Organization: Centre for Drug Research and Development

CDRD signs up two more academic affiliates

The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) has added Laval Univ and the Univ of Sherbrooke to its network of affiliated academic institutions, The agreements give the two Quebec-based universities access to CDRD’s expertise and research infrastructure, designed to address scientific and management challenges and move discoveries closer to the marketplace. Academic institutions affiliated…

Three CECRs receive $4 million from Merck Canada

Merck Canada is investing $4 million in three Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) as part of a $100-million commitment it made in 2010 when it closed its Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research in a global restructuring (R$, July 19/10). The funding goes to the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer…

CECR and BL-NCE funding extensions announced

The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) secretariat has released the results of its competition to determine which of the original recipients of its two industry-facing programs will receive extended funding. The competition awarded renewed funding for four of the original 11 Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) and one of the four…

GSK forges novel R&D partnerships with CDRD

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has entered into a two-part R&D collaboration with the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) and its commercial arm CDRD Ventures Inc (CVI). The novel agreement will see GSK support early-stage projects through CDRD via the GSK-CDRD Innovation Fund. These projects will engage academic investigators at CDRD’s affiliated institutions or hospital-based research…

Roche funds joint research projects with CDRD

Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd has committed “several million dollars” to CDRC Ventures Inc (CVI) — the commercial arm of the Centre for Drug Research and Development — to develop health research technologies under the direction of CVI. Hoffmann and CVI will jointly determine the intellectual property paths for the projects as well as assess opportunities for…

Compound developed by CDRD and BCCA licensed

A new oncology compound developed by the Centre for Drug Research and Development and the BC Cancer Agency has been licensed to Baltimore, MD-based Champions Oncology Inc. Irinophore is a lipid-based nanoparticle developed by using a proprietary method developed by BCCA that has demonstrated the ability to ameliorate a critical side effect of Camptosan, the…

UBC/CDRD license tech platform to Covidien

Mansfield MA-based Covidien (formerly Tyco Healthcare) has licensed a new drug-delivery platform invented by Univ of British Columbia researcher Dr Pieter Cullis and developed in collaboration with the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD). Cullis, director of UBC’s NanoMedicines Research Group, used CDRD’s in-house facilities and expertise to perfect the new technology which is…

CDRD and Prostate Centre to collaborate on R&D

The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) and the Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) have signed a preferred collaboration agreement to accelerate the discovery, development and commercialization of anti-cancer therapies. Both organizations are funded through the Centres of Excellence in Commercialization and Research (CECR) program. Earlier this year, CDRD and VPC teamed with the Eskitis…

Xenon Pharmaceuticals to collaborate with CDRD

Burnaby BC-based Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc has entered into a strategic collaboration with the commercial arm of the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD). Xenon will work with Drug Development Inc (DDI) to advance an early-stage R&D program. Xenon will leverage CDRD and DDI’s technical and research strengths to reach certain early-stage R&D milestones and…

Pfizer increase contribution to innovation fund

Pfizer Canada has tripled the size of an innovation fund designed to advance commercialization of promising compounds emanating from the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) in British Columbia. Pfizer added $2 million to the $1 million it contributed one year ago. The Pfizer-CDRD Innovation Fund already supports six projects in the areas of…