Celebrating Leaders in Life Sciences: 2024 LSBC Awards Winners

Life Sciences British Columbia (LSBC) recognized the winners of its 26th Annual Life Sciences BC Awards, in a prestigious ceremony held in Vancouver this past September to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, companies and organizations within British Columbia’s (B.C.) life sciences sector, recognizing their contributions to health innovations and their role in strengthening the province’s dynamic ecosystem.

Life Sciences BC is a non-profit, non-governmental sector association, founded in 1991, that supports and represents B.C.’s life sciences community. The organization provides leadership, facilitates investment, fosters partnerships and promotes growth in areas, including biotechnology and therapeutics, medical technology, digital health and medical devices.

This year’s Life Sciences BC Awards spotlighted eight extraordinary innovators, celebrating outstanding contributions to the sector. Here are the highlights of the Company & Organizational Awards:

• Company of the Year: Aspect Biosystems, a pioneering biotechnology company based in Vancouver, B.C., develops bioprinted tissue therapeutics aimed at replacing, repairing or supplementing biological functions in the body. Their work has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of currently incurable diseases. Recently, the province invested approximately $23.8 million to support the company’s expansion.
  
• Emerging Company of the Year: Augurex, a biotechnology company also based in Vancouver, focuses on developing biomarkers that enhance patient clinical management by enabling early diagnosis and personalized treatment, leading to better disease outcomes.
• Strategic Partner of the Year: The University of British Columbia – School of Biomedical Engineering, established in 2017 through a partnership between the Faculties of Applied Science and Medicine and supported by the Government of B.C., serves as Canada’s living laboratory for innovative research and education models.
  
• Deal of the Year: Chinook Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing precision medicines for kidney diseases. In 2023, the company was acquired by Novartis, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies.

Beyond celebrating the accomplishments of companies and organizations, the awards also highlight the achievements of individuals who have had a profound impact on the life sciences sector. The Individual Awards recognize exceptional leadership, innovation, scientific excellence and community involvement. These awards showcase the remarkable efforts of those advancing progress and innovation within the life sciences community.

• Dr. Don Rix Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Richard Glickman
• Milton Wong Community Leadership Award: Joseph Garcia
• Scientific Entrepreneurship Award: Dr. Robert Young
• Genome BC Award for Scientific Excellence: Dr. Raymond Ng

In addition to the main awards, Life Sciences BC also acknowledges emerging companies making significant progress in the industry through the Companies to Watch – Recognition Honour Roll. While this is not an award, it highlights promising companies that are poised to make a substantial impact on the sector:

• HEALWELL AI: A healthcare technology company using artificial intelligence and data science to improve preventative care.
• Kapoose Creek Bio: A Vancouver-based company focused on identifying transformative medicines from nature by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence.
• Mesentech: A clinical-stage biotech company developing innovative drugs designed to selectively target musculoskeletal tissue.
• Reverb Therapeutics: A preclinical-stage biotech company known for its novel Amplifier platform, which targets immune activation for cancer treatment while minimizing toxicity.
• SeraGene Therapeutics: A preclinical-stage biotech company specializing in therapies for long-lasting control over coagulation disorders.
• VoxCell BioInnovation: A Victoria-based biotech company that creates human-like cancer tissue models for drug screening, accelerating the drug development process and leading to faster life-saving treatments.

British Columbia is home to the fastest growing life sciences sector in Canada, making it one of the province’s most rapidly expanding industries. The diverse ecosystem here leads the way in research and the development of innovative therapies and products. Renowned research hospitals and universities collaborate closely with top research centres, creating a vibrant and cooperative network. With the support of industry-led associations, such as Life Sciences BC, the provincial government continues to promote investment, encourage collaboration and help grow a thriving knowledge-based economy.

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