Innovative Medicines Canada – Atlantic – Recognizing National Immunization Awareness Week in Atlantic Canada
NEWS RELEASE HALIFAX, April 21, 2016 — On Tuesday the Nova Scotia government tabled its 2016-17 Budget with a surplus of $17.1 million and a commitment to work collaboratively with industries with big potential in the province. As part of the Budget address, the province called for a collaborative approach model to boost the economy. “This government understands that we cannot solve our economic problems alone. We need to work together to create a stronger economy, a stronger Nova Scotia,..” stated the- Hon. Randy Delorey, Minister of Finance as part of Budget 2016-2017 The life sciences industry in Nova Scotia has indicated it is ready to work with government and is poised as a growth facilitator for the province’s future economic and social prosperity. Generating nearly $300 million in revenues for the province and exporting up to 90% of products, the sector offers a strong and sustainable economic strategy. “With further support from the province for the life sciences community to develop their ideas, commercialize their technologies and build links within the region and internationally we will continue to be a wealth generator for the province,” said Scott Moffitt, Managing Director of BioNova, the life science industry association. The industry has also been fostering valuable collaborative relationships with national associations such as Innovative Medicines Canada to accelerate the development of local pharmaceutical companies, as evidenced by the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding to enhance Nova Scotia’s medical technology portfolio. In recent years, the local life sciences industry has also seen a significant increase in innovation and potential coming from Nova Scotia companies. Immunovaccine Inc. is a good example of this, with a greater than $60 million market cap and a new CEO focused on industry collaborations to continue down the path of growth. The $540 million acquisition of Nova Scotia-based Ocean Nutrition Canada by Royal DSM, a global life science and material sciences company, is another example of growth in the sector. “It’s easy to imagine what more growth in this sector could lead to for Nova Scotians. We look forward to building strong links with the Government of Nova Scotia to further innovation in Nova Scotia’s life sciences sector,” said Russell Williams, President of Innovative Medicines Canada. ABOUT BIONOVA BioNova is Nova Scotia’s life sciences industry association and sector development organization. BioNova leads and supports its members as we build a successful, self-sustaining life sciences industry in Nova Scotia. By promoting the industry and its successes, building relationships both inside and outside the province and creating networking and educational opportunities BioNova aims to accelerate the commercialization success of Nova Scotia’s life sciences businesses and organizations. ABOUT INNOVATIVE MEDICINES CANADA Innovative Medicines Canada is the national voice of Canada’s innovative pharmaceutical industry. We advocate for policies that enable the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines and vaccines that improve the lives of all Canadians. We support our members’ commitment to being valued partners in the Canadian healthcare system. – 30 – For further information: Shana McRae Marketing & Communications Officer, BioNova Telephone: 902-421-5705 ext. 2 E-mail: [email protected] Sarah Douglas Media Relations, Innovative Medicines Canada Telephone: 613-883-7250 E-mail: [email protected]]]>
Halifax, April 19, 2016 – Today, BioNova and Innovative Medicines Canada announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the organizations to foster collaboration in Canada’s life sciences communities between the pharmaceutical sector and life sciences organizations in Nova Scotia. “This agreement will accelerate the development of pharmaceutical companies in Nova Scotia – supporting the local economy and giving Nova Scotian’s a voice for issues on a federal level,” said Scott Moffitt, Managing Director of BioNova. “We’re very pleased about this partnership and look forward to working closely with Innovative Medicines Canada.” This memorandum of understanding will allow BioNova and Innovative Medicines Canada to offer a joint membership to life sciences companies and associated stakeholders in Canada in an effort to enhance networking opportunities and develop partnerships that will lead to the discovery of the next generation of life-saving therapies. “Canada’s innovative pharmaceutical sector provides immense value to patients, to the healthcare system and to Canada’s economy as a whole,” said Russell Williams, President of Innovative Medicines Canada. “We look forward to promoting and stimulating this great, innovative work with BioNova to ensure that Nova Scotia’s life sciences economy can flourish in Canada to the benefit of all.”
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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – April 12, 2016 – Appili Therapeutics Inc., an anti-infective pharmaceutical development company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation for ATI-1501, a taste-masked reformulation of metronidazole with the potential to effectively treat Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in children.
CDI is one of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s most urgent antibiotic-resistant bacterial threats. CDI affects over half a million Canadians and Americans each year. It reoccurs in 83,000 patients and is responsible for 29,000 deaths annually. The incidence of CDI in children has been steadily increasing over recent years, and thus a taste-masked metronidazole formulation is urgently needed for this population.
“The bitter metronidazole tablet is highly unpalatable for most children, so ATI-1501 has the potential to fundamentally improve compliance rates for these patients who are in need of a safe and effective treatment for CDI,” said Kevin Sullivan, CEO of Appili Therapeutics.
The FDA Orphan Drug Act provides orphan status to new drugs that are defined as those intended for the safe and effective treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of rare diseases that affect less than 200,000 people in the United States. This orphan drug designation provides Appili with several benefits, including seven years of marketing exclusivity upon approval of ATI-1501, reduced FDA application and administration fees and tax credits for clinical research in the U.S.
“In just 3 months, we received orphan drug designation from the FDA,” continued Mr. Sullivan. “Having this quick turnaround is an indication of the high quality of the regulatory team we have built, and an important step on our path to becoming the first company to offer an approved treatment for C. difficile designed specifically for children affected by this serious infection.”
About Appili Therapeutics
Appili is dedicated to identifying, acquiring and advancing novel therapeutics in the area of infectious disease and has commenced development on two anti-infective programs, while continuing its search to acquire additional high quality anti-infective programs at all stages of development. The company plans to take its lead drug candidate, ATI-1501, a potential treatment for C. difficile infection, into clinical trials by 2017. Appili’s second product, ATI-1503, is a novel antibiotic with the potential to treat deadly infections such as Klebsiella pneumoniae. These drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections have been identified by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) as posing the highest threat to human health. Appili is co-founded and backed by the life-science/healthcare investment bank Bloom Burton & Co. For more information visit www.AppiliTherapeutics.com.
Media Relations Contact:
Jennifer Cameron
T: 902-209-4704
E: [email protected]