Nutraceuticals • Profiles of Innovators • Capital Ideas

Health Trends – Nutraceuticals • Biotech’s Century in Alberta • Capital Ideas Health Trends – Nutraceuticals • Profiles of Innovators • Capital Ideas THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ALBERTA'S BIO-INDUSTRY 2005 Opening Doors to Bio-Industry in Alberta �� 2005 CONTENTS 6 Pursuing a Strategy BioAlberta executive director Myka Osinchuk writes Alberta’s bio-industry has matured in the past few years and needs to become engaged in determining its future. 8 Charting Sustainability BIOTECanada sets a course for better regulation and continued federal commitment to Canada’s biotech industries. BY RHOWAN SIVEL 10 The Innovators Alberta is a hot spot for biotechnology research and development. BIOZINE profi les Alberta scientists making 14 great strides and gaining worldwide recognition. BY CONNIE BRYSON 14 Biodiversifying Alberta bio-industry spreads its wings in the emerging industrial bioproducts sector. BY TERRY BULLICK 18 Alberta Bio-Industry Map A look at the development of the Alberta’s bio-industry players. 20 A Century of Alberta Innovation BY DR. RICHARD PERRY AND RYAN LESKIW 22 Trendy Health Success of Alberta’s natural health products show growing consumer acceptance in nutraceuticals. BY WILL GIBSON 27 Seeking Capital Funding from the public markets fuel growth, but it also 22 creates a lot of change. BY GORDON COPE 30 Front-Runners Alberta’s award winners. 34 BioAlberta Members and Board of Directors 27 2005 • BioZine 3 �� 2005 BioZine is the official magazine of Alberta’s bio-industry. Published by Venture Publishing Inc. for BioAlberta PUBLISHER/EDITOR Ruth Kelly [email protected] ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Joyce Byrne [email protected] EXECUTIVE EDITOR Myka Osinchuk [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Radke [email protected] EDITOR Malcolm Sword [email protected] ART DIRECTOR Vanlee Tran [email protected] CONSULTING ART DIRECTOR Jennifer Windsor [email protected] DESIGN & PRODUCTION Gunnar Blodgett, Catherine Lizotte CIRCULATION Rob Kelly [email protected] ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Elizabeth Dennehy, Anita McGillis, Kelly Sysak CONTRIBUTORS Connie Bryson, Terry Bullick, Gordon Cope, Will Gibson, Ryan Leskiw, Dr. Gordon Perry, Rowan Sivel Phipps McKinnon Building Suite 1730 10020 - 101A Ave NW Edmonton, AB T5J 3G2 T: 780 425-3804 F: 780 409-9263 E: [email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Myka Osinchuk BIOPRODUCTS MANAGER John Christensen MANAGER, INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT Ryan Radke EVENTS COORDINATOR & MEMBERSHIP ADMINISTRATOR Sherry Kully ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Sandra Wilburn Contents copyright 2005 by BioAlberta. Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from BioAlberta. PRINTED IN CANADA MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Pursuing a Strategy Executive director Welcome to the latest edition of BioZine. I’m across Canada brought the biotechnology Myka Osinchuk very proud of this magazine, a collaboration community together. BioAlberta held an of BioAlberta and Venture Publishing Inc. – MLA/CEO luncheon, intended to build the looks at the direction it is truly a snapshot of all that is exciting profile of Alberta’s biotechnology innova- Alberta’s bio-industry and successful in our industry. tors with key political decision makers. needs to pursue for As I sat down to prepare my message We also enjoyed wide media coverage, and continuing success for the magazine, I reflected on the events hosted company CEOs at a dinner. Finally, of the past year. BioAlberta has had an we marked the week with the launch of extremely active and successful year, which our state of the industry report. Thanks go mirrors the growth that we have seen in our out to BioAlberta and BIOTECanada staff, industry. members of the Biotech Accord, and our Early 2004 saw the development of founding partners: AstraZeneca Canada BioAlberta’s advocacy platform, “A Blueprint Inc., Aventis Pharma Inc., Bayer Inc., for Success”, which identified policies that Council for Biotechnology Information, will improve the competitive environ- GlaxoSmithKline Inc., KPMG LLP, and QLT ment for the bio-industry in Alberta. We Inc. continue to pursue the strategies outlined Finally, we celebrated BioAlberta’s fifth in the Blueprint, with a specific focus on anniversary this year with a gala event. implementing provincial scientific research Through BioAlberta, the industry now has and experimental development (SR&ED) a common, credible, unified voice. And, tax credits, and on facilitating investment together, we got a few things right over the in our companies through taxation instru- past five years. ments and creation of new sources of capi- Our organization is inclusive: we repre- tal. A task force of our members is leading sent the bio-community from academia to the charge on these policy priorities. companies to government. Our largest and We also looked closely at the current sta- smallest companies have learned that by tus of our industry, and prepared the well- working together they can capitalize on the researched BioAlberta State of the Industry significant benefits of having one unified Report 2004. We found that Alberta is home bio-industry voice. to more than 60 biotechnology companies, We’ve maintained a focus on marketing, 40% of which were established during the advocacy, and providing services that our three-year period between 2000 and 2003. members find valuable. Our first priority Seventy-five per cent of Alberta’s companies was increasing awareness of this industry are involved in health, and 15% in agricul- in Alberta. Now the focus is on ensuring ture. The estimated employment impact of that Alberta is a competitive environment our industry is 3,600 jobs. Our industry is a for the growth of our industry. nascent one, with 10 companies reporting Our approach to advocacy has been a products in the pre-clinical stage of devel- collaborative, positive one that has placed a opment, seven in Phase I clinical trials, four priority on finding solutions and opportu- in Phase II, and eight companies reporting nities, and ways for industry to work with products in Phase III clinical trials. government. In the fall, BioAlberta was proud to par- As we enter our next stage of develop- ticipate in the first National Biotechnology ment, BioAlberta has a new challenge: as Week. From Sept. 27 to Oct. 1, nearly 100 our membership grows and evolves, we events, meetings and announcements from must also change to respond to their needs. 6 BioZine • 2005 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The Alberta industry is, as I described, still our industry. BioAlberta’s challenge is to and Science) and BioAlberta’s Board of nascent, and our earlier stage companies harness the considerable energy of our Directors. value the opportunities that we provide young innovative companies, and engage Our best wishes for success in 2005. to build networks within the community. them in the process. BioAlberta’s objectives and activities have We look forward to growing with you! focused on uniting the community, build- Our thanks to our many partners (see Myka Osinchuk ing relationships and defining the needs of page 32), patrons (Alberta Science and President the industry. Research Authority and Alberta Innovation BioAlberta However, more Alberta companies are successfully navigating through the State of Alberta’s Bio-industry later stages of development, past regula- Industry Composition Financial tory hurdles and increasingly larger rounds • Alberta is home to 61 bio-industry • Biotechnology companies produce of financing. As our industry matures, companies revenues of about $285 million BioAlberta must actively engage in public • 75% of Alberta’s bio-industry is involved • Alberta companies raised more than policy discussions. with health biotechnology

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