

A snapshot of Genome BC’s diverse genomics research portfolio:

Reducing diagnosis time for hereditary breast cancer

If a woman inherits a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, her lifetime risk to develop both breast and ovarian cancer is greatly increased over that of other women in the general population. Genome BC is supporting researchers at the BC Cancer Agency who are implementing a genomics-based technology to dra-matically speed up the testing for these mutations. The sooner a woman knows she may be at risk, the sooner she and other family members can take preventative action.

Helping honeybee breeders out of a sticky situation

The real buzz about honeybees is that the pollination efforts of honeybees are estimated to contribute in excess of $2.2 billion to Canada’s agricultural economy each year. In BC, honeybee pollination is responsible for nearly $500 million in agricultural production every year. However in BC almost 10,000 honeybee


www.genomebc.ca

Supplied by

BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP www.blg.com

World-class service, local expertiseThe life sciences industry

It is with that same pioneering vision that the life sciences professionals at our western offices have built their practices. The Western Life Sciences Group at BLG has the bench strength to help you miti-gate risk, navigate and compete in an everchanging economic environment. Serving companies from across Canada and around the globe, our Vancouver and Calgary offices offer unparalleled local support. Partners of BLG’s West-ern Life Science Group each have more than 10 years of experience working in the life sciences sector.

patent agent)

and IP lawyer and patent and trade-mark agent)

and regulatory lawyer)

With clients ranging from publicly traded and privately held cor-porations, universities, and research institutions, operating in sec-tors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and vaccines, BLG has one of Canada’s leading life sciences practices.

Partnering for success

BLG is committed to providing not only world-class legal advice and services, but also excellent value as fee arrangements other than billing at an hourly rate are also available where appropriate. We look forward to being part of your team, and being with you every step of the way.

he current global economic envi-ronment poses one of the largest challenges ever facing the life sci-

ences industry. Despite this turmoil, there remains tremendous opportunities for companies in the life sciences indus-try to deliver true innovation and value.

for financing or liquidity to extend your runway, growing your pipeline through in-licensing, acquisition or carrying out your own research development, protecting, asserting or defending your inventions, conducting clinical trials, navigating regulatory hurdles or help-ing you execute on your exit strategy or strategic alliance, Borden Ladner Ger-

step of the way.

BLG’s world-class service

BLG has the depth and breadth of expertise and experience to advise companies of all sizes, from start-ups to established pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, through all stages of a technology’s or product’s life cycle, from innovation to commercialization.

-panies. Our national life sciences team is entrepreneurial, busi-ness-minded, and has strong scientific and technical backgrounds.

agents, have worked in in-house positions or have served as exter-nal general counsel to Canadian and multi-national companies that give them a unique perspective when working with clients.

Our clients work with a team of professionals, knowledgeable of the industry and focused on delivering client-centred service. In building a team for the client, we draw on professionals from across the country who offer a balance of expertise, experience and local contact. In particular, BLG has lawyers and patent agents with substantial experience in pharmaceutical litigation and medicine-pricing regulatory issues.

BLG’s Western Life Sciences Group

Western Canada’s reputation for breakthrough discoveries, world-class research and development are highly sought after in Canada and around the globe. Combined, British Columbia

of innovation.

Contact

Email: [email protected]: 604-640-4069Tel: 416-367-6142

Email: Tel: 403-232-9415


www.blg.com

Supplied by

THE CENTRE FOR DRUG RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CDRD www.cdrd.ca

Transforming discovery into opportunity

Since becoming fu l ly operational just four years ago, CDRD has expand-ed from a provincial to a national organization, been recognized as a Centre of Excellence for Commercial-ization and Research (CECR) by the Federal Government, and emerged as one of the world’s leading drug devel-opment and commercializa-tion organizations – while successfully achieving all our original objectives:

in British Columbia by building a full pre-clinical drug devel-opment platform with 85 full-time highly qualified staff;

-opment and commercialization by successfully advancing 40 technologies toward commercialization;

pool of highly-qualified personnel by training 83 post-docs, co-op students and interns; and

community and attracting investment by becoming interna-tionally recognized as a leading model and organization, estab-lishing affiliations with academic Centres of Excellence on four continents, and developing partnerships and attracting invest-ment from the world’s top global pharmaceutical companies

-eries have a much greater prospect of being developed into new medicines; the life sciences industry is fuelled with a robust pipe-line of new pre-validated technologies; and the societal returns on

Contact: For more information on The Centre for Drug Research

he C ent re for D r ug Research and Devel-opment (CDRD) is a

national not-for-profit drug development and commer-cialization centre that de-

from publicly-funded health research, and transforms them into viable investment opportunities for the pri-vate sector – thereby bridg-ing the commercialization gap between academia and

We do this by collaborat-

20+ affiliated research institutions across Canada and select international centres to identify commercially promising proj-ects, and then providing the state-of-the-art specialized drug development facilities, scientific and business expertise, and professional project management needed to advance the tech-

-

CDRD’s team collaborates with principal investigators to -

tial, screened against rigorous scientific and business criteria to

outcomes-focused drug development under professional project

according to industry practices with strictly defined experiments,

To support the projects, CDRD facilitates the leveraging of external funding via granting agencies, and through funds raised

identify those showing therapeutic and commercialization poten--

intellectual property generated from CDRD projects directly from the affiliated institution or inventor, and forms strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to

-


www.cdrd.ca

Supplied by

SIRONA BIOCHEM www.sironabiochem.com

Portfolio of enhanced carbohydrate compounds

In addition to the skin depigmenting agent, Sirona Biochem’s cosmeceutical portfolio also includes compounds that maintain the viability of skin fibroblasts under stress conditions. Studies are being undertaken to further evaluate this new family of compounds as anti-aging agents.

Biological ingredients – inducers &

adjuvants

Sirona Biochem is also producing biologi-cal inducers to initiate protein expression in E.coli more efficiently than currently marketed inducers. These enhanced and more stable inducers will contribute to improve production and product margins of recombinant proteins. In a recent study, Sirona Biochem’s inducer compound induced synthesis of a soluble recombi-nant protein in E.coli for up to 24 hours.

In addition, Sirona Biochem’s compound produced more protein compared to a commercially available inducer at the same con-centration and demonstrated a longer duration of effect. Stud-ies also demonstrate that our inducer can induce expression at a concentration far below the commercially available inducer. A second phase of testing will be performed on two additional, more challenging proteins to express. The studies are expected to be completed in the 2nd quarter of 2012. A patent was filed in 2011 and further expansion of the patent is planned for 2012.

Sirona Biochem’s Biological Ingredients program also includes adjuvants for organ, tissue and cell preservation destined for cul-ture or transplant. A new series of glycopeptides has been identi-fied for this purpose and studies are underway to further evaluate their preservation properties.

Commercialization strategy

Sirona Biochem Corp. plans to develop its programs to comple-tion of preclinical studies. It will seek a partner for clinical and commercial development of its programs. The company is pre-pared to begin partnering discussions on three programs – SGLT inhibitor for diabetes, biological inducer for recombinant protein production and the skin depigmenting agent to be used as a skin lightener for cosmetics. The company is publicly-traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange in Canada under the stock symbol SBM and company continues to raise capital through private place-ments and seek non-dilutive funding through grants.

Contact: Sean Cunliffe, Chief Business Officer Email: [email protected] Tel: 604-282-6062

irona Biochem is a biotechnology company specializing in carbohy-drate-based chemistry. With our

subsidiary TFChem, we are applying a proprietary chemistry technology towards the development of an SGLT inhibitor for diabetes, a cancer vaccine antigen, depig-menting and anti-aging agents for cosmet-ic use, adjuvants for biological material preservation and inducers for recombinant protein production.

Therapeutics – SGLT inhibitor for

type 2 diabetes & cancer vaccine

antigen

Preclinical studies continue for Sirona Biochem’s SGLT inhibitor program for diabetes. Preliminary studies in rodents demonstrated that the company’s com-pound eliminated glucose through the urine in a dose-dependent manner. The compound also reduced blood glucose excursions following a glucose challenge against untreated groups. Ancillary pharmacology studies such as in vitro ADME, toxicology and safety profiles have been completed. The most recent study of diabetic rats treated with Sirona’s compound showed a reduction in glycemia similar to control lean rats. There were strong correlations between the decrease in blood glucose level and the excretion of urinary glucose. A preclinical package is expected to be ready by the end of 2012. A patent was filed in 2008 for a first family of new chemical entities. Another application was filed in 2011 to protect a second family of compounds.

Sirona Biochem is also developing a stable Tn Antigen towards the development of a new anti-TACA cancer vaccine. A patent has been filed in 2010 and converted to PCT in 2011 in order to protect the technology.

Cosmeceuticals – skin depigmenting & anti-aging

agents for cosmetic application

Sirona Biochem’s subsidiary, TFChem, is developing depigment-ing agents as skin lighteners for cosmetic use. These agents are mimetics of arbutin and will be evaluated to determine their ability to inhibit melanin synthesis on skin explants. Toxicity studies will also be conducted to test the compounds for irrita-tion, sensitization, phototoxicity, ocular tolerability, genotoxicity and skin microbial toxicity on cell culture and skin explants. In November 2011, TFChem received a major funding grant from the French government to advance its depigmenting agent program to a commercially-ready stage. A patent was filed in 2011 to protect the structure, chemical process and applications of this family of compounds.


www.sironabiochem.com

Supplied by

STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES INC www.stemcell.com

STEMCELL Technologies Inc – BC’s largest biotech company

ick, developed in collaboration with Hamilton Robotics, accelerates cell line development by automating clone selection.

A global exporter with ISO certification

STEMCELL Technologies has solid manufactur-ing capabilities in our headquarters in the Lower Mainland. We are proud to have earned ISO 13485:2003 certification for our research, manu-facturing and shipping facilities in Canada, the US and France. Our processes incorporate rigor-ous selection of raw materials and exacting qual-ity control processes that have made STEMCELL a symbol for quality in life science research.

Helping scientists locally and globally

STEMCELL is committed to working togeth-er with scientists to develop new products that will help perform their experiments quickly and reliably. Where needed, our team is able to discuss specific experimental requirements with research-ers, and design and manufacture customized reagents tailored to their needs. STEMCELL’s Contract Assay Service also works with pharma and biotech scientists to develop and perform f lexible custom-designed experiments. In addition, STEMCELL supports all customers in achieving consistent research results by offering personalized training courses and access to timely and effective technical assistance.

Committed to science and scientists

STEMCELL’s teams have participated in more than 200 collabora-tive projects in 18 different countries. With over $3.5 million dol-lars in contributions to the Canadian Stem Cell Network and over forty local research group collaborations, STEMCELL is actively driving Canadian research. Locally, STEMCELL has collaborated with and helped fund over forty research groups.

Come grow with us

We have a number of positions currently open for both lab-based and business roles in our Research and Development, Manufacturing, Quality Control, Microbiology, Marketing and Sales departments.

We advertise new positions often – check our website regularly.STEMCELL is constantly looking for talented scientists in a

variety of departments. If you have a PhD or MSc in a relevant field and would like to be considered for an upcoming position, please visit our website at stemcell.com and submit your resume through job posting “Future Positions.” Please be sure to indicate the department(s) that are of interest to you.

Contact: For more information about STEMCELL Technologies, please visit www.stemcell.com.

STEMCELL Technologies Inc. is a global leader in the rapidly growing healthcare research sec-tor. The company develops and manufactures high quality standardized tissue culture media, cell separation reagents and instruments and distributes them to customers in over 70 coun-tries. Our products support leading edge scien-tific research in stem cell biology, immunology, cell therapy, regenerative medicine, tissue engi-neering and drug discovery.

STEMCELL is an international firm with over 400 science-oriented employees in 10 countries, including: Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, Australia, Singapore and China. Our head office, research and man-ufacturing activities are all located in our Van-couver facilities. Founded in 1993, STEMCELL remains privately held, with profits re-invested to spur greater product innovation and to support growth which averages over 20% per annum.

Award winning specialized media products: 2011 Break-

through Product in Stem Cell Research

Our scientists are constantly developing novel, cutting-edge media that support academic and industrial stem cell researchers. These efforts were recognized at the 2011 Life Science Industry Awards® with STEMCELL winning the 2011 award for Breakthrough Product in Stem Cell Research. The 2011 Life Science Industry Awards were selected by 6,082 life scientists, drawn from all regions of the world, who nominated and voted for the best performing supplier in 29 dis-tinct product categories. These awards provide a unique venue allow-ing scientists to recognize the quality and innovation of their suppli-ers upon whose products the success of their research depends.

Cell separation products

STEMCELL has also developed novel cell separation products which allow researchers to isolate virtually any cell type, including immune, hematopoietic, mammary, mesenchymal and tumour cells. The plat-forms used to isolate cells include EasySep™ – an immunomagnetic approach, and RosetteSep™ – an immunodensity approach.

Research robotics

In addition to development of media and cell separation kits, STEMCELL has also developed a number of instruments to auto-mate life science research. RoboSep™ is a fully automated system for cell separation, designed to save technicians time and to standard-ize cell separation procedures. STEMvision™ was recently launched to automate the identification and counting of hematopoietic col-ony-forming cell assays required in bone marrow research, cord blood banks and transplantation labs. Our new ClonaCell™ EasyP-


www.stemcell.com

Supplied by

MICHAEL SMITH FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH RESEARCH www.msfhr.org

Investing in a healthier BC

porting discovery, our awards have a proven multiplier effect, improving researchers’ ability to engage teams and attract addition-al funding to advance knowledge on criti-cal health issues. We also fund systems and networks to share resources across the prov-ince, including BC BioLibrary, BC Clinical Genomics Network, BC Proteomics Network, Centre for Drug Research and Development, and Population Data BC.

Solutions for BC’s health system

MSFHR plays a vital role in mobilizing BC’s health research community to identify urgent priorities and fast-track the develop-ment of solutions. As a respected non-par-tisan facilitator, we bring together people as part of collaborative networks and plat-forms that put research knowledge to use in improving health care. Among the projects we have funded and managed are:

practice and policy-

ing health system change initiatives

review process for multi-centre research studies

as SARS and H1N1MSFHR is a provincial leader in knowledge translation and

frequently convenes forums and workshops to promote the effec-tive application of research evidence by scientists and end-users. We also bring together universities, health authorities, charitable organizations, and government stakeholders for health research planning and action.

As we enter our second decade under the leadership of new Pres-

our best and brightest to discover, connect and engage to improve the health of individuals across BC and around the world.

Contact: Bev Holmes, PhD, Vice-President,

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 604-714-6600

n 1993, UBC researcher Dr. Michael Smith became British Columbia’s first Nobel Laureate, earning international

acclaim for his groundbreaking advances in genetic studies. For Dr. Smith, a humble and gregarious molecular biologist, the Nobel Prize was the culmination of a brilliant career. For BC, it was a milestone point-ing to the province’s potential as a leader in health research.

-mitment to supporting BC researchers, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health

with a mandate to enhance the province’s

past decade, we have partnered with the provincial government to invest more than

-ing infrastructure across all areas of health research. The result has been a remarkable transformation of BC’s health research landscape.

At the time of MSFHR’s founding, BC’s health research enter-prise was at a crossroads. Despite the success of Dr. Smith and other research leaders, the province was under-performing in its ability to attract federal grant funding and faced the loss of top scientists to other jurisdictions. MSFHR has played a central role in reversing this trend and creating a vibrant research community that is now recognized worldwide. We have funded more than 1,800 research-related positions and promoted connections and collaboration across sectors.

As BC’s provincial health research support agency, MSFHR takes a province-wide view of health research gaps and opportu-nities with a focus on two priorities: investments in people and resources, and solutions for BC’s health system.

Investments in people and resources

MSFHR funding programs build BC’s research capacity by recruit-ing and retaining top scientists, helping them build strong research programs, and supporting the mentorship of up-and-coming inves-

everything from cells and genes to treatments and cures, disease prevention and health system improvements.

MSFHR funding has supported numerous discoveries and “world firsts” that have improved health and saved lives. Among these breakthroughs are better protection for the brains of new-borns, improved detection of autism in children and new approach-

-

MSFHR is named for Nobel Laureate, Dr.

Michael Smith (1932 – 2000), a pre-eminent

BC scientist whose commitment to excellence

positioned BC’s health research community on

the world stage.


www.msfhr.org

Supplied by

BRI BIOPHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH www.bripharm.com

BRI ...your drug development specialist“We strive to earn your trust and confidence”

metabolism studies including met-abolic stability, inhibition, induc-tion and ADMET related plasma protein binding studies are often performed at BRI to define drug-like properties.

AAALAC accredited animal

facility with cytotoxic drugs

handling capability

BRI’s rodent facility is accredited by AAALAC and has performed numerous dose range finding, PK, bioavailability, metabolite excretion and mass balance studies. Dried blood spot assay technique is used to allow serial blood collection in small rodents to reduce variability of PK data.

With Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) and cytotoxic compound handling capabilities, cell-based and patient-derived xenograft models for oncology drug efficiency screening are offered at BRI. Their cell repository contains over 100 cancer cell lines, provid-ing a wide selection and flexibility to its clients.

Thermo Watson™ LIMS data management system

To support IND-enabling animal TK/PK or clinical PK, the use of Thermo Watson™ LIMS for sample and data management is a plus. BRI’s bar code system enables BRI to store and manage thou-sands of samples and process its data effectively and efficiently.

To handle multiple site clinical studies, bar-coded labeled sample vials, customized sample collection kits, ultra low tem-perature freezer, IATA and TDG specified shipping container, pre-filled waybills and commercial invoices are just a few solu-tions that BRI offers to allow a smooth sailing of their clients’ clinical studies.

Stand out from the crowd

The clients of BRI benefit from a wide range of services includ-ing LC/MS/MS bioanalytical assay, ELISA assay, hybridization assay, in-vivo and in-vitro DMPK and efficacy xenograft models. These services are delivered by highly experienced scientists with specializations in the development of synthetic small molecules, microRNAs, RNAs, nucleotides and peptides drugs.

BRI is known for providing “fit-for-purpose” research in inte-grated drug development with competitive pricing. It has an out-standing record of client satisfaction and dedication to meet the highest standards in scientific “best-practices,” integrity of data, timeliness and professional service.

Contact: Ms. Clara Faan, VP Business Development Phone: 604-432-9237 x224

or more than two decades, BRI has assisted hundreds of biotech and pharmaceutical

companies on their pre-clinical and clinical development programs.

Being one of the few privately owned CRO with capabilities in bioanalytical, in-vivo and in-vit-ro DMPK and xenograf t animal models in Western Canada, BRI’s uncompromising study protocols, stringent quality control measures, and relevant study design allows them to build trusted and long-lasting partnerships with their highly valued clients.

The success stories

In 2004 and 2007, two virtual biotech companies located in San Francisco and Los Angeles engaged BRI for development of bio-analytical assays in support of their IND-enabling and clinical program. In 2009, both companies licensed their drug candidates to big pharmaceutical companies for $700 million and $900 mil-lion, respectively.

A Seattle biotech company approached BRI in 2008 for a series of in-vivo and in-vitro DMPK and mechanistic studies. This bio-tech company was acquired for $600 million in 2011.

BRI’s successful track record in providing accurate and qual-ity data while adhering to the strict guidelines of GLP, cGMP, and FDA regulations has played an important role in these com-panies’ success.

GLP accreditation by Standard Council of Canada

BRI is accredited by Standard Council of Canada for its GLP compliance while holding a current GMP Establishment Licence through Health Canada. All IND enabling studies and clinical bioanalytical studies performed at BRI follow the following regu-lations and guidelines. This allows data generated at BRI to be submitted to USA, Canada, Japan and all OECD countries.

21 CFR Part 58

Ordinance No. 21

(OECD), Series on Principles of Good Laboratory Practice and Compliance Monitoring Monograph #1 to 15

14C nuclear substance licence

With 14C nuclear substance licence, BRI can efficiently identify metabolites and determine tissue distribution using 14C-labeled compounds.

In additional to metabolite identif ication, other in-vitro


www.bripharm.com

Supplied by

TEES CONSULTING CORP www.teesconsulting.com

Fun with patents

Process

When Susan meets prospective clients, she helps them determine whether filing a pat-ent is truly in their interest, and what it will do for their businesses. For example, spending $150,000 on patenting something internation-ally, when sales will not exceed $5,000 and the market is only North America, is a poor strat-egy!

Before an inventor engages a patent agent to secure his invention as a patent applica-tion (prior to discussing it with others, for example), he should be aware of what alterna-tives are available to any potential buyer, and really put himself in the buyer’s shoes. Does the invention solve a problem, reduce costs or improve performance? Can the effect of the invention be achieved without the invention?

If filing a patent application still makes sense, does the pro-posed “invention” qualify for a patent? The general rules of novelty, inventiveness and usefulness are fairly universal across borders. The invention must not have been discussed, shown pub-lically, or sold.

Clients should understand how much patenting will cost before they begin. Drafting and filing a patent application is not the only cost involved in obtaining and keeping a patent, although at $3,000 to $8,000, it is certainly a large one. Over the next three to five years, Susan will advocate for the patent application before the patent office in order to have it granted. The work this will take can only be estimated, but may be a few thousand dollars more. Some countries, including Canada, charge annuities for every year a patent is pending, and for every year after grant until expiry (20 years after filing). It is definitely a “user pay” system.

Challenges

Tees revenues depend on many variables over which Susan has no control. Her clients are all people she has worked for before, or people referred to her, and their businesses change over time. She also has a small network of colleagues with similar but not identical practices with whom she trades leads. “However, we eat from the same table, and the recession has made everyone a little hungrier these days.” To get and keep clients, one has to be very competitive. “There are patent attorneys in the United States charging $1,000 per hour, and to spend $20,000 on a single over-drafted patent applica-tion was common. Now, there is seems to be a healthy appetite for straightforward quality at a more reasonable fee.”

Contact: Susan TeesEmail: [email protected]: 604-839-4284

Private corporation since May 2008 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Sales in 2011: about $190K

Business

Provision of patent-related services, name-ly patent procurement, patent portfolio building and maintenance, patent or port-folio assessments for IP licensing or pur-chase, and the preparation of freedom to operate opinions

Personnel

Three: Susan Tees, B.Sc., Registered Patent Agent, one part-time accountant, one part-time office assistant.

History

Susan fell in love with patents when she was introduced to a filing cabinet full of them in 1987, while she was a young microbiology undergrad working for a company called Quadra Logic Technolo-gies (now QLT Inc.). Asked to catalogue the contents of the cabi-net, she became fascinated by the pattern of application, objection and arguments that formed patent prosecution.

Many years have passed since 1987, and Susan has worked for a number of Vancouver companies to provide each with their own filing cabinets full of patents. She wrote the patent bar exams in the United States (1999), and Canada (2004) and became a registered patent agent. When Susan opened Tees Consulting in 2008, she trad-ed dealing with filing cabinets for dealing directly with people.

“The people who start businesses believe in their dreams, and are courageous enough to bet their livelihoods on making them come true. It is a thrill to be able to help them achieve their goals.”

Susan’s patent practice falls into three categories: set up and ongoing support for clients with existing patent families, dili-gence for venture capital financing, and patent procurement for independent inventors.

Susan is not a lawyer, but a patent agent authorized to per-form patent prosecution and offer patent-related opinions and services.

Competition

There are good patent law firms in town, and in the United States, that Susan has to compete against for clients. These other firms offer quality work, but Susan has some advantages over them. Without a pool of support staff or a downtown office to pay for, she can afford to keep her rates low. Without hundreds of clients including large corporations, Susan is unlikely to be conflicted out of providing defensive services when a smaller client needs them.


www.teesconsulting.com

Supplied by

MPI RESEARCH www.mpiresearch.com

Leading the way in early drug and device development

Our human resources are especially important to us, since it is impossible to deliver unsurpassed service quality if the staff is not first-rate as well. MPI Research has developed a rigorous selec-tion and training process at all levels of the organization that has produced one of the lowest staff turnover rates in our industry.

The recently completed $65 million growth initiative added 370,000 square feet of capacity to the Mattawan facil-ity, which now totals over one million square feet. It includes large, integrat-ed, environmentally controlled animal rooms, special-purpose laboratories, and resource facilities located through-out the complex to accommodate vir-tually any type of sponsor need. Our capacity and resources are the reasons we can assure our sponsors of timely study starts and report delivery, to keep their studies moving forward so that research milestones are achieved.

At MPI Research, our dedication to being a solutions-oriented partner goes beyond the modern facilities, innovative proce-dures, and scientific expertise. Our team of nearly 1,300 employ-ees, ranging from technicians to veterinarians, pathologists, and senior-level scientists, is there for our sponsors to ensure all their needs are met. We are proud of our long-term relationships with our existing sponsors and are equally excited about building part-nerships with new ones. Most important, we are committed to the success of all our sponsors, ensuring each the same level of scientific excellence, technical quality, and passion for their suc-cess, irrespective of the size and/or number of studies we conduct for them.

Contact: MPI Research Phone: 269-668-3336Email: [email protected]

PI Research is a ful l-serv ice Contract Research Organization that partners with biopharma-

ceutical, medical device, animal health, and chemical companies in meeting their preclinical research and develop-ment needs. Scientific knowledge and experience, integrity, trust, teamwork, and dedication to strong and enduring sponsor relationships are the defining attributes that characterize us as a high-performance, high-quality organization committed to bringing safer and more effective products to the world.

Our open and responsive culture is evident in the collegial, collaborative atmosphere where we conduct thou-sands of drug safety, discovery, bioana-lytical, and analytical studies each year. MPI Research, with global headquarters in Mattawan, Michigan, takes pride in being selected by companies who want a CRO partner on the leading edge of drug development.

Committed to excellence in quality across all services and at all levels, MPI Research operates in full compliance with interna-tional, federal, and state regulatory agencies. Our regulatory and quality assurance programs include

Our sponsors not only benefit from our familiarity with regula-tory agencies worldwide, but are also able to take full advantage of our state-of-the-art facilities, robust infrastructure, and cutting-edge technology in which we have heavily invested.

The quality and integrity of our services are paramount, and we realize that is why so many of our sponsors do repeat business with us. Careful consideration is given to each strategic growth initiative so that these factors are not compromised. Any expan-sion of facilities is accompanied by proactive growth initiatives for staffing, technology, and equipment.


www.mpiresarch.com

Please refer to www.lifesciencesbc.ca for further information on these companies.

Core LifeSciences BC Members

Stage of development Fields of study Tools Diseases

Dru

g di

scov

ery

Pre-

clin

ical

stu

dies

Phas

e 1

clin

ical

stu

dies

Phas

e 2

clin

ical

stu

dies

Phas

e 3

clin

ical

stu

dies

On

mar

ket

Bio

-pro

duct

s

Bio

info

rmat

ics

Dia

gnos

tics

Envi

ronm

enta

l

Ther

apeu

tics

Vacc

ines

Bio

-pro

cess

ing

Dru

g de

liver

y

Gen

e th

erap

y

Gen

omic

s

Hig

h-th

roug

hput

scr

eeni

ng

Lab

reag

ents

Prot

eom

ics

Aut

oim

mun

e di

seas

es

Canc

er

Card

iova

scul

ar d

isea

ses

Infe

ctio

us d

isea

ses

Infla

mm

ator

y di

seas

es

Met

abol

ic d

isea

ses

Neu

rolo

gica

l dis

ease

s

Organizations

Alectos Therapeutics

Allon Therapeutics Inc

Amgen British Columbia Inc.

Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Augurex

BioMark Technologies Inc.

Boreal Genomics

Cardiome Pharma Corp.

enGene, Inc.

GenomeDx Biosciences

iCo Therapeutics Inc.

Indel Therapeutics Inc.

Inimex Pharmaceuticals Inc.

iProgen Biotech

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corp.

MedGenesis Therapeutix Inc.

MRM Proteomics Inc.

MSI Methylation Sciences Inc.

Network Immunology Inc.

Neurodyn Inc.

OncoGenex Technologies Inc.

Ondine Biopharma Corporation

Pacific Rim Laboratories

Phyton Biotech LLC

Protox Therapeutics

QLT Inc.

Qu Biologics Inc.

ReplicCel Life Sciences

Sirius Genomics Inc

Sirona Biochem Corp

STEMCELL Technologies Inc

STEMSOFT Software Inc

Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Valocor Therapeutics Inc.

Vifor Pharma

Xenon Pharmaceutials Inc.

Zalicus Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Zymeworks Inc.


Contract Research Organizations


Preclinical Services Clinical Services General Services

Dru

g di

scov

ery

Bio

info

rmat

ics

Bio

anal

ytic

al s

ervi

ces

Ana

lytic

al s

ervi

ces

Path

olog

y se

rvic

es

Toxi

colo

gy

Phas

e I c

linic

al s

tudi

es

Phas

e II

clin

ical

stu

dies

Phas

e III

Clin

ical

stu

dies

Phas

e IV

clin

ical

stu

dies

Stud

y m

onito

ring

and

repo

rtin

g

Data

man

agem

ent a

nd s

tatis

tics

Stra

tegi

c co

nsul

ting

Regu

lato

ry

Cont

ract

man

ufac

turi

ng

Prod

uct d

evel

opm

ent

cGM

P/G

LP c

ompl

ianc

e

Qua

lity

assu

ranc

e

Teac

hing

and

trai

ning

Organizations

ASKA Research

Aurora Biomed Inc.

BC Cancer Agency's Investigational Drug Program (IDP)

BC Preclinical Research Consortium (BC PRC)

BRI Biopharmaceutical Research Inc.

CanReg Inc.

Globe Laboratories Inc.

Healthmetrx (CEQAL)

Lifebank Cryogenics Corp.

Maxxam Analytics

MPI Research, Inc.

Northern Lipids Inc.

PBR Laboratories Inc.

PharmaNet/i3

PharmEng Technology

SBW LTD

Syreon Corp.

Viva Pharmaceutical Inc.

Wax-it Histology Services


Medical Devices

Fields of study Company type

Den

tal D

evic

e

Med

ical

equ

ipm

ent

Med

ical

sup

plie

s

Test

ing

inst

rum

ents

Imag

ing

Dev

ice

desi

gn

Oth

er

Man

ufac

ture

r

Dis

trib

utor

Dev

elop

er

Organizations


Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. OEM

Arbutus Dental Centre Dental Service

Biolux Research Ltd.

BioMers Products, LLCProduct Names – SimpliClear & ASTICS

Daan Diagnostics

Emergo Canada Consulting Inc. (Regulatory Consultant)

Evasc Medical Systems

Farabloc Development Corp.

Heart Force Medical

Innovatek Medical Inc.

Kardium Inc.

LED Medical Diagnostics

LifeScan Canada Ltd. (Diabetes)

LightIntegra (Transfusion)

Neoteric Technology LimitedBlood management software

Neovasc Inc.

Ondine Biomedical Inc. Photodisinfection

Premier Diagnostic Health Services Inc

Progressive Health Innovations Inc. / AFX

Sports Med, Rehab, Athletic Training

Romich Medical Fund Women’s healthcare

Sorin Group Cardiac

Starfish Medical (Contract Manufacturing)

Ultrasonix

Urodynamix Technologies Ltd.

Arbutus Dental Centre Dental service

Biolux Research Ltd.

bioLytical Laboratories, Inc. Rapid diagnostic device

Critical Systems Labs Inc.Risk management, software V & V

Evasc Medical Systems

Farabloc Development Corp.

Heart Force Medical Inc.

Innovatek Medical Inc.

Kardium

LED Medical Diagnostics

LifeScan Canada Ltd. Diabetes

LightIntegra Technology Transfusion

Lungpacer Medical, Inc.Implantable Transvascular, Stimulation

Neovasc Inc. Contract manufacturing

Pyng Medical Corp.

Response Biomedical Corp. Cardiovascular

Sorin Group Canada Inc., Mitroflow Division

Cardiac

StarFish Medical Contract manufacturing

Verathon Medical (Canada) ULC Airway management

Verisante Cancer


Seed

Int

elle

ctua

l Pr

ope

rty

Law

Gro

up P

LLC

Custom Crafted Intellectual Property Solutions …

Since 1962.

206.622.4900 www.SeedIP.com 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Founded in 1962, Seed IP Law Group is celebrating its 50th anniversary

of providing custom crafted intellectual property solutions, including patenting

biotechnology advancements. With expertise in immunology, biochemistry

and pharmacology, Seed IP’s Biotechnology & Chemistry Team consists of a group

of scientists who also understand the legal and business side of biotechnology.


www.SeedIP.com

corporate profiles 2012

Documents

drug research

canadian research

human health

health of canadians

genome bcs research

future health

canadas leading research

growing research communities