BioCanRx was announced as a Network of Centres of Excellence on December 15, 2014, with a total of $60 million in funding and commitments from the NCE Program and more than 25 partners.

Its vision is TO CURE PATIENTS AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THOSE LIVING WITH CANCER and its mission is to ACCELERATE TO THE CLINIC THE MOST PROMISING CANCER BIOTHERAPEUTICS DESIGNED TO SAVE LIVES AND ENABLE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

Its mandate it to be a global leader in the translation, manufacture and adoption of innovative cancer biotherapeutics for the benefit of all cancer patients by working in partnership with academia, industry, government, patients, charities and NGOs to identify, develop and de-risk promising cancer biotherapies.

BioCanRx is committed to excellent science in a field with great promise. Its focus is on translating this science into what we hope will be significantly better therapies for cancer patients. BioCanRx funds translational projects to accelerate the development of these therapies from the laboratory to the clinic. To that end, it has a goal of advancing four new cancer biotherapies into Canadian-led clinical trials by 2020.

Visit us at www.biocanrx.com

Contact info: Stephanie Michaud, CEO

The Centre for Commercialization of Cancer Immunotherapy (C3i) will accelerate discovery, commercialization and access to innovative cancer immunotherapies for patients. Operating out of the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont installation of the Integrated University Center of East Montreal (CIUSS de l’Est-de-l’île-de-Montréal), the centre will offer an integrated structure for the development, translation and commercialization of these groundbreaking therapies. C3i will combine three interacting units that will provide patients with cutting edge biomarker and diagnostic tests, good manufacturing practices standards and rapid access to clinical trials and regulatory support to bring effective and affordable remedies more rapidly to Canadians and the world. This will strengthen Canada’s position as a leader in the emerging field of cancer immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy is a rapidly emerging practice that harnesses the power of the immune system to combat cancer. It could revolutionize cancer care by developing nontoxic, highly efficient and decisive cures that do not rely on chemotherapeutic agents, thus improving patients’ quality of life and reducing healthcare costs. These treatments could be used in 60% of advanced cancer patients by 2025. Canada needs greater capacity to translate these therapies into patient care, and to help Canadian companies compete in a potential $40 billion market.

Contact info:

• François Bettez, CEO
• Louisa Petropoulos, Director, Business Development & Operations

Supporting and building Canada’s stem cell and regenerative medicine research sector has been the raison d'etre of the Stem Cell Network (SCN) since its inception in 2001. Its work has been supported by the Government of Canada from the beginning. SCN’s mandate is to act as a catalyst for enabling the translation of stem cell research into clinical applications, commercial products and public policy.

In just over 15 years SCN has forged a national community that has transformed stem cell research in Canada, brought research to the point where regenerative medicine is changing clinical practice and established an outstanding international reputation. SCN has pushed the boundaries of what was a basic research area towards translational outcomes for the clinic and marketplace.

Including the 2016 funding competitions SCN has provided $94 million for innovative translational research. Today, SCN support has benefitted over 160 world-class research groups and more than 2,500 trainees from across Canada. Additionally, SCN has catalyzed 12 clinical trials and 11 start-up companies. SCN investigators have leveraged upwards of $116 million in partner contributions while SCN has incubated several international and Canadian research networks and organizations.

Visit us at www.stemcellnetwork.ca

Contact info: Phil Welford, Executive Director

CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and leading academic and industry partners, supports the development of regenerative medicines and associated enabling technologies, with a specific focus on cell and gene therapy. A network of academic researchers, leading companies, strategic investors and entrepreneurs, CCRM aims to accelerate the translation of scientific discovery into marketable products for patients with specialized teams funding, and infrastructure. CCRM sources and evaluates intellectual property from around the globe, offers various consulting services, conducts development projects with partners, and establishes new companies built around strategic bundles of intellectual property. CCRM has a 40,000 square foot space dedicated to advanced cell manufacturing that includes a fully resourced development facility used to both evaluate and advance technologies. CCRM is hosted by the University of Toronto and was launched in Toronto’s Discovery District on June 14, 2011.

Visit us at www.ccrm.ca

Contact Info: Spencer Hoover, Development Manager

The Canadian Stem Cell Foundation is the national champion for stem cell research and development. An independent, registered charitable organization, the Foundation aligns scientists, industry, business, community leaders and the general public to accelerate the translation of stem cell research into new treatments and cures for devastating diseases. Our success will not only save lives and reduce suffering, it will create economic benefits for Canada and improve health care.

Visit us at www.stemcellfoundation.ca

Contact info: Joe Sornberger, Director of Communications Programs

When science and passion connect, innovation happens. The oncology community shares a common mission: to transform the way patients live with cancer and related diseases. At Novartis Oncology, we are passionate about the discovery and development of innovative medicines. We seek to provide a broad range of new therapies as well as practical solutions to advance the care of patients.

With over 9000 Oncology employees worldwide operating in 85 countries, Novartis Oncology has a truly global reach. We have the advantage of extraordinarily talented and globally diverse employees who, through shared goals and different perspectives, are dedicated to transforming the lives of patients living with cancer around the world. We have developed eight new practice-changing medicines in the past decade, addressing unmet medical needs in patients worldwide. Our broad pipeline includes over 25 new molecular entities in development, targeting key molecular pathways in cancer biology.

Visit us at www.novartis.ca

Contact info: Sharon Vantyghem, New Product Development Manager, Onco Phase 4

BD is a global medical technology company that is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company provides innovative solutions that help advance medical research and genomics, enhance the diagnosis of infectious disease and cancer, improve medication management, promote infection prevention, equip surgical and interventional procedures and support the management of diabetes. BD Biosciences provides flow cytometers, reagents, tools, and a wide range of services to support the work of researchers and clinicians who understand disease and improve care. BD’s wide cell analysis portfolio provides cell therapy enablement solutions of superior quality and the ability to support workflows across cell isolation, characterization and expansion.

Visit us at www.bdbiosciences.com/ca

Contact info: canada@bd.com 

BioSpherix Medical®, located in Parish, NY, designs, manufactures, and sells advanced cell incubation and processing systems for the control and optimization of in vitro cellular environments.

Their flagship Xvivo System® is the first cytocentric® isolator, the only barrier isolator designed for cells. The modular design can aseptically close any cell production process, small or large, simple or complex, manual or automated. All analytic, automation, and process equipment can be ergonomically integrated. Full-time optimization of all critical cell parameters, including oxygen, produces cells with superior potency. The Xvivo System is a practical and economical alternative to cleanrooms for cGMP-compliant production of human cells and tissues.

Since its founding in 1982, BioSpherix, Ltd. ® has supplied cytocentric equipment and systems to academic, research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations throughout the world for use in basic cell biology and stem cell research, as well as gene and cellular therapies.

Visit us at www.biospherix.com

Contact info: Ken Rando, Clinical Team Leader

Roche Diagnostics, a division of the Swiss company Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., is the world leader in in vitro diagnostics. In Canada, Roche Diagnostics is the leader of its sector. Roche Diagnostics offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and innovative solutions to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories in the fields of diabetes care and anticoagulation therapy, molecular biology, diagnostic in-situ, clinical chemistry, immunology and life sciences. Roche Canada has its Diagnostics head office in Laval and its Pharmaceutical head office in Mississauga, Ontario.

Visit us at www.rochecanada.com

Contact info: Nadège Lorry, Account Executive

OIRM builds on the strengths of OSCI as a network of scientific leaders and CCRM as a network of industry and business leaders. Following the official announcement of OIRM, OSCI began to wind down, allowing OIRM to integrate and align existing resources infrastructure for the overall benefit of Ontarians.

Visit us at www.oirm.ca

Contact Info: Sandra (Sam) Donaldson, Vice President, Strategy and Partnerships

ThéCell is a research network aimed at promoting translational research in cell and tissue therapy in the Province of Quebec.  

Visit us at www.reseauthecell.qc.ca

Contact info: Friederike Pfau, Coordinator