Vancouver, February 8, 2005 A partnership between Novartis and two Vancouver biotech companies, Aska Research and Syrion, has brought $1.1 million to clinical trials of a cancer drug and a heart transplantation drug. Vancouver’s Inimex Pharmaceuticals, whose founding scientists recently received research awards from MIT and the BC Innovation Council, completed an $8 million venture capital financing to accelerate the development of its infectious disease research. Funding to the tune of $200 million will help Burnaby’s Xenon Pharmaceuticals bring a revolutionary obesity drug to market. Vancouver-based ID Biomedical signed a deal worth up to $2.5 billion US to make vaccines.
