Acuitas Therapeutics Received Global Impact Award from Life Sciences BC
VANCOUVER, BC – Acuitas Therapeutics received the Global Impact Award at the 23rd Annual Life Sciences BC Awards, presented by FARRIS on September 23. The award, which is new this year, recognizes the Acuitas team for the extraordinary leadership and efforts they made in the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
“British Columbia’s life sciences innovation has been globally recognized for addressing the unique challenges that arose as a result of the pandemic,” said Wendy Hurlburt, President & CEO of Life Sciences BC. She continued, “Through collaboration between academic and research institutions, local small and mid-size businesses and global pharmaceutical companies, we saw B.C. take a leadership role in the development of vaccines, therapeutics, medical devices and diagnostics, and digital health solutions. While many B.C. companies and individuals have contributed greatly, Life Sciences BC is recognizing the extraordinary efforts and leadership with two special Impact Awards. We are proud to present the Global Impact Award to Acuitas Therapeutics.”
“We are honoured to accept this award,” said President & CEO of Acuitas Therapeutics, Dr. Thomas Madden. “I am incredibly proud of the work done by the Acuitas team. While much of the world was in lockdown, we were engaged in the development of a vaccine that could keep people safe from this devastating and deadly disease.” He continued: “We worked with global partners to help develop mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. I think that I can speak for the entire Acuitas team when I say that we are humbled to know that our lipid nanoparticle delivery system – a key part of the BioNTech/Pfizer COMIRNATY® COVID-19 vaccine – is helping to save lives all over the world. We appreciate being recognized by Life Sciences BC and are proud to receive the Global Impact Award.”
About Life Sciences BC
Life Sciences BC is a not-for-profit, non-government, industry association that supports and represents the life sciences community of British Columbia through leadership, facilitation of investment and partnering, and promotion of our world-class science and industry.
Life sciences sectors, from biopharmaceuticals and medical technology to digital health and medical devices, are integrated into the organization and all that they do, ensuring that no life sciences sector is working in isolation – and that all sectors come together in a comprehensive, complementary and coordinated fashion.
Throughout the year, Life Sciences BC undertakes numerous programs and projects in support of these sectors. These include public policy initiatives, facilitating linkages between global industry and local organizations, raising the profile of the industry internationally and thus facilitating investment and global partnering opportunities, and helping nurture economic development in British Columbia through the life sciences industry.
About Acuitas Therapeutics
Founded in February 2009, Vancouver-based Acuitas Therapeutics (www.acuitastx.com) is a private biotechnology company that specializes in the development of delivery systems for nucleic acid therapeutics based on lipid nanoparticles. The company partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and academic institutes to advance nucleic acid therapeutics into clinical trials and to the marketplace. The team works with partners to develop new therapies to address unmet clinical needs based on its internationally recognized capabilities in delivery technology. Acuitas Therapeutics has agreements in place with several partners to use its proprietary lipid nanotechnology in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. These include Pfizer/BioNTech for COMIRNATY®, which has received full approval in the U.S. and Canada and is authorized for Emergency Use in Europe, the UK and many other countries.