Here are your 2021 Life Sciences BC Award winners

Life Sciences BC (LSBC) announced the recipients of the 23rd Annual Life Sciences BC Awards. Every year, the awards recognize individuals and organizations who contribute to the vibrant life sciences ecosystem in BC.

Awards take on extra importance this year

“The BC Life Sciences sector has shown extraordinary leadership over the past 16 months, where BC innovation has been critical in contributing solutions and technologies for vaccines, therapeutics, medical devices and much more during the global pandemic,” said Wendy Hurlburt, president and CEO of Life Sciences BC.

“Each year, it’s exciting to celebrate the growing diversity within our BC life sciences/biotech ecosystem,” she added. “This year’s award winners demonstrate this, with representatives from academia, health institutions, research and development, SMEs, government and industry.”

The 2021 Life Sciences BC Award Winners are:

Company

• Life Sciences Company of the Year – AbCellera

• Medical/Digital Technology Company of the Year – Kardium

• Deal of the Year – Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

• Strategic Life Sciences Partner of the Year – Novateur Ventures

• Emerging Life Sciences Company of the Year – Notch Therapeutics

Individual

• Milton Wong Award for Leadership – Northview Ventures: Doug Janzen

• Dr. Don Rix Award for Achievement in Life Sciences – Dr. Helen Burt

Research

• Genome BC Award for Scientific Excellence – Dr. Michael Russello

• Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research - Aubrey J. Tingle Prize – Dr. Ruth Grunau

New awards celebrate leadership

“This year, after an unprecedented state of emergency in BC and across the world, we decided to create two unique special awards,” said Scott Phillips, Life Sciences BC board chair and CEO of Starfish Medical.

“We’ve seen many BC life sciences companies and leaders working hard and pivoting during this pandemic. In creating the new awards, we’re recognizing all those who guided, flexed and redirected their efforts towards innovative solutions for health and well-being within the province, across Canada and globally.”

The recipients of LSBC’s new awards are:

• Global Impact Award: Company – Acuitas Therapeutics

• Leadership Impact Award: Individual – Dr. Mel Krajden, BCCDC

BC life sciences in the global spotlight

BC’s life sciences innovators have found themselves under the spotlight as of late—and for good reason. Before COVID, life sciences was already one of BC’s fastest-growing sectors with over 2,000 companies employing approximately 17,000 people in 2018.

In response to the pandemic, businesses operating in Metro Vancouver, such as AbCellera and Precision Nanosystems, Inc., have garnered international attention by developing technologies and treatments that have achieved global adoption. In 2020, the BC life sciences sector raised a record-breaking $2.0B of market capital.

Today, the sector is made up of approximately 2,050 companies that employ 18,000 according to a recent report commissioned by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

Learn more about the awardees at this year’s 23rd Annual Life Sciences BC Awards event, presented by FARRIS, to be held virtually on September 23, 2021.

Go deeper:

• With a first-of-its-kind GMP facility, AbCellera Biologics is building the future of Canadian biotech, right here in BC

• With new US ownership, it's full steam ahead for BC life sciences company Precision NanoSystems Inc.

• "I've been obsessed with improving healthcare since day one of being in it." — Dr. Sam Gharbi on riding the healthtech rollercoaster from med school to Arya Health

• Lumira Ventures closes $276 million fund IV to back health care companies

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