Alberta - a home to innovation and entrepreneurial spirit

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By Alberta Advanced Education and Technology and Tonya Costoff

Alberta Innovation
Well known for its beautiful Rocky Mountains, its booming oil and gas industry and its entrepreneurial spirit, Alberta is also known for its strong advanced learning system, innovation and scientific excellence. The Alberta government is serious about planning for the future – a future that anticipates the necessary post-secondary training to build a workforce capable of: further developing value-added industries; undertaking focused and targeted research in areas of strategic importance to the province and creativity and capacity to commercialize technology.

Alberta is building the next-generation economy by working to create a supportive environment in which researchers, entrepreneurs and companies can convert their innovative ideas into new products and services for markets around the globe. Alberta’s positive business climate includes: the lowest overall taxes in Canada; a highly skilled, educated and motivated workforce that is the most productive in Canada; a great quality of life; Canada’s highest average household income and a strong science and technology culture.

Alberta’s biotechnology sector is one of the fastest growing biotech sectors in Canada and is gaining recognition on the international stage. The industry spans a wide spectrum of science and technology, with a strong concentration on health, agri-food and environmental science.

The Government of Alberta views life sciences as a priority sector for investment and industry growth and has allocated funding to build research excellence in biotechnology and medical research. Significant government endowment funds support medical research, including the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Fund ($1.5 billion endowment) and the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund ($500 million endowment). Engineering and scientific research is funded by the Alberta Ingenuity Fund ($1 billion endowment).

High Performers Choose Alberta
Alberta is a powerhouse of life sciences research and development. Its government is playing a key role in strengthening the province’s research system, primarily through providing infrastructure and facilitating research and development collaborations between governments, publicly-funded institutions and industry. Since 1999, the Alberta government has been leading international technology missions to actively market Alberta-based science, research and technology opportunities and encourage mutually beneficial relationships. The 2007 mission to China was fruitful and resulted in two successful collaborations that were announced in May of 2007.

The Alberta Research Council (ARC), Highmark Renewables and its partners and the Chinese and Alberta governments are collaborating to use Alberta’s green technology to help meet China’s power needs. The IMUS™ (Integrated Manure Utilization System) biogas system produces bioenergy from agricultural waste - converting the operational costs and environmental problems associated with agricultural waste into a source of self-sufficient electricity and revenue for Chinese farmers. This new technology was developed jointly by ARC and Highmark Renewables in Vegreville, AB, which is about 100 kilometres east of Edmonton, AB. A demonstration plant will be constructed and tested in China this fall. Based on this plant’s success, future IMUS™ plants may be built in China, creating a business opportunity for Alberta industry and laying the groundwork to adapt the technology for the average Alberta farmer.

Also resulting from the 2007 mission, the Alberta government, in partnership with the Alberta Cancer Board, and the China Cancer Institute, will facilitate the creation of joint projects for basic and clinical level cancer research and the development of anti-cancer drugs and cancer treatments. The parties signed a memorandum of understanding, which aims to strengthen Alberta and China’s cancer research communities and related industries through initiatives such as scientist and researcher exchanges.

Thriving collaborations such as these illustrate Alberta’s success in facilitating projects that benefit all of the parties involved and people around the world. Support provided by the Alberta government is helping to expand the life sciences sector and is building the province’s research, development and commercialization capability.

Alberta-based life sciences companies are also attracting international industry partners. In March 2006, AstraZeneca Canada announced a $10.2 million investment in a three-year partnership with NAEJA Pharmaceutical Inc., a well-established Alberta-based contract research company specializing in pre-clinical discovery and development. The two companies will work together to identify potential pain management drugs.

In November 2006, Gilead Sciences acquired Degussa’s subsidiary, Raylo Chemicals Inc. of Alberta. Raylo was established in 1966 by Alberta entrepreneur and widely recognized carbohydrate science researcher, Dr. Raymond Lemieux. Gilead utilizes this Edmonton, Alberta-based site for process research and scale-up of clinical development candidates, for manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for both investigational and commercial products and for chemical development activities to improve existing commercial manufacturing processes.

Alberta R&D Success Stories
Ground-breaking research undertaken in Alberta has gained international recognition. Alberta has developed significant biomedical research expertise in many areas including the medical application of nanotechnology, vaccines for infectious diseases, diabetes and islet transplantation research, cardiovascular and cancer research and bone and joint research.
-Dr. Robert Burrell, Biomedical Engineering Chair at the University of Alberta, led a team to develop a silver nanocrystalline coated burn bandage for NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals, which is believed to be one of the world’s earliest commercial medical applications of nanotechnology. Smith & Nephew distributes these bandages, also known as Acticoat™ dressings, around the world. The dressings have been used effectively on serious wounds, including life-threatening burns and chronic wounds.

-A renowned Alberta researcher and former dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta, Dr. Lorne Tyrrell, along with his colleague Dr. Morris Robins, performed research that led to the development of Glaxo Smith Kline’s Heptovir™ (lamivudine), which is the first oral anti-viral medication for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

-SemBioSys Genetics Inc., a University of Calgary spin-off biotech company, made an exciting breakthrough in agri-biotechnology - insulin from genetically modified safflower plants. With diabetes and obesity on the rise, SemBioSys could offer a far less expensive supply of life-saving insulin.

-A University of Alberta research team made medical history in May 2000 when it announced the first successful islet cell transplantations on patients with type 1 diabetes. The procedure, known worldwide as “The Edmonton Protocol”, can drastically reduce a patient’s need for daily injections of insulin.

-Dr. Carol Cass was awarded the Robert L. Noble Prize in 2006 for her cancer research aimed at finding more effective approaches to cancer chemotherapy. Dr. Cass co-founded the field of nucleoside transport, which is directly related to the ways in which nucleoside anticancer drugs are utilized by cells.

-Drs. Richard Wozniak, Richard Rachubinski and Michele Barry, all University of Alberta researchers, are recent recipients of Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Research Scholarships for their respective work in cell biology and virology.

-Dr. Paul Armstrong, a senior cardiologist at the University of Alberta Hospital, is one of Canada’s foremost cardiology researchers, and in 2004 he received the Prix Galien Canada Award of Excellence (Canada’s top pharmaceutical industry award) for his contributions to the fight against heart disease. Dr. Armstrong is known internationally for his pioneering trials of new drugs to treat heart attacks and for developing the latest standards and guidelines for the care of heart attack and congestive heart failure patients.

-Dr. Chris Bleackley, a Howard Hughes Scholar at the University of Alberta, was named Canada’s top cancer researcher in 2001 when he was awarded the Robert L. Noble Prize, Canada’s most prestigious award for cancer research. His work involved finding a new molecular treatment for cancer.

-Dr. Raj M Rangayyan, a University of Calgary engineering professor and adjunct professor in the Faculty of Medicine, was recognized by two major international societies in the areas of medical imaging and biomedical engineering. Dr. Rangayyan was elected as a Fellow of the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine for his contributions in developing techniques for computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer and he also became an elected Fellow of the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society – Canada’s principal society for engineering in medicine.

Globally-renowned scientists such as these could apply their expertise anywhere in the world, and their choice to live and work in Alberta demonstrates the calibre and quality of the research and development opportunities, and the excellent work being done in the province.

Life Science Capital Projects - Highlights
The Alberta government fosters the development and growth of the biotech industry by supporting essential infrastructure of international significance. Together with other partners, investments in Alberta’s world-class science and technology facilities include:
-The Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute in Edmonton will bring together researchers, educators, clinicians and patients in one building, offering cardiac patient-care services, research and education.
-The Health Research Innovation Facility in Edmonton will house diabetes and transplant researchers, biomedical researchers and labs for the islet-cell transplant team.
-The Health Research Innovation Centre (HRIC) at the University of Calgary has the capacity to serve over 150,000 patients per year. The facility consists of wet and dry labs, office space and patient clinics to facilitate the translation of research from laboratory benches to patient bedsides.
-The Agri-Food Discovery Place at the University of Alberta will support research and position Alberta as a world leader in food safety, value-added food production and agri-industrial products.
-The Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science will bring together teams from across the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Science in pursuit of innovation and discovery.
-The Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building at the University of Lethbridge will have laboratory and office space for investigators and their research teams and will help expand first-class water research in areas of global importance.
-The Veterinary Medicine Expansion at the University of Calgary will include the fit out of a research laboratory and associated support space. It also includes the expansion of facilities to accommodate large animal MRI and other equipment.
-The Biotechnology Business Development Centre, a planned “wet lab” facility in Edmonton, will play a key role in helping early stage biotechnology companies in Alberta to develop and test products for global markets.

Highly-Qualified People and Expertise
Alberta is home to highly skilled people at all levels, and the province’s educational system is ranked among the best in the world. The University of Alberta and the University of Calgary are recognized around the world as research intensive universities.

-The University of Alberta, the province’s largest research institution, offers an unparalleled environment for primary research, and an MBA program specializing in technology commercialization to prepare skilled managers to manage knowledge-based enterprises.

-The University of Calgary offers a biotechnology MBA and is known world-wide for its bioinformatics research.

-The University of Lethbridge houses the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, a world-class research facility that attracts post-doctoral fellows and visiting scientists from around the world.

Edmonton Research Park (ERP)
The Edmonton Research Park, or ERP, deserves a special mention in itself. Established in 1980, the 320-acre park was designed with the goal of accommodating the smallest to the biggest research companies. The high-tech facilities include an Advanced Technology Centre, which acts as an incubator for start-up companies and Research Centre One, which provides flexible lab and production space for second stage companies. There are also sites available for larger companies to build its own research and development facilities.

ERP is located in south Edmonton, close to the University of Alberta, one of Canada’s premier research universities. More than 1,500 people work for 35 companies in 17 buildings in the park. These workers are involved in advanced research in medicine, biotechnology, electronics, telecommunications, software, petroleum research and cold-climate engineering.

What makes the ERP so helpful though is that it offers not just the infrastructure, but also an environment that offers industry-leading management support services and a nurturing high-tech community that helps companies foster its technology through start-up, second-stage growth and mature development. How the company develops is up to it, the ERP is just there as a helpful environment.

The Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) manages the Advanced Technology Centre, Research Centre One and coordinates sales and development of available land in the ERP.

Commercialization Support
Alberta has a strong technology commercialization community that includes the Alberta Research Council (ARC), TEC Edmonton, University Technologies International, Calgary Technologies Inc., IVAC, Alberta Ingenuity, and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

ARC is a not-for-profit corporation, wholly owned by the Government of Alberta. It partners in strategic ventures and specializes in converting bench research into marketable products and services. ARC is a trusted resource for over 950 companies, government agencies and research organizations around the world in the energy, life sciences, agriculture, environment, forestry and manufacturing sectors.

Established more than 80 years ago, ARC was the first provincial research organization in Canada. Its history reveals much about the fabric of Alberta and its visionary approach. Alberta’s current massive oil sands development is viable due to major advances in technology and with ‘in situ’ heavy oil research and development that ARC and the Alberta Energy Research Institute managed. Alberta’s oil sands deposits were described by Time Magazine as “Canada’s greatest buried energy treasure,” and “could satisfy the world’s demand for petroleum for the next century.”

TEC Edmonton and Calgary Technologies Inc. help develop ideas, people and business opportunities by providing access to expertise, resources and connections. These organizations offer programs such as the Alberta Deal Generator, which helps qualified technology companies become “investment ready”, and then connects these firms with a network of angel investors, venture capital firms and other investor groups in special presentation forums. TEC Edmonton also offers the VenturePrize Business Plan Competition, designed for individuals, companies, faculty and students of post-secondary institutions who have high-growth business ideas. The four main components of the program are a seminar series, mentorship opportunities, feedback on business plans and a competition for CDN $200,000 in prizes.

University Technologies International (UTI) is a technology transfer and commercialization centre. UTI client services include: technology assessments, intellectual property protection, an Executive in Residence program, licensing technology, creating start-up companies and post-agreement management.

IVAC provides investment and other assistance to Alberta businesses in the information and communications technology, life sciences and other industrial technology sectors to help them get the best possible start in their fields. The fund provides third-party funding for new and existing companies and also provides mentoring, marketing, and operational guidance and other support to help Alberta businesses become competitive in both local and global markets.

Alberta Ingenuity’s Industry Associates program provides salary support to science and engineering researchers to work in Alberta companies at the forefront of research. The program’s primary objective is to increase the research expertise in Alberta-based companies. At the same time, recent graduates gain applied research experience and contribute to research-related activities of the company. Six competitions are held each year.

The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research’s career, industry and technology development program, ForeFront, supports people, projects and industry in the translation of research into health products. The ForeFront Innovation Program funds medical technologies demonstrating the potential to improve health care and be commercially successful. The ForeFront Internship Program addresses the need for highly trained staff and management of the Alberta-based health, medical products and biotechnology industries.

Successful Alberta University Spin-off Companies
Alberta continues to commercialize technologies developed at its research institutions and has developed many successful spin-off companies, including:

-Oncolytics Biotech Inc., which focuses on the discovery and development of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of a wide variety of human cancers. The company’s technologies are based on discoveries made in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary. Potential products are being developed using the naturally occurring reovirus for treatment of cancers in humans. Oncolytics has completed six clinical trials with REOLYSIN® in Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., and is currently conducting three Phase I or PhaseI/II REOLYSIN® trials in the U.K. and the U.S.

-BioMS Medical Corp. (market capitalization of $2.35 million as of December 31, 2006) is engaged in the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic technologies with emphasis on the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). BioMS Medical has obtained an exclusive worldwide license to a proprietary technology, MBP8298, developed at the MS Patient Care and Research Clinic at the University of Alberta for the treatment of MS. BioMS Medical is currently conducting a pivotal phase II/III human clinical trial of MBP8298 in patients across Canada and Europe with secondary progressive MS.

-Innovotech Inc. (amalgamated with MBEC BioProducts Inc. on July 1, 2006, a University of Calgary spin-off company) is a product development company headquartered in Edmonton, with a research centre in Calgary with unique expertise in microbial biofilms. Microbial biofilms is an increasingly understood, natural state of microorganisms. The company uses its platform technology, the MBEC Assay, to develop antimicrobial products and diagnostic tests to treat biofilm infestations, and to provide specialized services to clients in human health, agriculture and industry.

-Isotechnika (a University of Alberta spin-off company) is an international biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Edmonton. Drawing upon its expertise in medicinal chemistry and immunology, the company is focused on the discovery and development of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics that are safer than currently available treatments. Isotechnika's lead compound, ISA247 is an immunosuppressant which has successfully completed a Canadian Phase III human clinical trial for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. The company commenced a combined European/Canadian Phase 3 psoriasis trial on December 5, 2006. In addition, ISA247 is currently being investigated in a North American Phase IIb kidney transplantation trial.

Additional Biotechnology Opportunities
The Government of Alberta continues to support biotechnology as a priority and has committed to supporting novel and cutting edge research mechanisms, including:

Health, bioproducts and resource management: The Alberta Life Sciences Institute was established in 2005 to provide strategic advice and direction to the Alberta government based on its expertise in health, technology, agriculture and forestry. The Institute is focusing on opportunities in health, bioproducts and resource management innovation.

Cancer Research: Alberta is committed to becoming a leading centre for cancer expertise in North America. In 2006, the provincial government established a $500 million Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund to support cancer screening and research programs. The Alberta Cancer Board coordinates cancer research, prevention and treatment programs within the province. It is able to integrate research efforts with clinical practice, ensuring that patients benefit from the latest scientific advances in cancer treatment. This comprehensive orientation makes the Alberta Cancer Board a unique agency in Canada that is able to integrate research efforts with clinical practice, ensuring patients benefit from the latest scientific advances in cancer treatment.

Nanotechnology Research: On May 2, 2007 Premier Ed Stelmach unveiled Alberta’s $130 million investment to expand research capacity and develop new commercial applications for the global nanotechnology market. Alberta is also home to the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT), one of the world’s most technologically advanced research facilities. NINT has the ‘quietest’ laboratory space in Canada, meaning it is a highly stable environment that is virtually free of vibrations and electrical interference, which is necessary when using specialized instruments.

Conclusion
Alberta has become a biotechnology hub of state-of-the-art research infrastructure, world-class facilities, outstanding educational institutions and competitive life sciences companies. Alberta has ready access to North American markets, as well as Asia and Europe, with its convenient location. The province has consistently ranked ahead of other jurisdictions in Canada and the United States for cost of doing business (KPMG 2006 Competitive Alternatives report -www.competitivealternatives.com).

Significant investment, research and development opportunities exist in Alberta’s life sciences sector. For more information about these opportunities or to contact the agencies and organizations identified throughout this article, please visit: www.advancededandtech.gov.ab.ca.