News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – New Brunswick researchers and innovators are wrapping up their mission to the BIO International Convention in Boston, which runs from June 5 to 8, with some new deals and valuable connections.

“BIO provides New Brunswick’s research and innovation ecosystem with an opportunity to champion our province’s commitment to research excellence and we made important progress last week,” said Health Minister Bruce Fitch, who is leading the province’s delegation. “We are confident that the success from the relationships that are being built will continue as members of the New Brunswick delegation continue the discussions we started at the convention.”

The convention is the world’s largest biotechnology event and welcomes more than 14,000 attendees every year, including researchers, pharmaceutical companies, health-technology companies and government representatives from more than 65 countries.

At the convention, the Horizon Health Network announced it was embarking on an innovative access pathway, in collaboration with Amgen Canada, that will result in clinically validated and approved cancer treatments being made available to patients more quickly. AbbVie and the New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training also announced they are developing a collaboration to study the use of botox and the burden of care in the province’s long-term care facilities.

While at the convention, the New Brunswick delegation participated in two full days of meetings and activities showcasing the province as committed to research excellence and a place where projects can be tested and scaled to the rest of Canada.

“We are not shy about touting our competitive advantage to prospective investors at events such as BIO,” said Arlene Dunn, minister responsible for Opportunities NB. “New Brunswick’s digital health ecosystem is uniquely positioned to attract interest from innovation leaders in the health sector.”

ResearchNB organized the mission. It was created through a merger of the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation and BioNB and provides the province’s research sector with leadership and support including advocacy, initial funding, connections to potential partners, and helping transform developments in science into economic opportunities.

“We are thrilled to be connecting members of our province’s research ecosystem to potential partners from around the world as we work to transform health care and enhance our bioeconomy,” said Damon Goodwin, chief executive officer of ResearchNB. “Our role in building win-win collaborations is one we take seriously because they drive advancements in patient care, support a thriving bioeconomy and increase economic growth.”