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For June 9, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE:

 


 

 

 

 

 

Executive Director's Report
Little Company, Big Impact

I spent yesterday at Whistler, attending the Inaugural Ion Channel Retreat hosted by Aurora Biomed Inc., one of our newest members.

Here's a small BC technology company, playing host to some of the top scientists in the world in the field of ion channel research. Aurora used this opportunity to invite customers, potential customers, and academics to meet together and discuss some of the hot topics in the field. They attracted an audience of more than fifty, including representatives from 15 major pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Was I impressed!

Aurora Biomed invited me to provide an overview of the biotech sector in British Columbia, and I gladly accepted. To my pleasant surprise, a number of delegates requested more information about our members, and one even asked for my assistance in giving his biotech company a presence in the province.

Hats off to Aurora Biomed for hosting this initiative, which we hope will become an annual fixture at Whistler. This is precisely the kind of event which will help us promote what BC has to offer!

On another note, congratulations to Justin Stephenson and his team at RBC Capital Partners. Jeff Bacha recently attend the C-21 Ventures Conference in Monterrey, and directed me to a list of top investors in life sciences over the last 90 days (source: VCBuzz.com). There, at #1, with $ 241 million in deals, stands RBC Capital Partners. Well done, Justin and team.

Finally, a quick update on my message from the last BioFax. I mentioned that a site selector company had visited on behalf of a pharmaceutical company which was looking for a site to build a manufacturing facility. Last Thursday and Friday, four representatives from the pharma company came to Vancouver for a 24-hour whirlwind of meetings with biotech company leaders and staff from the Ministry of Competition, Science, and Enterprise. Vancouver has been short-listed, following an extensive search across North America. A decision is expected in June, with an announcement in September, and ground-breaking in December. This would be a major step forward for our sector in BC!

This will be my last message before I head to BIO 2003 on 19 June. I look forward to seeing some of you there. All good wishes.

- Paul Stinson