CANCER
FIGHTERS
A roundtable discussion on cancer research in Canada

Canada’s standing as a leading centre for cancer research didn’t happen by accident. It took billions of dollars in public and charitable investments and decades to train researchers and build the research capacity.

How Canada fares in the future will depend on how well proponents of cancer research maintain funding, nurture up-and-coming researchers, and leverage new knowledge. Bio Business assembled a panel of leading researchers in the field of cancer and asked them where Canada is, where it needs to go, and how it can get there. Most of the people interviewed agree: declines in funding will undercut decades of investments; Canada’s single-payer healthcare system gives Canada a research advantage over competing countries; and the fight against cancer is something we can win. It will take time, but we’re getting there.


A Shot in the Arm
Canadian cancer researchers find hope and opportunity in vaccines

Today, more than 60 per cent of Canadians diagnosed with cancer survive compared to an approximate 25 per cent survival rate in the 1940s. Advancements in cancer research, detection and treatment have made this increase possible, yet cancer kills one Canadian every seven-and-a-half minutes. Clearly, we still have a problem and traditional methods for treating cancer may not be enough.


Becoming Regulatory Ready
Considerations for moving from discovery to formal development of oncology therapeutics

Transitioning from a research-based oncology drug discovery program to a formal development program is a time-consuming, costly, and complex process that happens inside a highly regulated environment. As entrepreneurs, research groups, and start-up companies shift efforts from discovery to formal development, they must address the many challenges that come with devising a successful development program for oncology therapeutics.







Teralys Capital invests in life sciences funds
Teralys Capital invested $35 million in two new funds managed by Lumira Capital: Lumira Capital II and Merck Lumira Biosciences Fund. The company says this investment will shape Québec’s life sciences ecosystem by making financing available to companies in this sector throughout their stages of development.


Breast cancer decoded
B.C. Cancer Agency scientists have decoded the genetic make-up of triple negative breast cancer. The breakthrough could lead to more effective treatment. The study, published in the international journal Nature, reveals that this form of cancer is not one distinct single entity, but a complex and evolved tumour with an unprecedented range of mutations.

Valeant moves global head office to Quebec
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International says it will relocate its global headquarters from Mississauga, Ontario, to Laval, Quebec. The company will also establish a new research and development center for consumer dermatology in Laval.