VANCOUVER, BC (February 2, 2016) — The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) announced today that two of its spin-off companies, Zucara Therapeutics and Sepset Biosciences, have been chosen to present at “Dose of the Valley” in San Francisco on February 9 and 10, 2016.
Dose of the Valley is a two-day program organized by the C100, BDC Venture Capital and the Canadian Consulate in San Francisco. The annual by invitation-only event connects Canada’s most promising life science companies from biopharma, medical device and health IT sectors through roundtable discussions, industry-led workshops, one-on-one mentorship, an investor/partnering pitch session, and a networking reception.
San Francisco and the Silicon Valley represent a global hub for life sciences. With a significant presence of pharmaceutical companies, health care providers, and venture capital, this region holds tremendous opportunity for Canadian companies. This is a unique opportunity for innovative Canadian companies to engage with valuable industry contacts, gain visibility, and develop productive relationships within this top global innovation ecosystem.
“As a leader in bridging commercialization gaps to translate early-stage discoveries into new medicines, we are very pleased to have been selected to join this program and present innovative Canadian-developed technology,” says Karimah Es Sabar, President and CEO, CDRD. “British Columbia is becoming the ‘Silicon Valley North’ as a result of the numerous investments being made in technology and infrastructure – and by further connecting with our neighbours to the south we have an unprecedented level of investment and partnering opportunities at our doorstep.”
Zucara Therapeutics, created by CDRD and MaRS Innovation, is based on decades of diabetes research by renowned University of Toronto Professor, Dr. Mladen Vranic. The company is developing a novel drug therapy to help prevent hypoglycemia in people with diabetes. It is advancing novel technology that is showing promise as a long-term therapeutic approach to prevent hypoglycemia in people with diabetes who are insulin-dependent.
Sepset Biosciences, which CDRD is launching in collaboration with Dr. Robert Hancock, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of the Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research at the University of British Columbia, is developing a first in class diagnostic assay for the early and rapid diagnosis of sepsis. This unique diagnostic is based on the detection of a unique signature of sepsis based on the immune response rather than the presences of a pathogen.
These novel technologies represent tremendous commercial potential in their respective therapeutic areas: there is no current treatment for hypoglycemia in the market today, and sepsis is one of the most expensive conditions for hospitals to treat. For every one-hour delay in diagnosis, the rate of mortality grows by eight percent. Therapies for these conditions are urgently needed to improve treatments for patients and reduce medical costs for our healthcare systems.
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About The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD)
Headquartered in Vancouver, The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) is Canada’s national drug development and commercialization engine. We work in partnership with academia, industry, government and foundations, and provide the specialized expertise and infrastructure to identify and de-risk promising discoveries, and transform them into commercially viable investment opportunities for the private sector – and ultimately into innovative new therapies for patients. In doing so, CDRD is actively growing our national health sciences industry into a wholly-optimized generator of economic prosperity for the country. Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence Program has recognized CDRD as a Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR). www.cdrd.ca
For additional information, please contact:
Jonathon Jafari
Senior Director, Business Development
Direct: 604-827-1229
jjafari@cdrd.ca
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