The world’s leading bioscience experts are coming to Atlantic Canada, and specifically to Prince Edward Island between September 16 and 17, to forge Strategic business and research alliances with their Atlantic Canada counterparts.
Nearly 50 international bioscience leaders will take part in a series of activities, hosted by each of the four Atlantic provinces throughout the month of September, including one-on-one business meetings, site tours, educational sessions and networking events.
The 2009 Pan-Atlantic Incoming BioPartnering Mission builds on the Strong results of the inaugural visit by international companies and research organizations to Atlantic Canada in 2008. The incoming mission is funded by the provincial and federal governments through the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development (IBDA).
“The Government of Canada is committed to the development of Atlantic Canada’s bioscience industry,” said the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency). “Our investment in this business mission will help support the growth of this industry, which is important to Atlantic Canada’s economy, by raising the sector’s international profile, encouraging commercialization and attracting foreign investment.”
Atlantic Canada’s bioscience industry is a hotbed of innovation research and business opportunities, consisting of over 100 companies and employing thousands of Atlantic Canadians. The industry’s sales, employment figures, and research and development (R&D) are forecast to increase significantly over the next five years.
As a result of last year’s mission, during which 26 foreign companies traveled to Atlantic Canada, researchers from Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador joined with St. John's-based Newfound Genomics, and Boston-based PGxHealth Ltd. to put Memorial’s diagnostic test for a lethal heart condition within easy reach of doctors and patients.
According to, Dr. Wayne Gulliver of Newfound Genomics, the 2008 biopartnering mission served as a catalyst for bringing the parties together to complete this deal. “The biopartnering project gave us the opportunity to bring our partners from the United States to our location in Newfoundland to complete the details of our agreement. In turn, we were able to solidify our relationship and get our diagnostics test into the market much sooner than we had originally planned.”
The 2009 incoming mission is being organized by BioAtlantech, the lead agency for
New Brunswick’s bio- industries, in partnership with its counterparts in the three other Atlantic Provinces. Creating awareness of Atlantic Canada’s bioscience capabilities both nationally and internationally, finding outlets for innovative products and attracting investments to the region through R&D partnerships are important goals for these regional Stakeholders.
The mission’s events are designed to showcase Atlantic Canada’s bioscience industry and to build focused international business and research partnerships. This collaboration can lead to new product development, licensing agreements for intellectual property, R&D projects and increased export sales for Atlantic Canada’s bioscience companies and research organizations.
A total of $217,440 in funding for the inbound trade mission is being provided through the IBDA. The IBDA is a federal/provincial agreement between the Government of Canada (ACOA, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada) and the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada, and is designed to help Atlantic Canadian businesses enter, explore and succeed in international markets. The IBDA is the leading component of a pan Atlantic effort to foster business relations, attract foreign investment and nurture technological co-operation.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
The world’s leading bioscience experts are coming to Atlantic Canada, and specifically to Prince Edward Island between September 16 and 17, with the goal to forging Strategic business and research alliances with their Atlantic Canada hosts. The 2009 Pan-Atlantic Inbound BioPartnering Mission will see nearly 50 international bioscience leaders take part in a series of activities, hosted by each of the four Atlantic provinces throughout September. The activities include one-on-one business meetings, site tours, educational sessions and networking events. Keith Ashfield, Minister of State for ACOA, indicates that the incoming mission will raise the sector’s international profile, encourage commercialization and attract foreign investment to the Atlantic region.
More than $217,000 in funding for this inbound mission is being provided through the International Business Development Agreement. The agreement includes the federal government departments – ACOA, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada – as well as the four Atlantic provincial governments. This agreement helps Atlantic Canadian businesses enter and succeed in international markets.
Information:
Rayanne Brennan
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-851-6510
Rose Fitzpatrick
PEI BioAlliance
902-367-4403
(This news release is available on the ACOA website at www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca under Media Room.)
MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
Following is the list of the Atlantic Canadian companies
and organizations participating in the 2009 Pan-Atlantic
Incoming BioParterning Mission:
New Brunswick
Atlantic Agri-Food Associates, Williamstown
Chatham Biotec Ltd., Riverview
Coastal Zones Research Institute, Shippagan
LuminUltra Technologies Ltd., Fredericton
Screening Devices Canada Ltd., Hatfield Point
Solanum Genomics, Fredericton
Sylvar Technologies/Forest Protection Ltd., Fredericton
Newfoundland and Labrador
ICUS, St. John’s
Memorial University of Newfoundland – Population
Therapeutics Research Group, St. John’s
Memorial University of Newfoundland – Ocean Sciences
Centre, St. John’s
Nexus Clinical Research Inc., St. John’s
Nova Scotia
Acadian Seaplants Ltd., Dartmouth
Dalhousie University, Halifax
National Research Council Institute for Biodiagnostics
(Atlantic), Halifax
Prince Edward Island
Chemaphor Inc., Charlottetown
Nautilus Biosciences Canada, Charlottetown
Stirling Products Canada, Charlottetown
Neurodyn Inc., Charlottetown
University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown
National Research Council Institute for Nutrisciences &
Health, Charlottetown
