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reports and analyses of the forces driving science and technology investment in Canada
editor: Mark Henderson How it looks to me.... by Mark Henderson FEATURE REPORTS | RESEARCH BRIEFS | PERSONALITIES How it looks to me.... by Mark Henderson, editor, RE$EARCH MONEY A new player emerging on the Canadian biopharmaceutical scene could be paving the way for a new model, with R&D relegated to a supporting role to make way for a bottom-line oriented, investment friendly structure. Briana BioTech Inc one of the first Canadian firms to adopt such an approach (link to item), although there are similar examples such as Interneuron Pharmaceuticals Inc, which has a small staff and a huge market capitalization. Briana is currently assembling a core management capability that will essentially focus on licensing-in and licensing-out, leaving the expense and risk of R&D to universities and research institutions. President and CEO Romano Robust admits the model doesn't elicit much sympathy in the research community, but he's betting it'll be a hit on Bay Street and other money markets. The implications of such a model becoming the norm are enormous for both academia and government. Universities will require better infrastructural tools and a stronger business mentality to play the role firms like Briana envisage for them, while government will be confronted with shouldering the bulk of the costs this kind of transformation will entail. The investment community is seeking shorter time-to-market prospects in biotech and Briana is addressing its concerns. Dialogue is essential as all players in the field adapt to the new reality.
FEATURE REPORTS...
AMEC's NEW S&T NETWORK GEARS UP TO TACKLE CANADA'S LARGEST MEDICAL TEACHING AND RESEARCH HOSPITALS CONTINUE DOMINATION OF MRC OPERATING GRANTS COMPETITION SOFTWARE PROMOTERS UP IN ARMS AFTER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLOSES LOOPHOLE IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE TAX SHELTERS IMPACT STUDY OF CANADA CENTRE FOR REMOTE SENSING NOTES AGENCY'S ACHIEVEMENTS BUT POINTS TO AREAS REQUIRING ATTENTION
CA*net II NETWORK UNFOLDS AS STRATEGY
BRIANA BUILDING IMPRESSIVE PRODUCT
RESEARCH BRIEFS
UWO strikes steering committee to select projects for CFI funding The Univ of Western Ontario (UWO) has established a steering committee to determine how to best take advantage of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Headed by VP research Bill Bridger, the 18-member steering committee is seeking input to decide which large project(s) should be forwarded to the CFI for funding consideration. As much as 65% of the CFI's $800-million endowment will go towards major institutional research infrastructure initiatives, with the remainder going to smaller projects. UWO hopes its major project will bring together several of the university's academic units. Given the large amount of medical research conducted at UWO, there is a possibility one large project could involve university faculties in conjunction with affiliated medical institutions, plus another project involving the rest of the university. The rationale is based on the fact that approximately half of federal research support in universities is directed towards the health sciences area. UWO hopes to select a project and submit a letter of intent by the fall of 1998....
US firm seeking UWO-developed encryption technology NYC-based Veri-Touch Ltd is currently negotiating a licensing agreement with the Univ of Western Ontario (UWO) for encryption technology developed by applied mathematics professors Pei Yu and Turab Lookman. Based on the chaos theory, the encryption method is being sought by Veri-Touch for a banking security product it is currently developing, which uses biometric measurements such as facial identification and fingerprints. Yu and Lookman's data encryption method of exact recovery offers the potential of creating code that is considered impossible to break. Encryption is considered useful for applications such as Internet financial transactions, automated bank machines, and security for fax and cellular phone communications. Veri-Touch is working with the Bank of America, Chase and Citibank to develop a secure access system....
JDS Fitel acquires 49%interest in German optics component firm Nepean ON-based JDS Fitel Inc has acquired a 49% equity interest in IOT Integrierte Optik GmbH, a designer and manufacturer of monolithic integrated optical couplers and splitters for telecommunication networks. JDS paid DM7.9 million for the interest and holds options to purchase the remaining 51% from parent Schott Glaswerke, Mainz Germany, a manufacturer of special glass and glass ceramics. It intends to combine the specialties of both firms, respectively fibre-optic components for the communications market and glass planar waveguide technology. IOT's current management will remain in place, under the direction of managing director Dr Ludwig Ross. JDS president/CEO Dr Jospeh Straus and Dr Winifred Horsthuis VP strategy/business development will join IOT's supervisory board....
Working Ventures makes flurry of high technology investments Working Ventures Canadian Fund Inc has announced $37.6 million in 19 new investments, boosting its current portfolio to $291.9 million, of which $132 million is in so-called "new economy" firms. The new investments of interest to the high technology sector include: Cognicase, Montreal - computer software re-engineering ($2 million); Excalibur Systems Inc, Ottawa, - electronic warfare simulation ($750,000); International Neural Machines , Waterloo - software for the imaging, speech, financial and medical markets ($1.25 million); Bulldog Group Inc, Toronto -- software development for media asset management ($$2 million); EDI Communications Network Inc, Markham - packet switching-based data communications network ($2 million); Caravelle Inc, Ottawa - development of Internet-based tools ($1.6 million); Imutec Pharma Inc, Scarborough - immune system therapeutics ($2 million); Systems Xcellence Inc, Milton - transaction processing solutions provider ($1 million); Ironside Technologies Inc, Richmond Hill ON - Internet commerce ($2.1 million); and, Medex Consolidated Corp, London - process software for disability claims management ($1.2 million)....
US wireless firms swap BC-based R&D unit and double its size Diablo Research Co, Sunnyvale CA, has purchased the Canadian R&D unit of Los Gatos CA-based Metricom Inc to boost its activities in the communications, control and data transfer markets. The Richmond BC-based subscriber device R&D facility employs 15 engineers focused on wireless communications. It will remain intact and double over the next months to conduct R&D for Metricom under contract, while supporting Diablo's wireless product development in modem design, RF circuitry, local and wide-area networking, pagers and cellular and satellite communications....
Geomax International completes internal reorganization Geomax International Inc has completed a major internal realignment to provide core technologies and applications development for the geographic information system (GIS) markets. The reorganization colsolidates the core technology group with the applications development team, effectively doubling the firm's personnel. Geomax is headed by newly installed president Cyril Robitaille, who is also the principal of Geoservices R&L Inc, the primary applications developer for Geomax in the utility, municipal government and communications distribution markets. The consolidated operation has moved to Brossard PQ, integrating management, R&D, design and marketing in one location. Geomax will retain two distinct R&D groups: core technology and vertically-oriented market applications....
PERSONALITIES
Dr Henry Pan has been appointed president of the MDS Pharmaceutical Services division. The division, formed last year and containing units located on three continents, is focusing on contract drug R&D. Pan will be responsible for internal expansion as well as acquisitions, and partnerships. Formerly VP drug development for Wilmington DE-based DuPont Pharmaceutical Co, Pan holds a BSc in genetics, an MSc in inhalative toxicology and a PhD in molecular pharmacology. The Pharmaceutical Services division is currently composed of MDS Harris, MDS Asia-Harris, MDS Neo-Pharm, MDS Clinical and MDS Panlabs. It is a division of MDS Inc, a diversified technology-based health and life sciences company....Dr Loren Grossman has been appointed associate VP clinical research for Eli Lilly Canada Inc. He will be responsible for leading the firm's activities in the areas of endocrine, skeletal and cardiovascular research. Grossman is currently department chief of internal medicine at Scarborough Grace Hospital and an associate at Mount Sinai Hospital's endocrinology and metabolism division. Grossman's experience includes a clinical research fellowship at Toronto General Hospital and as a participating investigator in several international clinical trials.... The Ontario government has filled the top two spots in Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), a newly created body to advise the government on the development, planning and integration of cancer services, including prevention, early detection, patient support, research and education. Peter Crossgrove holds the position of chairman of the board of directors. He is currently president and CEO of South Africa Minerals Corp and is a former board chairman of the Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Hospital. Charles Hollenberg will serve as president and CEO of CCO. He was most recently president and CEO of the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, whose operations are being absorbed by CCO.... Industry Canada has appointed its six remaining members to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), joining Dr John Evans who was named at its chair at the time of the Foundation's official launch (R$, March 12/97). The six members who will serve terms of three to five years are: Dr Martha Piper, president of the Univ of British Columbia and member of the National Advisory Board on S&T; Dr Peter Nicholson, VP corporate strategy, BCE Inc; Dr Angus Bruneau, former dean of engineering and applied science at Memorial Univ and chair or director for various corporations; Dr Gilles Cloutier, former rector of the Univ of Montreal and a board member of several corporations; Dorothy Lamont, former CEO of both the Canadian Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute of Canada; and, Robert Giroux, board member for various public institutions and former resident and CEO of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Appointment by the government of its allotment of the CFI membership is the first stage in the establishment of a management structure that will see 15 members and eight directors (R$, July 30/97). The CFI is expected to start processing applications for research infrastructure funding later this year. It was formed last spring and funded with an $800-million endowment.... The Canadian Seed Trade Association has bestowed Outstanding Scientists awards on three prominent individuals, acknowledging their achievements in the field: Dr Keith Downey, the "father of canola". He is research scientist emeritus at the Saskatoon Research Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. and an adjunct professor of crop science at the Univ of Saskatchewan; Dr Bryan Harvey, coordinator of agricultural research at the Univ of Saskatchewan and the CSTA representative at the Convention of Biological Diversity; and, Dr AE Slinkard, developer of the Laird lentil. He is associated with the Crop Development Centre at the Univ of Saskatchewan and a fellow of several agricultural societies....
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