Leading Health and Life Sciences in Nova Scotia

Citadel High student creates cancer detection software

Apr 23, 2018 | News, Sanofi

See original story here It would not be surprising to hear about someone who has made a significant impact in TED Talks and at national and international conferences, or even someone whose research and contributions to the scientific community has garnered them praise and meetings with the national Chief Science Advisor, Dr. Mona Nemer, Canadian Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan, Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Arthur B. McDonald and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. What is pretty extraordinary is that this person is only in Grade 10. Om Agarwal is already a highly sought-after speaker who has been featured by the CBC, CTV, Global TV, Canadian Geographic and Eastlink TV, to name just a few. The Citadel High student is involved in STEM, an interdisciplinary and applied learning approach based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEM integrates the four subjects into a cohesive learning paradigm, based on real-world applications, and so far, Agarwal’s accomplishments are a great indication of how he is fairing in the program. Agarwal’s newest initiative landed him a spot in the Atlantic Sanofi Biogenius Canada (SBC) regional science competition at Dalhousie University on Monday, April 9. Eight of Atlantic Canada’s most brilliant high-school science students were chosen to compete in the prestigious event. Each was paired with a local mentor and given hands-on experience in a professional lab setting. The students then compiled their findings and presented their ground-breaking biotechnology projects at regional competitions. “I’ve been part of the science community for a while now and attending various science fairs, and at last year’s national science fair one of the ambassadors told me about this program [SBC] and how it is specifically geared around biotechnology,” says Agarwal, who adds this was his first time working on a biotechnology project. The idea for his project, Computerized Comprehension for a Curable Cancer, actually came to him after his own experience with a biopsy that was inconclusive. After speaking to his doctor about the results, Agarwal says he began wondering about the potential value of a software that could simply tell a patient if a tumour is cancerous or benign. According to Agarwal, “… the least invasive and most affordable diagnostic test currently available to detect pancreatic cancer is the Fine Needle Aspirate, which also has a very high rate of false-positives/false-negatives that makes it highly dangerous [since it can lead to a delay in an appropriate diagnosis].” Agarwal says his software, which he worked on for about six months, aims to change this. “If it is not accepted into the medical community, I plan to release it as a web application so that it can be used as a resource to provide a second opinion for a patient,” he adds. As it turns out, Agarwal’s project received third place in the SBC competition, which is pretty impressive by any standards. And while Agarwal is still a few years from graduating high school, he has already developed a number of software applications, such as his Automotive Collision Detection Network, an anti-bullying database application, an animal deterrent system and a greenhouse monitoring system to name just some. As for the future, Agarwal says, “… I hope that one of my projects will be turned into a company and that it can actually help people.” To learn more about Agarwal, visit his website: www.omagarwal.net. You can get more information on Sanofi Biogenius Canada at biogenius.ca.]]>

Xultophy® approved in Canada for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes

Apr 18, 2018 | News, Novo Nordisk

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Once-daily Xultophy® has been shown to help patients achieve blood glucose targets

Novo Nordisk announced today that Health Canada has approved Xultophy®as an adjunct to lifestyle modifications, for the once-daily treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control in combination with metformin, with or without sulfonylurea, when these combined with basal insulin (less than 50 units daily) or liraglutide (less than or equal to 1.8 mg daily), do not provide adequate glycemic control.1
“Living with diabetes is a complex situation in itself especially for people requiring insulin therapy. Therefore, treatment options should ideally aim to reduce complexity,” says Dr. Stewart Harris, Clinical Diabetologist and Professor at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University in London, Ontario. “Xultophy®, a new insulin combination treatment therapy, not only helps people with type 2 diabetes optimize their blood glucose targets, studies have also demonstrated the added benefits of a lower risk of hypoglycemia and potential weight loss when compared to other insulin intensification approaches where hypoglycemia and weight gain poses a significant clinical barrier to successful blood glucose control. Xultophy® does this in a simple, once-daily injection using a pre-filled pen.” Xultophy® (insulin degludec + liraglutide injection) is a fixed-ratio combination of a long-acting basal insulin (Tresiba®/insulin degludec) and a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) (liraglutide), in a once-daily injection. Xultophy® can be taken independent of meals, at any time of day – preferably at the same time of the day.1 “Insulin is, and has been, the mainstay for treating patients with longstanding type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Jan Hux, President and Chief Science Officer of Diabetes Canada. “But insulin carries the risk of causing dangerously low blood glucose levels. When insulin is used in combination with other medications that don’t carry a risk of low blood sugar levels, it can help patients with type 2 diabetes reach their blood glucose targets more safely and with less insulin than they would otherwise need.” About the DUAL™ Clinical Development Program The approval of Xultophy® is based on efficacy and safety data from the DUAL™ (Dual Action of Liraglutide and Insulin Degludec in Type 2 Diabetes) clinical development program. In three DUAL™ trials involving 1,393 adults with type 2 diabetes, patients who were inadequately controlled on liraglutide or basal insulin therapy and switched to Xultophy®achieved significant reductions in HbA1c.1 For adults uncontrolled on basal insulin, Xultophy® demonstrated reductions in HbA1c from baseline of 1.81 per cent (vs insulin glargine) and 1.90 per cent (vs basal insulin therapies).1 The most frequently reported adverse reactions during treatment with Xultophy® were hypoglycemia and gastrointestinal adverse reactions, of which nausea was the most frequently reported and declined as treatment continued.1 About Xultophy® Xultophy® is a once-daily single injection fixed-ratio combination of long-acting insulin degludec and the GLP-1RA liraglutide in one pen. Insulin degludec lowers blood glucose by facilitating glucose uptake upon binding to insulin receptors on muscle and fat cells and simultaneously inhibiting hepatic glucose output.1 Liraglutide stimulates insulin secretion and decreases glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner.1 About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat obesity, hemophilia, growth disorders and other serious chronic diseases. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,700 people in 77 countries and markets its products in more than 165 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.ca, Twitter, YouTube. References _________________________ 1 Xultophy® Product Monograph. Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. April 11, 2018. SOURCE Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. For further information: Media: Kate Hanna, 905-629-6612, [email protected]
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Business Wire: Appili Therapeutics to Present at 2018 Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference

Apr 18, 2018 | Appili Therapeutics, News

See original story here Appili Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company” or “Appili”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on anti-infective drug development, announced today that it will participate in this year’s annual Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference. The conference takes place May 2-3, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. Appili’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Sullivan will present a corporate overview and update on the Company’s active pipeline and business development programs. Presentation details are as follows: Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2018 Time: 2:00 p.m. ET Location: Sheraton Centre Hotel Toronto, 123 Queen Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2M9 Investors interested in arranging a meeting with Mr. Sullivan during this conference should contact Bloom Burton & Co.’s conference coordinator. About the Conference The Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference brings together U.S., Canadian and international investors who are interested in the latest developments in the Canadian healthcare sector. Attendees will have an opportunity to obtain corporate updates from the premier Canadian publicly traded and private companies through presentations and private meetings. About Appili Therapeutics Appili Therapeutics, Inc., was founded to advance the global fight against infectious disease by matching clearly-defined patient needs with drug development programs that provide solutions to existing challenges patients, doctors and society face in this challenging disease space. Balancing near-to-market product candidates with higher-risk but potentially transformative early-stage programs, Appili’s growing pipeline includes assets being developed by Appili as well as an active licensing program. ATI-1501 employs Appili’s proprietary, taste-masked, oral-suspension technology with metronidazole for the growing number of pediatric and elderly patients with difficulty swallowing. ATI-1503 is a drug discovery program aimed at generating negamycin analogue candidates, a novel class of antibiotics with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Via an in-licensing program, Appili acquired the rights to ATI-1701, a vaccine for tularemia, removing risk from a weaponized bioterrorism pathogen. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with offices in Mississauga, Ontario, Appili is pursuing worldwide opportunities in collaboration with science and industry commercial partners, governments and government agencies. For more information, visit www.AppiliTherapeutics.com.]]>

ENTREVESTOR: N.S. firm promoting new cancer treatment

Apr 18, 2018 | Adaptiiv, News

See original story here The executive team of Halifax-based Adaptiiv, fresh with a recent round of financing, is attending an international radiotherapy conference in Barcelona this week to announce a new distribution partnership. Formerly known as 3DBolus, Adaptiiv is a company that has been gaining notice in Halifax biotech circles for a couple of years, even though it just released its first public statement this week. The company has developed software that works with 3D printers to produce a personalized bolus — a plastic fitting used in radiation therapy. Adaptiiv has launched three different products, booked sales in six countries and raised almost $3 million in equity funding. Last week Adaptiiv announced it had signed a distribution agreement with Iowa-based CIVCO Radiotherapy, which will give it sales representatives in all main districts of North America. “This is a special company,” CEO Peter Hickey said in an interview Tuesday before jetting off to the Estro Conference in Spain. “When I was first approached by the team I initially thought, ‘This isn’t for me,’ because I was in IT. But the team, especially (board member) Bruce Ross, kept driving home the point that this is a software play. It was one of those cases where I fell in love with the company.” Hickey is best known in the community as a serial entrepreneur in the IT space, most recently for being the CEO of Oris4, which shut down two years ago. In Adaptiiv, he’s teamed up with James Robar, chief of medical physics at the Nova Scotia Health Authority and director of medical physics graduate programs at Dalhousie University, and serial tech entrepreneur Alex Dunphy. What Adaptiiv does is revolutionize the use of a bolus in radiation therapy. A bolus is a piece of plastic placed over the cancerous area, assuming the tumours are close to or in the skin. The radiation hits the bolus, builds up and then is transferred into the tumour. There can be no air pockets between the bolus and the skin, which complicates matters given that every body is unique. Hospitals using the Adaptiiv product buy a system that includes 3D printers with special filaments, so unique boluses customized to each patient can be printed within seconds. They can be reused as the patient receives repeated radiation dosages. Or if the patient’s body shape changes over the course of multiple treatments, the medical staff can print off another bolus quickly. The company has received its CE Mark certification, meaning it can sell into several countries including members of the European Union. It already has clients in the U.K., Ireland, Israel, Australia and Canada. It has applied for its 510k approval in the U.S. and Hickey said it hopes to receive approval “soon.” Adaptiiv recently closed a round of funding which included investment from Alexander Capital in New York, an investment boutique that makes direct investments and rounds up angel investors to back companies. Hickey said Adaptiiv has now raised almost $3 million and is planning a larger raise once it receives its 510k approval. Adaptiiv has three products in the market, including one that helps to prevent healthy organs from being damaged during radiation therapy. With nine employees (soon to be 12), the company continues to develop new products. “We have a pipeline with some really great innovation,” said Hickey. “That’s what we are. We’re a Nova Scotian-based innovation company that’s producing solutions to problems that people haven’t solved yet.”]]>

WEBWIRE: McCain Foods makes significant strategic investment in vertical farming

Apr 16, 2018 | News, TruLeaf

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TORONTO – WEBWIRE – Monday, April 16, 2018
McCain Foods Limited has completed a strategic investment in TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture, a highly innovative Canadian agricultural technology company. TruLeaf has developed proprietary indoor vertical farming technology to grow fresh and nutritious leafy greens of high quality and flavour, in an environmentally sustainable way, 365 days per year. Since its inception in 2011, the Company has assembled a strong team of leading experts to develop and advance these proprietary growing systems, that can be located anywhere, from the heart of an urban centre to remote communities with harsh climates. TruLeaf currently sells its produce in Atlantic Canada under the GoodLeaf brand, in retail and food service channels. McCain Foods is actively engaging with entrepreneurs in developing and commercializing agri-food technologies; the strategic investment in TruLeaf is in direct support of McCain Foods’ innovation strategy. Commenting on the partnership, Max Koeune, President and CEO of McCain Foods Limited said, “McCain has a 60 year track record of advancing agricultural practices to the benefit of crop quality and environmental standards. Over this time, we have worked closely with many research institutions, technology partners and of course, our global network of growers. We remain committed to this approach and as such are always looking to partner with innovative businesses like TruLeaf to continue to set new standards for environmental care and efficient crop production, through advancing agricultural technology”. Gregg Curwin, TruLeaf Founder and CEO said, “We are extremely pleased to be entering this next phase of development and growth with such a strong leading global food company as McCain Foods. We believe this partnership will accelerate TruLeaf’s farm build-out, providing high quality, local, fresh produce to more Canadians while also expanding our reach to other countries around the world.” About McCain Foods Limited:  McCain Foods Limited is the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products and a global leader in appetizers and snacks. It employs approximately 20,000 people, operates 53 production facilities on six continents and generates annual sales in excess of CDN $9 billion. About TruLeaf: TruLeaf is a revolutionary data-driven company that improves food production predictability through precision agriculture without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. The company’s system leverages vertical farming technology to create efficient, controlled indoor farms to meet the needs of retailers, food service and consumers. Significantly disrupting the conventional leafy green supply chain in North America, TruLeaf sells its produce under the GoodLeaf brand, through a fully owned subsidiary, GoodLeaf Community Farms Limited, established to grow and market packaged produce in North America and beyond.]]>