Backgrounder: Halifax health science firms pursue innovative solutions to medical challenges

January 24, 2023 · Halifax, Nova Scotia · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

Nova Scotia’s bioscience community has become an important source of economic growth and opportunity for the province. The Government of Canada is investing $1,698,750 through ACOA’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program to help three Halifax firms create innovative healthcare solutions, scale up and attract new customers.

Firms receiving repayable contributions are:

ClearDynamic Inc., is receiving $948,750 to explore the feasibility of a glass microsphere technology to eliminate joint pain, specifically in the knee. The technology is intended to be injected in the bloodstream and carried to the site of knee pain, where the microspheres block the pain receptors while dissolving naturally in the body. The contribution will help the company conduct critical pre-clinical trials of its drug-free pain management technology, including hiring key staff and attracting international investors.

ClearDynamic was incorporated in June 2022 and was co-founded by Dr. Daniel Boyd, co-inventor and a globally recognized research scientist specializing in bioglass. Dr. Boyd, a professor at Dalhousie University, is also the co-founder of IR Scientific Inc. and ABK Biomedical Incorporated. ClearDynamic hopes to treat its first patients with its degradable, bioglass pain blocker in two to three years.

AGADA Biosciences Inc., $500,000 to expand into a new, 15,000 square foot state-of-the art customized laboratory in the Brewery Market building as well as purchase specialized lab equipment and hire six new graduates from regional universities. This will help the firm meet increased demand for its services in the rare disease drug development field.

AGADA Biosciences was founded in 2013 by Drs. Eric Hoffman and Kanneboyina Nagaraju. CEO Dr. Hoffman received his PHD in genetics from John Hopkins University and has done post-graduate work at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. AGADA carries out clinical trials in both humans and mice to enable drug development for international pharmaceutical clients and non-profit foundations. It conducts pre-clinical research, clinical research and consults on drug development. It has shown 30 percent year-on-year growth, employs 40 Nova Scotians, and has outgrown its space in the labs at Summer Street. The company anticipates moving into the new facility in March.

NovaResp Technologies Inc., $250,000 to hire a consultant to speed up the design and approval of its AI-enabled software that will be integrated with existing sleep apnea devices to provide a personalized approach to improving sleep and quality of life for users.

NovaResp Technologies Inc. is a device design and development firm with a mission to make breathing easier for patients with respiratory complications. It was founded by Dr. Hamed Hanafi, who developed his sleep apnea technology during his post-doctoral fellowship at Dalhousie University.

The company’s patented cMAP^TM technology will predict when a sleep apnea patient will stop breathing, and provide air to their airway, preventing respiratory distress, improving sleep as well as making the device more comfortable for patients so they will use it more often.

Associated links

·         Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program