CHEO selects PolyUnity for 3D Printing Solution

April 11, 2024 (Ottawa, ON) – Following a successful evaluation held in 2022-2023 on how a digital inventory and 3D printing solution could help solve supply chain issues, CHEO is committing to a five-year agreement with PolyUnity Tech to bring Additive Manufacturing capabilities – otherwise known as 3D printing solutions – to pediatric healthcare in Ontario. The evaluation was supported through OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) and resulted in more than 200 new innovations, 1,281 products delivered, and 460 pieces of equipment repaired and returned to service, leading to a successful adoption of the solution. OBIO’s EAHN™ program is supported by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

With supply chain shortages, delays or difficulty in obtaining unique replacement parts, CHEO is exploring new services to expand access to innovative and specialized products. Over the past few years, the CHEO Research Institute collaborated with PolyUnity to better understand how 3D printing could be used in a healthcare setting, with the goal of reducing costs and downtime of equipment.

PolyUnity is at the forefront of bringing Additive Manufacturing as a Service (AMaaS) solutions and its associated benefits to the healthcare sector. Additive manufacturing utilizes a computer-controlled process to create 3D objects by depositing materials, typically layer by layer. By harnessing AMaaS, healthcare organizations can leverage rapid and innovative product solutions to drive operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance overall patient outcomes. AMaaS empowers healthcare professionals such as clinical engineers, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and researchers to swiftly transform problems into prototypes and useful products.

Through this agreement, CHEO will continue to work with PolyUnity to leverage its technology, saving costs and creating operational efficiencies while avoiding complex procurement processes along the way.

QUOTES:

“OBIO® is growing the Canadian-made health technologies that are making a difference across Canada. OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) is supporting innovators as they find solutions to the challenges facing our health care system to ensure Canadians are getting the best quality care available.” —The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

“At CHEO, we know that innovation is part of how we constantly improve outcomes of care for children, youth and families. This new agreement with PolyUnity highlights how by working collaboratively with the business and investment communities to explore and validate new technologies can help us bring promising new solutions into healthcare.” —Dr. Jason Berman, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, CHEO Research Institute, and Vice-President Research, CHEO.

“It is the impact of the great collaborative work we do with our healthcare partners that matters most. Creating innovative solutions for supply chain issues and delivering replacement parts quickly for organizations like CHEO has a direct impact on patients. And this work is especially meaningful to us at PolyUnity.” —Mark Gillingham, President, PolyUnity Tech Inc.

“Our healthcare organizations are continuously asked do more with less. And this is why innovation becomes critical to delivering value-based healthcare services. We’re so proud of the 200+ innovative products created in collaboration with CHEO’s team members and are excited to continue creating more solutions together.” —Jacqueline Lee, CEO, PolyUnity Tech Inc.

“Our goal is to help innovative companies like PolyUnity get into new markets and this is exactly what our EAHN™ program was designed to do. We are thrilled to be the first to support the adoption of PolyUnity’s game-changing technology by Ontario healthcare organizations.” —Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®.

About CHEO

Dedicated to the best life for every child and youth, CHEO is a global leader in pediatric health care and research. Based in Ottawa, CHEO includes a hospital, children’s treatment centre, school and research institute, with satellite services located throughout Eastern Ontario. CHEO provides excellence in complex pediatric care, research and education. We are committed to partnering with families and the community to provide exceptional care — where, when and how it is needed. Every year, CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.

About PolyUnity Tech Inc.

PolyUnity is a Canadian healthcare technology company with a driving purpose to “Improve Healthcare.” Its mission is to work with healthcare organizations and provide 3D printing applications to improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve patient experiences. PolyUnity provides a fully managed Additive Manufacturing as a Service (AMaaS) solution that includes a digital marketplace platform to efficiently access digital design services and a growing library of 3D printable products and applications that are specific to healthcare organizations. All print production and delivery logistics are also managed by PolyUnity. The solution significantly reduces the cost and complexity of traditional healthcare procurement, builds supply chain resiliency, and reduces its carbon footprint. It enables healthcare providers and their networks to design, access, and produce what they need on demand.

Learn more at www.polyunity.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, & Instagram.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

For more information, please visit OBIO.ca and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

About FedDev Ontario

For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:

Jennifer Ruff
Director of Communications
CHEO Research Institute
jruff@cheo.on.ca

Mark Gillingham
President
PolyUnity Tech Inc.‍
mark@polyunity.com

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
OBIO®
dorianerey@obio.ca

Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

Through OBIO’s EAHN™, Trexo Plus Robotic Walker Enables Children with Physical Disabilities to Achieve Personalized Rehabilitation

March 26, 2024 (Toronto, ON) – An effective physical therapy for children with injuries or disabilities affecting their motor skills requires an innovative solution that can build muscle memory and stimulate neuroplasticity. There are currently no effective interventions known to improve motor function for children with severe disabilities. To address this challenge, Ontario-based health technology company Trexo Robotics developed Trexo Plus, a robotic walking device for injured or disabled children’s rehabilitation. Last year, Trexo joined forces with OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) and the Innovation and Business Intelligence team at Alberta Health Services (AHS) to assess the viability of Trexo Plus in a clinical setting.

The EAHN™ program was a catalyst behind this evaluation, with the goal of expanding the reach of health tech companies in Ontario and supporting the positioning of Canada as a leader in innovative health tech.

Final findings indicated that children with disabilities who used Trexo Plus met their rehabilitation goals. They had high performance and satisfaction scores, achieved their health-related objectives and were able to access the best available care, leading their families to express a keen interest in the technology.

“This device was created through an iterative process with therapists, other healthcare professionals and families,” said Manmeet Maggu, co-founder and CEO of Trexo Robotics. “The device has evolved, offering more features and benefits. Our mission from day one has been to reach and benefit as many children as possible.”

“This study enabled us to explore implementation of a cutting-edge intervention and provide equitable access to robotic walking for children with severe mobility impairments,” said Dr. Elizabeth Condliffe, University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital, and the evaluation’s Lead Study Investigator. “It has generated overwhelming interest in Calgary.”

“This study highlighted how the transformative potential of health technologies can improve the quality of life for children with disabilities,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “Through the EAHN™ program, we continue to accelerate the adoption of innovative health technologies by providing Ontario start-ups access to the Canadian healthcare market.”

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, please visit obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

Contact:
Bibaswan Ghoshal
Senior Director, Technology Adoption
bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca
416-848-6839 x 125

About Trexo Robotics

Trexo Robotics is a leading innovator in robotic gait trainers, dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with physical challenges. Founded on the principle that everyone deserves the opportunity to walk, Trexo develops robotic gait trainers to empower children to experience the benefits of walking.

Contact:
Jennifer Horowitz
Head of Marketing
jh@trexorobotics.com
562-784-7711

OBIO® Celebrates International Women’s Day with Investment in Three Women-Led Companies and a Successful Graduation of First Seed Funding Cohort

March 14, 2024 (Toronto, ON) – In honour of International Women’s Day on March 8, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) hosted an impactful networking event and pitch competition to celebrate the achievements of women in the health science sector. The event, supported by EY Canada, Cozen O’Connor and Stem Cell Network, featured video remarks by the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), remarks by the Honourable Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, and a fireside chat with Sophie Park, Managing Director of Bayer G4A Investments & Partnerships, and showcased 11 women-led companies from the OBIO® Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) Seed Program.

Launched in July 2022 with Government of Canada’s support through FedDev Ontario, the OBIO® WiHI aims to bridge the gender disparity in the health science industry, particularly in senior management roles and leadership positions. The program offers comprehensive training, support and networking opportunities, empowering women with the skills and knowledge required to excel in leadership positions. The OBIO® WiHI has supported more than 325 women in the health science industry through a combination of experiential learning and financial support.

The WiHI Seed Program addresses the significant barriers that women-led health science companies face in accessing financing. The inaugural program cohort, A.I. VALI, Atorvia Health Technologies, Cove Neurosciences, HDAX Therapeutics, ImaginAble Solutions, mDETECT, MoxyPatch, Noa Therapeutics, Paradox Immunotherapeutics, Tenomix, and Vessl Prosthetics, benefited from six months of advisory support, access to expert networks, essential industry resources and trainings, and non-dilutive funding of up to $20,000.

To mark International Women’s Day, the cohort presented their business opportunities in a pitch competition, culminating with the announcement of HDAX Therapeutics, Paradox Immunotherapeutics and Tenomix Inc. receiving investments of $100,000 each from the OBIO® WiHI. The audience also voted ImaginAble Solutions the recipient of a $15,000 non-dilutive Audience Choice Award.

WiHI Seed cohort companies also made several announcements during the March 8 event, including the successful closing of their first financing rounds for Noa Therapeutics and Tenomix. The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) through its Life Sciences Innovation Fund (LSIF), FACIT and Phoenix Fire (part of the Archangel Network of Funds) all invested in Tenomix. OCI LSIF and Phoenix Fire invested in Noa Therapeutics. Representatives from OCI, FACIT and Phoenix Fire were in attendance to celebrate these announcements.

“I am profoundly grateful for the support and recognition from OBIO®, right from our inception. Their backing through various programs and the recent investment via the WiHI Seed Program underscores their commitment to empowering women-led initiatives in health. This support has been instrumental in our journey to revolutionize pathology workflows and make a meaningful impact on cancer care,” said Eveline Pasman, Co-Founder & COO of Tenomix, an emerging company developing innovative technologies that streamline pathology workflows, drive down healthcare costs, and enhance patient care by improving treatment decisions.

“The combination of financial and wraparound supports delivered through the WiHI Seed Program enables women entrepreneurs to achieve critical milestones in their businesses,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President & CEO of OBIO®. “We are pleased to support these women-led companies alongside our ecosystem partners at OCI, FACIT, and The Firehood. Access to early-stage capital is a critical barrier for women entrepreneurs, especially in the life sciences sector. These contributions are key to creating a more inclusive industry in Ontario.”

“Supporting organizations, like OBIO®, that increase the participation of women in our health sector is vital for our healthcare system,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “The Government of Canada is pleased to continue to support OBIO® as they drive positive change for the future of women through the Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) Seed Program and in the life sciences sector across Canada and the world.”

Earlier this month, OBIO® and FACIT announced a new partnership to address the barriers faced by women-identifying entrepreneurs in the health science sector. Building on both organizations’ commitments to support women-led companies and advancement of made-in-Ontario intellectual property, the new partnership will advance Ontario’s women-led companies towards commercialization.

"OBIO's dedication to championing women in the health sciences sector, demonstrated through the Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) Seed Program, aligns with our shared goal of creating a more inclusive and equitable industry,” said Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI). “By collaborating with partners such as OBIO®, FACIT and The Firehood, we can help women entrepreneurs reach key milestones in their ventures, increasing our impact significantly and making strides toward a future where entrepreneurship is accessible and inclusive for everyone.”

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies that position Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health care system and government. For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

About FedDev Ontario
For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing and Events
OBIO®
dorianerey@obio.ca    

Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

FACIT and OBIO® partner on women-focused seed capital and entrepreneurship program

Synergies combine financing and entrepreneurial development resources to life sciences start-ups

March 8, 2024 (Toronto, ON) – On International Women’s Day, FACIT and OBIO® are pleased to announce a new partnership in the Ontario life sciences ecosystem, built on their common goal to drive entrepreneurial and commercialization mandates to address the unmet needs and barriers faced by female entrepreneurial leaders in STEM.

The partnership arises from OBIO’s and FACIT’s successes in creating value through supporting female entrepreneurs in life science who are driving the advancement of innovations and healthcare communities. Across all sectors, women-led companies face significant challenges when it comes to accessing financing and support systems, receiving only about 2% of venture capital funding. Further, only 16% of Canadian small-to-medium enterprises are majority-owned by women. 

Both organizations have established track records co-investing and working closely with different commercialization groups across Ontario and beyond, striving to increase value for life sciences intellectual property and driving economic impact by providing access to entrepreneurship and business tools as well as domestic capital. Through its Women in Health Initiative, OBIO® has supported more than 325 women in the life sciences industry through experiential learning and financial support. The inaugural cohort of the WiHI Seed Program provided a combination of financial and advisory supports to 11 women-led early-stage companies. Independently, FACIT has been roughly doubling the industry average by investing more than 30% of total investment capital in women-led companies, comprising a third of all FACIT’s portfolio of Ontario start-ups.

OBIO® and FACIT’s independent programs have supported and provided financing to Ontario start-ups founded or led by women, including Hyivy Health, HDAX Therapeutics and Tenomix Inc. The partnership announced today will allow the organizations to leverage their complementary resources and expertise, creating synergies to provide a seamless continuum of support and lower barriers faced by female entrepreneurs in accessing resources, training, connections and venture funding. Capitalizing on these synergies will help position and propel women-founded start-ups and innovations to achieve value inflection and secure next-stage financing for development, sustainability and scale in the province. In doing so, the novel program addresses the governments of Canada and Ontario strong interests to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women-led businesses. While diverse and independent seed stage programs and investors are key to addressing the unique needs of early-stage life sciences entrepreneurs, partnerships are critical to driving innovation and making an impact for patients with cancer.

Quotes:

Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO® – “We are delighted to partner with FACIT in the important work of backing female founders. FACIT specializes in venture building whereas OBIO® provides wraparound supports to established companies. We are very proud of what we have achieved through our Women in Health Initiative over the past two years and this new partnership is a good marriage of the expertise of both organizations and gives us a collective opportunity to strengthen support for women entrepreneurs in oncology.”

Dr. Connie Chen, Senior Director of Strategy and Corporate Development, FACIT – “The synergies of combining entrepreneurial development resources with FACIT’s commercialization expertise and seed capital reflects a novel and inclusive public-private partnership model for Ontario’s early-stage life sciences innovations. Through this collaboration, OBIO® and FACIT will together elevate and increase the equity, representation, and positioning of women-led start-ups.”     

Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities – “Our government is proud to support Ontario-funded commercialization groups like FACIT that have the expertise and resources to create an ecosystem that supports women entrepreneurs and the significant contributions they make to Ontario.”

Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade – “Through our Life Sciences Strategy, our government is supporting organizations that are excelling in promoting innovation in the life sciences sector. Congratulations to OBIO® and FACIT on their new partnership that will promote female entrepreneurship and help to break down barriers for women in STEM.”

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government. For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

Contact

Doriane Rey | Manager, Marketing & Events, OBIO® | dorianerey@obio.ca

About FACIT       
FACIT is an award-winning commercialization venture firm that builds companies with entrepreneurs to accelerate oncology innovation, with a portfolio that has attracted more than $1.6 billion in investment to Ontario. Blending industry experience, capital and the unsurpassed clinician-scientist network of its strategic partner the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), FACIT capitalizes on the province’s investment in research and healthcare to the benefit of the local economy and patients worldwide. Cancer Breakthroughs. Realized. facit.ca.

Contact

Connie Chen, PhD | Senior Director, Strategy and Corporate Development, FACIT | connie.chen@facit.ca

A Light at the End of the Toenail

A new medical device uses light to treat difficult infections safely and effectively

March 5, 2024 (Hamilton, ON) – Nail fungus (onychomycosis) affects some 50% of seniors across the world. It becomes more prevalent in aging populations because the nails, and especially toenails, tend to become drier and more fragile, and it can also be more difficult to take care of feet properly when circulation or mobility issues get in the way. In long-term care homes, where many seniors reside, fungal nail infections are not only an esthetic issue, but are often very painful, making it difficult to wear shoes and impeding mobility, ultimately reducing the quality of life.

Ontario-based ToeFX Inc., with support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), launched a safe and effective, portable device to treat onychomycosis with light therapy at Banwell Gardens Care Centre.

This was a highly successful evaluation. ToeFx’s ClearToe Therapy Light has been authorized by Health Canada as a Class II Medical Device and is a clinically proven treatment to promote clearance of nail fungus on toenails in 10-12 treatments. All the patients at Banwell Gardens Care Centre who underwent this therapy were very satisfied with the outcomes, and reported an improvement in their nails, stating they looked brighter and clearer.

“Banwell Gardens Care Centre was delighted to offer residents and their caregivers a safe, effective therapy for fungal nails,” said Sara Fox, Executive Director of Banwell Gardens Care Centre. “Healthy feet are fundamental for seniors’ mobility and their quality of life.”

“We are so grateful to the EAHN™ program for supporting an evaluation which demonstrated how our product can bring safe and accessible treatment to those who need it, and cost-effectively,” said Monika Yazdanian, CEO of ToeFx Inc. “We are confident that these results will lead to better integration of this easy-to-deliver therapy across institutional settings, and the technology has already been procured for use at other long-term care homes.”

“OBIO® is proud of this valuable collaboration through the EAHN™ program, the first in a long-term care facility”, said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “Banwell Gardens Care Centre and ToeFx Inc. evaluated a made-in-Canada therapy that meets a real clinical need, laying the groundwork for future EAHN™ partnerships in the long-term care sector.”

ClearToe Therapy Light is a painless, easy to use treatment and unlike topical applications and oral therapies does not require daily commitment and has no side effects. It is an ideal method to treat nail fungus, particularly in seniors, and is also effective in very severe cases.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

For more information, please visit OBIO.ca.

About ToeFx

ToeFX is driven by innovation. Created by scientists, our vision is to create the world’s most effective foot care treatments. We understand that toenail fungus can be embarrassing, hard to treat, and hard to talk about. We want to help the millions of people hiding their feet to “show off their toenails” with confidence. Our commitment to our partner clinicians and their patients is to provide innovative, high-quality products that really work.  Visit ToeFx Inc. for more information.

About Banwell Gardens Care Centre

With 142 long-term care residents, Banwell Gardens Care Centre maintains a warm, inviting atmosphere in the neighbourhood of Tecumseh. We pride ourselves on providing outstanding, compassionate care to our residents and paying close attention to their individual needs. We are pleased to offer French Language Services and strive to meet the needs of our bilingual community. Well-established programs such as pet and music therapy, restorative care and physiotherapy enhance residents physically, mentally and emotionally. Our landscaped courtyard features seating and a walking path for exercise and the enjoyment of all.  Visit Banwell Gardens Care Centre for more information.

The OBIO® Investment Summit reaches new heights, drawing the attention of international capital to Canadian healthcare innovations

Toronto, ON – February 21, 2024 – The OBIO® Investment Summit brings together global investors with emerging Canadian life sciences and health tech companies, technology innovators and ecosystem partners. This year, the Summit was held from February 14-16 at our new home, the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre in downtown Toronto. The Summit showcased over 90 of Canada's most promising early-stage companies, top universities and research institutions, giving them the opportunity to convene with international investors, multinational pharmaceutical companies and medtech corporations.

In the words of Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®, “The Summit enables Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A life science companies to share their innovative technologies with international investors, highlighting the strength of our industry and investment opportunities across Canada. We are proud of our efforts to support companies in securing investment to develop and commercialize their leading-edge technologies domestically, and we will continue to amplify the success of the Canadian ecosystem through our Summit."

The OBIO® Investment Summit is a catalyst that keeps attracting investors and investment to Ontario and to Canada. Companies that have presented at the Summit have raised over CAD $1.6 billion since 2018. Dr. Campbell continued, "Every year, we build on our past success. The 2024 Summit featured an expanded Business Development Forum, connecting international medtech and pharmaceutical companies with early-stage Canadian companies to explore research collaborations and licensing opportunities for their technologies."

OBIO® is supported by a Government of Canada investment of $10 million, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to help scale up healthcare innovation and create inclusive economic growth in southern Ontario. To date this investment has led to the creation/maintenance of 270 jobs, 159 new intellectual properties have been created or licensed, and over 625 people have received training or mentorship.

“The OBIO® Investment Summit is an important networking opportunity for our healthcare institutions, investors and health science companies to connect and share ideas,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “Supporting organizations, like OBIO®, that encourage the participation of women in leadership roles in the health sector is critical for the long-term success of our healthcare system. This work is instrumental in ensuring better health care for Canadians now, and into the future.”

The Government of Ontario is also supporting OBIO® with up to $9.7 million to help Ontario companies in the life sciences sector to adopt, develop and bring to market critical technologies, such as 5G and advanced networks, ethical artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, quantum and robotics.

“Ontario is home to the largest life sciences sector in Canada, with 1,900 firms employing over 70,000 highly-skilled professionals,” said the Honourable Victor Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Through the Investment Summit, OBIO® is driving innovation in our life sciences ecosystem and supporting innovators as they develop and commercialize their cutting-edge technologies.”

"The early-stage life sciences companies at the 2024 OBIO® Investment Summit highlighted the vibrant nature and talent present in the Canadian community. With representation across the broader Bayer Radiology and Pharmaceuticals business, the Bayer team was able to connect with current partners, identify new opportunities and also network with a number of public entities,” said Jerry Orban, Country Head, Bayer Radiology Canada. “We could feel the collaboration emanating from the walls of the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre. The forum was exceptional with many companies aligned with our strategic offerings and several that brought what we consider to be industry-changing technology. What we have in the Canadian life sciences market is a true gem built on incredible talent, science, public funding and private partnerships, and Bayer is proud to be part of that ecosystem. We look forward to attending again in 2025. Thank you to the entire OBIO® team.”

“OBIO® is an important advocate for the Ontario healthcare technology sector and has been a true friend to AmacaThera since our spinout from the University of Toronto in 2016,” said Mike Foorer, VP Business Development & General Manager, AmacaThera. “AmacaThera has been fortunate to present at the Summit during our initial growth phase and are thrilled to see the next wave of startups doing the same.”

OBIO® will continue to collaborate with its partners, including incubators and accelerators, to foster investment in Canada. The life sciences sector and the OBIO® Investment Summit can only succeed with the backing of a robust, supportive ecosystem with a shared vision of the future.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health system and government.

For more information, please visit www.obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

About FedDev Ontario

For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media contacts:

Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
OBIO®
dorianerey@obio.ca

Rostrum, Southlake and OBIO® team up to evaluate a non-invasive, real time, bedside monitoring system to manage mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU

January 31, 2024 (Vancouver, B.C.) – Over 350,000 patients in Canada are admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU) annually, with 40% of those patients needing invasive mechanical ventilation. Managing mechanically ventilated patients can be complex due to providers having to simultaneously treat the underlying condition and the potential impacts a ventilator may have on the patient, which can lead to costly complications. The most common ventilator related complications or injuries are to a patient’s heart or lungs. In fact, up to 50% of mechanically ventilated patients experience complications, contributing in part to the ICU’s usage of 20 percent of hospital resources.

Currently, there is no real time, single solution to evaluate the impact on a patient’s cardio-pulmonary health from mechanical ventilation. Current methods are often invasive and time consuming, require extensive training and only provide partial information by focusing on one organ and ignoring the impacts of any intervention on the other.

Through OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), Rostrum Medical Innovations, a British Columbia-based medical device start-up, secured a partnership with Southlake Regional Health Centre to evaluate Pulmonary Blood Flow (PBF) when measured by their novel VQm® System as compared to the reference standard in the ICU.

Rostrum Medical Innovation’s VQm® System is a bedside cardio-pulmonary health monitoring system that addresses the gap in clinical monitoring solutions of the heart and lungs for invasively mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU. The VQm® System consists of a standalone monitor, a proprietary sensor and a per patient that connects the monitor to any standard ventilator breathing circuit. Rostrum’s VQm® System also measures dead space, shunt fraction and functional residual capacity, giving providers the information they need to streamline ICU clinical workflows and reduce costs for mechanically ventilated patients.

This evaluation which is the product’s first clinical application in an ICU setting has demonstrated VQm® System’s ability to detect changes in PBF. Compared to the reference standard, the VQm® System showed a concordance of 83% to the standard of care. The VQm® System can also assess the impact of intravenous (IV) fluid on a patient’s heart and lung function allowing point of care adjustments which may reduce the rate of complications. Current ICU methods to generate the same type of data would cost upwards of $43,000 per patient per day, whereas the VQm® System can provide it daily for approximately $250 per patient for the duration of ICU care. Ultimately this solution has the potential to empower the healthcare team by giving them non-invasive, bedside access to valuable clinical measurements.

“We are very grateful to have worked with an amazing team from Southlake and we are proud with what the results are showing,” said Nathan Ayoubi, COO, Rostrum Medical Innovation. “We are committed to continuing our efforts to bring the VQm® System into other sites across the country.”

“The ability of this technology to generate physiological measurements non-invasively and in a semi-continuous manner could prove highly valuable within the ICU setting,” said Dr. Bryn Fell, Critical Care Medicine and Internal Medicine Specialist, Southlake Regional Health Centre. “We need to study this device in the ICU to see if any single or a combination of its four outputs could be used to tailor patient care, whether that be through more effective oxygenation and ventilation titration, fluid and pressor optimization, or another outcome. More study is needed, but preliminary results are promising.”

“We are pleased to provide an opportunity to a B.C.-based company to access the Ontario healthcare market and in turn potentially improve cost efficiencies in our healthcare system,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO, OBIO®. “The success of this project truly exemplifies the pan-Canadian nature of EAHN™, which has partnered with companies and healthcare organizations in five provinces.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, please visit OBIO.ca.

About Rostrum Medical Innovations

Rostrum Medical Innovations is dedicated to empowering medical practitioners with new and useful solutions to help solve everyday challenges that medical professionals face. Rostrum was established with a goal to deliver novel solutions to problematic uncertainties in modern day practice. With a team of some of the world’s most progressive clinicians, combined with engineering and business expertise with a history of commercial success, Rostrum is driven by one mission – to address clinical needs in healthcare. For more information, please visit www.rostrummedical.com.

About Southlake Regional Health Centre

Southlake is building healthy communities through outstanding care, innovative partnerships, and amazing people. We deliver a wide range of healthcare services to the communities of northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. Our advanced regional programs include Cancer Care and Cardiac Care and serve a broader population across the northern GTA and into Simcoe-Muskoka.

Our team of 6,000 staff, physicians, volunteers, students and Patient and Family Advisors are committed to creating an environment where the best experiences happen. As a recognition of our commitment to quality and patient safety, we have received the highest distinction of Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada.

With an annual operating budget of over $550 million, we are for one of Ontario’s most rapidly growing and aging populations and have developed an exciting plan for new facilities to serve our communities into the future. A member of the Southlake Community Ontario Health Team, we are working with our partners to deliver connected care to northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. For more information, please visit southlake.ca.

Media Contacts:

For more information, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Senior Director, Technology Adoption
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®)

Nathan Ayoubi
Chief Operating Officer
Rostrum Medical Innovation

Lindsey Furlanic
Communications Strategist, Corporate Communications
Southlake Regional Health Centre

OBIO® Celebrates the Advancement of Women in Health Science with WiHI Seed Program and Leadership Awards

January 4, 2024 (Toronto, ON) – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) is proud to announce significant milestones for its Women in Health Initiative (WiHI). Launched in July 2022 with support from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the OBIO® WiHI aims to bridge the gender disparity in the health science industry, particularly in senior management roles and leadership positions. The program offers comprehensive training, support and networking opportunities, empowering women with the skills and knowledge required to excel in leadership positions.

“Investing in the Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) is a crucial step in providing necessary supports and training so women can enter and flourish in the health and life sciences sector,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “Southern Ontario is home to an abundance of healthcare-focused businesses—many more of which are women-led thanks to the committed efforts of WiHI. Our government is pleased to support the WiHI program as it works to increase the representation of women in this exciting field.”

In its first year, WiHI has made remarkable strides, supporting more than 325 women in the industry through experiential learning and financial support. This year, 11 women-led companies have been selected for the WiHI Seed Program, a key component of the initiative, which addresses the significant barriers that women-led companies face in accessing financing and support, especially in the health science sector where venture capital investment is at a historic low. The participating companies will benefit from this comprehensive six-month program and have access to expert networks, essential industry resources and skills, non-dilutive funding of up to $20,000 and potential equity investment.

“By providing a combination of early-stage capital and advisory support to women-led companies, the program addresses critical barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in the life science and health technology sectors,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President & CEO of OBIO®. “The WiHI Seed Program is a critical step towards creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive health science industry, empowering women entrepreneurs to thrive and be successful leaders.”

The selected companies for the WiHI Seed Program 2023 are A.I. VALI, Atorvia, Cove Neurosciences, HDAX Therapeutics, ImaginAble Solutions, mDETECT, MoxyPatch, Noa Therapeutics, Paradox Immunotherapeutics, Tenomix, and Vessl Prosthetics. These companies will receive comprehensive support, including non-dilutive funding, tailored advisory and coaching assistance, and opportunities to pitch for equity seed investment.

Other exciting WiHI highlights

We are delighted to welcome Monika Yazdanian (CEO and Co-founder of ToeFX Inc.) and Mai Elfarnawany (VP Engineering at Flosonics Medical) as recipients of the Women in Health Initiative Business Leadership Program, joining our previous eight awardees. The program celebrates women that are exemplary leaders, role models and mentors to other women in the industry. The awardees (who each receive a $50K wage subsidy) will participate in OBIO’s networking events and contribute as mentor leaders to a women’s professional development community to support workforce development in a sector where women are underrepresented.

“As a recipient of the WiHI Seed and Women in Health Initiative Business Leadership programs, I am deeply grateful for the opportunities and support OBIO® has provided to us. It is encouraging to see a focused effort to challenge systemic biases and create a level-playing field for women entrepreneurs,” said Natalie Galant, CEO of Paradox Immunotherapeutics. “The WiHI Seed Program symbolizes a transformative shift, empowering women entrepreneurs to excel and innovate. It's about creating a more inclusive future in health science, and I'm proud to be part of this change."

We are also excited to share that OBIO® WiHI has received the first ever honourable mention ACE (Advancement, Commitment, Engagement) award from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (known as HBA), a global not-for-profit organization dedicated to furthering the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare. Represented in countries across the globe, the HBA serves a community of more than 75,000 individuals and 180 corporate partners. 

The ACE award recognizes results-oriented initiatives fostered by organizations committed to ensuring that gender equity and leadership opportunities for women are part of their organizational DNA. A panel of healthcare leaders selects recipients for their excellence in advancing their female talent and removing the systemic barriers preventing timely progress to parity. Award criteria include measurable results, business performance, stewardship, execution, and sustainability. Read more.

Furthermore, WiHI was nominated for the Women Leaders in Pharma Awards for The Women Support Network award. This award recognizes companies that have supported the women’s network through networking, coaching, and mentoring.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit membership-based innovation organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies that position Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the health care system and government. For more information, please visit obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About FedDev Ontario
For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®)
dorianerey@obio.ca

Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

Phyxable Partners with Right at Home and OBIO® to Revolutionize Senior Healthcare with Falls Prevention Program

December 19, 2023 (Markham, ON) – Each year in Canada, up to one third of seniors are at risk of falling due to physiological factors associated with aging. Once a fall has occurred, there is very limited traditional, in-person rehabilitation programs for seniors with reduced mobility, and especially for those living in rural areas. To address this issue, OBIO® has partnered with Phyxable and Right at Home Canada in a collaborative effort to provide equitable access to effective falls prevention. Through OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), Phyxable and Right at Home Canada have revolutionized falls prevention rehabilitation with AgeWell, a digitally guided exercise program.

"Following a successful evaluation of AgeWell, Phyxable is thrilled to see the positive impact our digitally guided falls prevention exercise program has had on the lives of community-dwelling Canadian seniors. The collaboration with Right at Home Canada and the support from OBIO® has allowed us to address a critical need for accessible and effective falls prevention rehabilitation. The results of the study demonstrate not only significant improvements in strength and balance, but also a high level of satisfaction among participants,” said Dr. Jim Feng, CEO of Phyxable. “We are committed to continuing our mission of transforming healthcare and empowering individuals to take charge of their well-being from the comfort of their homes. We extend our sincere gratitude to OBIO® for their unwavering commitment to supporting the commercialization of Ontario-made biosciences companies like Phyxable."

The AgeWell program, delivered through the Phyxable app, combines live video-based care sessions with licensed healthcare providers and self-paced exercises. Accessible from any internet-connected device, the exercises cater to individual preferences, enabling seniors to enhance their lower extremity strength and balance.

“It was a great experience collaborating with Phyxable and creating the Fall Prevention Program. Our community clients thoroughly enjoyed the support and expertise from our collaboration with Phyxable and OBIO® ,” said Sharlene Hogeterp Louden, Registered Kinesiologist at Right at Home Canada. “The feedback from the users was very positive and they all improved their knowledge of fall prevention - to be proactive instead of reactive.”

“Phyxable partnered with Right at Home Canada to address the high incidence of falls among community-dwelling seniors. We created an engaging and dynamic falls prevention program which included twenty-five sessions of progressive strength and balance exercises, as well as six live virtual coaching calls with registered healthcare providers. Clients successfully adopted this digitally guided program and reported a high level of satisfaction with the hybrid model of virtual coaching and in-home assistance from Right at Home Canada caregivers,” said Anna Michalski, Registered Physiotherapist. “We were able to objectively measure balance, leg power, and fear of falling at the start and end of the program and are very excited to report improvements across all metrics. We hope the Falls Prevention Program empowers seniors to improve their mobility and allows them to maintain a high level of independence in their homes.”

This EAHN™ evaluation study revealed positive changes in key health measures in participants following the program:

• The 30-second chair stand test showed an improvement of approximately 11.52%

• Handgrip strength increased by about 7.24%

• The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) score decreased by roughly 4.85%

• Average balance scores increased by around 1.40%

Participants gave a high rating of 9/10, indicating the effectiveness of the program and their satisfaction with it.

Furthermore, feedback from app users indicated a high level of satisfaction with the app:  

• Users found the Phyxable app easy to follow (89%),

• Users rated the quality of the video as good or very good (89%)

• Users were satisfied with the length of the sessions (84%)

Most importantly, all app users felt comfortable with the virtual coaching calls, valued the presence of a caregiver to set up the program and would recommend the program to others.

The data from this study strongly supports the effectiveness of the falls prevention exercise program in improving strength, balance and reducing the perception of falls risk among community-dwelling Canadian seniors. The high satisfaction levels and positive outcomes indicate the successful adoption of this innovative approach, marking a significant stride in advancing senior community-based healthcare and well-being.

“OBIO® is proud to be partnered with Phyxable and Right at Home Canada to address the issue of falls prevention for seniors in the community,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “The results of the AgeWell app’s evaluation reflect the profound impact that simple, easy-to-use technology can have on the lives of seniors. We are eager to continue supporting Phyxable in the next steps of procurement and wider adoption of their product across Canada’s healthcare systems.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

For more information, please visit OBIO.ca or contact Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption, OBIO®.

About Phyxable

Phyxable is a pioneering virtual rehabilitation platform committed to transforming the healthcare landscape. Born and bred in Markham, Ontario, Phyxable combines telemedicine, machine vision, and video content to redefine how physical pain and injury are managed and prevented. Our mission is to empower individuals to receive high-quality care from the comfort of their homes, ensuring accessibility and convenience for all. With virtual 1-on-1 video calls, asynchronous chat systems, self-help exercise prescriptions, and augmented reality motion detection, Phyxable is at the forefront of innovative healthcare solutions.

For more information, please visit Phyxable's website or contact Jeannie Allen, Patient Success Advisor, Phyxable.

About Right at Home Canada

Right at Home is one of the largest providers of in-home supportive care services, staffing and employer solutions, globally. With over 600 Care Offices in 8 countries around the world, and 55 offices in Canada, they are a trusted resource for tens of thousands of families, clients, residential living organizations, employers and government agencies in the delivery of a wide variety of highly personalized, quality suppor

For more information, please visit Right at Home's website or contact Rica Esguerra, National Director of Community Engagement, Right at Home Canada

OBIO® launches national health science technology training program powered by Upskill Canada

December 7, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) has launched its national Health Science Technology Training for Software and Data Professionals training program, powered by Upskill Canada. The program is part of the first wave of partnership agreements that are taking an industry-oriented approach to supporting Canadian workers. These agreements will help thousands of workers find new careers through skills training and job placement in some of the most dynamic industries in Canada.

The program will support fast-growing health science employers developing digital technologies to address their talent needs, create new career paths for individuals who want to transition into high-demand roles in health science and attract tech professionals with the necessary expertise to fill these roles.

Up to 100 participants will be upskilled through the program to help them secure their next role in the industry by integrating foundational software skills with industry-specific knowledge. Over 14 weeks, the program will cover topics including software development for health science, regulatory frameworks for software as a medical device, data compliance, cybersecurity, AI & machine learning, and foundational skills.

Supported by funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) Upskilling for Industry Initiative, more than 15,000 Canadian workers will benefit from an innovative approach to skills training. Central to the Upskill Canada initiative is the role of community training providers, who work closely with local and national employers to identify precise suites of skills being sought by industry. Equipping workers with these skills will create new career pathways for Canadians and better position Canadian companies to compete both domestically and internationally.

Quick Facts

• OBIO® supports early-stage and venture backed companies enabling them to raise capital, build the workforce, and accelerate commercialization and adoption.

• OBIO’s Workforce Development programs support in-demand skills development of the life science workforce to remove barriers faced by employers in the labour market, enabling access to industry-ready talent, and facilitating hiring and retention.

• Individuals interested in applying for the first cohort of the Health Science Technology Training for Software and Data Professional as talent participants can complete and submit an application by December 15 at: obio.ca/health-science-technology-training.

Quotes

“We’re so proud to formally launch Upskill Canada with our inaugural class of workers and training service providers. This is a big first step – but it’s only the beginning. We’re looking forward to working with our supporters in government and industry to upskill many more Canadians, so they can transition into high-demand roles in the modern workforce – and help fast-growing companies achieve their full potential.”

– Rhonda Barnet, CEO of Palette Skills, which was chosen by ISED to run the Upskill Canada initiative

“OBIO® is thrilled to partner with Upskill Canada to deliver the national Health Science Technology Training for Software and Data Professionals training program. Developing the health technology workforce and enabling talent to transition into high-demand technology roles will enable Canadian companies to commercialize and adopt digital technologies faster, giving them a competitive edge on a global scale.”

– Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®

To learn more, visit paletteskills.org/upskillcanadaprograms.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies that position Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. OBIO® advances this goal through collaborative partnerships with industry, the investment community, academia, the healthcare system and government. For more information, please visit obio.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

About Upskill Canada

Upskill Canada is a national talent platform that helps fast-growing companies access the talent they need to compete and succeed globally while creating new career pathways for workers to rapidly transition into high-demand roles. Upskill Canada will target all regions of the country and support Canadian-based employers, with a particular focus on small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It will focus on strengthening key growth sectors, including digital technology, cybersecurity, agricultural technology, advanced manufacturing, clean technology and biomanufacturing.

Media contact:

Doriane Rey
Manager, Marketing & Events
dorianerey@obio.ca  

New technology aims to improve access to cancer care

November 28, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), and Gray Oncology Solutions (Gray) are thrilled to announce the results of the deployment and evaluation of a new technology developed in Canada and aimed at optimizing operations in cancer care.

Over the past few decades, remarkable strides in cancer treatment have significantly improved the treatment of patients. While offering exciting possibilities, these advances have also introduced a high level of complexity that can be a challenge to manage effectively.

The scheduling of care journeys, which plays a pivotal role in ensuring patients’ access to care and the optimal use of hospital resources, is a highly manual and inefficient process, leading to increased administrative burden, wait times and cost of care delivery.

In a concerted effort to maintain the quality of care and maximize hospital resources, TOH partnered with Gray to deploy and evaluate their novel technology, GrayOS. This project was carried out with support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™).

GrayOS is the operating system for cancer care, which automates and optimizes the operations of cancer centres. It was co-developed with the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) and now deployed in clinics across multiple provinces, where it has been proven to increase efficiencies, reduce administrative overhead, save costs and improve staff experience.

TOH, one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals, became the first Ontario hospital to introduce and evaluate the technology. TOH, Gray and OBIO® are excited to share the preliminary results of this evaluation.

In less than six months, the solution saved costs and reduced the administrative burden by 60%. After GrayOS was deployed, TOH reported a 17% increase in the rate of patients treated within the targeted time outlined by Cancer Care Ontario, which is the provincial agency that sets standards for cancer care.

“Using GrayOS has played a pivotal role in reducing our operational challenges in radiation oncology,” said Melissa Diffey, Manager, Radiation Medicine Program at The Ottawa Hospital. “With this innovative technology, we are now able to further streamline our workflow and improve wait times by scheduling more patients within the targeted treatment deadline.”

The team will continue to monitor the results as further impact is expected from the efficiency gain.

“We’re incredibly grateful that The Ottawa Hospital has been such a great partner in deploying, testing and evaluating our technology. The meaningful results and interest we’ve received from Québec and now Ontario signal that we are on the right track to addressing a significant challenge in cancer care,” added André Diamant, CEO of Gray.

“OBIO® is proud to have partnered with The Ottawa Hospital and Gray Oncology Solutions on this inter-provincial project. The results of this evaluation reflect the impact of using cutting-edge technology in healthcare to improve clinical efficiency and enhance patient care. We are eager to continue to support GrayOS in the next steps of procurement and wider adoption across Ontario’s healthcare systems,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®.

GrayOS will continue to help The Ottawa Hospital treat more patients with the same amount of resources by unlocking additional capacity to prioritize scheduling in a way that minimize gaps in the calendar.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

For more information, please visit OBIO.ca or contact Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Market acceleration at bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca.

About Gray Oncology Solutions

Gray Oncology Solutions (Montréal-based start-up) has a vision of a healthcare ecosystem with no resources wasted. In pursuit of this vision, they have developed an “operating system” which simplifies cancer treatment by streamlining workflows across multiple points of cancer care (GrayOS). Operationally, this translates to the optimization & automation of patient scheduling while explicitly incorporating the complex multi-disciplinary workflow resulting in increased access to care, reduced patient wait times, increased patient/staff satisfaction and ultimately superior patient care.

For more information, please visit www.gray-os.com or contact André Diamant, CEO at andre@gray-os.com.

About The Ottawa Hospital

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals where we are guided by our vision to provide the world-class and compassionate care we would all want for our loved ones. Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, is home to the Regional Trauma Centre and Cancer Centre, and to discoveries that are adopted globally.

Backed by generous support from the community, we are focused on reshaping the future of health care to improve the health of our diverse population of patients from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and Nunavut.

For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, please visit OttawaHospital.on.ca or contact Alison Jennings, Manager (acting) Digital Innovation at ajennings@toh.ca.

University Health Network partners with Zamplo Inc. to optimize technology-enabled cancer remote monitoring

Nov 22, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – The measurement of and clinicians’ response to patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT) has been found to have many clinical benefits, including the patient’s improved quality of life and increased overall survival. This method has the potential to better utilize healthcare human resources, and decrease the need for extended clinical hours, urgent care and emergency care.

Through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN®), OBIO® has facilitated a study by the University Health Network (UHN) with Zamplo Inc., an Alberta-based company with a connected health platform, the Zamplo app, to monitor PROs of patients undergoing RT.

The app provides researchers and clinicians with a flexible tool to collect PROs, including symptoms, ability to function and/or quality of life, through multiple formats at any required frequency (e.g. a routine survey or an ad hoc measurement). The app can be used for patients with any disease regardless of their treatment or related conditions and can collect information from both patients and caregivers. The data is easily shared across the platform by healthcare providers in any setting of the patient’s choice.

As part of its strategic priorities, UHN aims to transform the health system through consumer-centric innovation and emerging technologies, supporting outstanding patient experiences in every interaction.

“Consumer-friendly apps such as Zamplo focus on enhancing personalized, equitable, compassionate care and transforming the patient experience, while also helping the care team optimize treatment and use of hospital space and resources,” said Philip Wong, MD, who is the EAHN™ evaluation lead at UHN.

“Our evaluation with OBIO® focuses on a proactive model of care which enhances patient-clinician communication and informs optimal clinical decision making, leading to fundamental changes in radiation therapy symptom management while maintaining a safe model of care with better utilization of resources,” he added. “The goal is to challenge today’s fragmented system and put consumer-friendly apps and tools in the hands of patients, families and providers.”

“Navigating cancer care can be complex and daunting for patients and caregivers. Zamplo is a care tool made by patients for patients to modernize and improve their experience,” said. Jennifer Croke, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network. “The platform acts as a triage for radiation follow-up care, directing more complex cases for in-person assessment and helping others avoid taxing and sometimes costly trips to the hospital. Thus, patients on radiation can use the platform to inform the treatment team of their well-being, and the care team is better informed about the patient’s medical and/or psychosocial needs or lack thereof.”

“The Zamplo app allows clinicians and researchers to focus on the “whole” patient, supporting improved communication without increasing consult time, and engaging patients and their caregivers more in their care,” said Shaneel Pathak, CEO of Zamplo. “The Zamplo app allows patients to document their health journey on a desktop or mobile device, including symptoms, activities and medications. Researchers and clinicians can use the app to gather PROs through questionnaires and health tracking journal entries to help determine quality of life. Through OBIO’s EAHN™ program, Zamplo is now partnering with the largest health research organization in Canada.”

“OBIO® is delighted to support Zamplo, an Alberta-based company, through the EAHN™ program to facilitate a project with UHN and help Zamplo access the Ontario market,” said. Maura Campbell, PhD, President and CEO of OBIO®.  “We look forward to seeing the benefit of the Zamplo app to better utilize healthcare human resources and improve patients’ quality of life.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About Zamplo Inc. 

Zamplo Inc. is a mission-driven social enterprise, founded in 2015. Zamplo has created a person-centered connected health platform that provides a central location for individuals to track their whole health data while staying connected to their clinicians, caregivers, researchers and the health community.

With informed consent, the Zamplo App can be used to collect patient-reported outcomes (PROs) between participants and researchers through an integration with the electronic data capture platform, Zamplo Research. This integration supports patient-centered research by streamlining study enrolment, providing tools for PRO collection, and focusing on participant engagement and quality of life. Researchers and clinicians can engage participants in their own care as participants retain control of their data and can access their personal health information to make more informed decisions.

About University Health Network

University Health Network consists of Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and The Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The scope of research and complexity of cases at University Health Network has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, arthritis, vision, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. University Health Network is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. For more information: www.uhn.ca.

Contacts

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Senior Director, Technology Adoption
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization
bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca

For more information about Zamplo Inc. please contact:

Shaneel Pathak
CEO
Zamplo inc.
shaneel@zamplo.org

For more information about University Health Network please contact:

Ania Jones
Sr. Manager, Strategic Communications & Partnership Engagement
University Health Network
ania.jones@uhn.ca

A made-in-Ontario medical device proven to save lives now being evaluated in its home province

Nov 7, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – In trauma situations where physicians are treating an unstable patient who is experiencing bleeding, time is of the utmost importance and the medical team needs to act quickly. Small and fast-acting solutions are needed to reduce complications and save lives.

Through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN ™), OBIO® has facilitated an evaluation between Front Line Medical Technologies and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) to help trauma patients receive a cutting-edge treatment for hemorrhage control.

Front Line’s COBRA-OS® is an innovative, minimally invasive medical device that helps control bleeding in patients with non-compressible trauma in the torso. The device is inserted to block the artery above the injury. This stops the blood flow and enables patients to reach the operating room where trauma surgeons can effectively control the bleeding and increase the patient’s chance of survival. The COBRA-OS® can be deployed in just over a minute and is the smallest device of its kind in the world. It is being used in multiple American Level 1 trauma centres and by US military groups.

“We have had the incredible privilege of providing front line physicians with a tool that has already helped save many lives since the COBRA-OS® has been available commercially in North America,” said Asha Parekh, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Front Line Medical Technologies. “The device has mainly been adopted in the United States and we are extremely excited to have Hamilton Health Sciences evaluating the utility of the COBRA-OS® for their system and patients”.

“As an alumnus of the McMaster University general surgery program, I am so proud to come back to Hamilton to help introduce this life-saving device to my colleagues for their trauma patients,” said Adam Power, MD, CMO, Co-founder, and practicing vascular surgeon.

”At Hamilton Health Sciences, we’re committed to finding innovative solutions to help our patients and the community. Collaborating with organizations like OBIO® is an essential part of developing partnerships with the right companies to make impactful change,” said Ted Scott, Vice President Innovation at Hamilton Health Sciences. “When it comes to trauma patients, every second counts. So, as the regional trauma centre for Central South Ontario, it’s our responsibility to explore all ways to utilize the limited time we have to save a patient’s life.”

“The trauma team is very pleased to be part of this project and looks forward to working with these important partners to bring cutting-edge technology to the bedside of our injured patients to help make a difference with saving their lives,” said Paul Engels, MD, trauma surgeon and trauma medical director at Hamilton Health Sciences.

“OBIO® is eager to facilitate this EAHN™-funded project between HHS and Front Life Medical Technologies, supporting a medical device that increases the survival for trauma patients,” said Maura Campbell, PhD, OBIO® President and CEO. “We are delighted to see Front Line Medical Technologies build on the previous success of COBRA-OS® and to support the commercialization of their innovation in Canada.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About Front Line Medical Technologies

Front Line Medical Technologies is a medical device company lowering the barriers to bleeding control and resuscitation worldwide. The company offers a life-saving tool, the COBRA-OS™ (Control of Bleeding, Resuscitation, Arterial Occlusion System) to help patients survive emergency situations. The COBRA-OS is used for REBOA (Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta) procedures, and its significantly reduced size decreases both the time it takes to complete the procedure and the risk of complications.

About Hamilton Health Sciences

Hamilton Health Sciences is a community of 15,000 staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers that proudly serves southwestern Ontario residents. It is the only hospital in Ontario that cares for all ages, from pre-birth to end-of-life and offers world-leading expertise in many areas, including cardiac and stroke care, cancer care, palliative care and pediatrics. Hamilton Health Sciences is also a world-renowned hospital for healthcare research and has a daily focus on improving the quality of care for patients through innovation and evidence-based practices.

Contacts

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact: Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption

For more information about Front Line Medical Technologies, please contact: Asha Parekh, CEO and Co-Founder

For more information about Hamilton Health Sciences, please contact: Wendy Stewart, Communications Advisor

A4i (The App4Independence) and The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre Awarded Funding from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network to Evaluate a Digital App-based Platform for Severe Mental Illness

October 19, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Treating schizophrenia spectrum disorders effectively is challenging due to the complexity of the illness. Treatment often requires lifelong self-management and various therapies that must be used in timely cycles to achieve the best outcomes. Additionally, constraints across the healthcare system limit many aspects of clinical interaction, including risk identification and care planning, which can lead patients to feel disempowered, socially isolated and disengaged from the treatment process.

To address barriers to treating severe mental illnesses and improve patient experience, A4i Inc. (A4i – App4Independence) has partnered with The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre to drive the adoption and integration of their app-based platform. The A4i app helps patients experiencing severe mental illness improve their health by building connections with other peers and using app features designed to identify risk of relapse and readmission. Commercially and clinically validated, A4i’s tools and digital biomarkers have shown excellent engagement, increased retention rates and other promising clinical outcomes.

With support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), The Royal is evaluating A4i in the Ozerdinc Grimes Family Regional Psychosis Clinic, which provides specialized care and support for individuals who experience psychosis due to a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The evaluation’s goal is to assess how A4i integrates into an outpatient clinical setting and to help clinicians understand the app’s impact on patients who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum.

“We are grateful to be working with The Royal in Ottawa to support a particularly vulnerable population in such a resource intensive environment,” said Amos Adler, CEO of A4i Inc. “Validated technologies such as A4i can support the health system’s efforts to better engage and support client populations in the recovery process. We are learning and adapting to truly integrate innovation into clinical workflows.”

“With the right support, people with schizophrenia spectrum illnesses can manage their symptoms and live well. Through this collaboration enabled by OBIO®, we have the potential to expand and strengthen the supports available to our clients using A4i. We are demonstrating how a digital therapeutic mobile app and clinical portal can scale virtual care, care-coordination and create system efficiencies,” said Dr. David Attwood, Clinical Director of the Integrated Schizophrenia Recovery Program at The Royal.

“OBIO® is excited to support this first project with the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, which is bringing digital therapeutic innovations to the forefront of the mental health space,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “We are eager to see how the A4i solution can improve care for patients living with schizophrenia and enhance their wellbeing.”

A4i addresses the gaps in the current system of care for individuals with severe mental illness and, more specifically for this project evaluation, schizophrenia spectrum illnesses. The A4i app supports recovery, care coordination and community functioning while using machine learning to identify risks of relapse for patients with complex mental health issues.

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

About A4i

A Joint Venture between Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and MEMOTEXT digital therapeutics platform, A4i has secured early pilots across North America and has deep expertise in mental and digital health.

About The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre

The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care, teaching, and research hospitals and is home to The Royal Mental Health Centre, the Brockville Mental Health Centre, the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health, and the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. Hope, access, and new possibilities are at the centre of everything we do. Through partnerships with clients, families, colleagues and community partners, our mission is to transform the lives of people living with complex and treatment-resistant mental health and substance use needs – today, and tomorrow. Click here to learn more about The Royal, our suite of services, and our impact.

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Media contacts:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption, OBIO®

Amos Adler, M.Sc, CEO, A4i Inc.

Michaela Berniquez, Communications Coordinator, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre

Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) partners with A.I. VALI to evaluate an artificial intelligence platform for real-time endoscopy image analysis

October 12, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Currently, clinicians go through a time-consuming process of manually analyzing endoscopy video and images, and then reporting the patient’s results. The process can sometimes lead to unfortunate human errors. This is exacerbated by the current backlog of patients waiting for endoscopies resulting in increased physician burnout.

Through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), OBIO® has facilitated the first-ever partnership between the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and A.I. VALI, a female-led, Toronto-based health technology start-up, to evaluate the modular Artificial intelligence (AI) platform, AIDREA™, within endoscopy clinics.

The A.I. VALI AIDREA™ platform uses real-time Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques to analyze physicians' voices during procedures, as well as data collected from medical images, such as endoscopy video images and tissue biopsy samples. This solution provides clinicians with accurate, reproducible and affordable real-time analysis. It has a critical impact on the quality of analysis in the early detection of diseases such as cancer and allows delivery of the best-personalized treatment model. The AIDREA™ solution offers four key features: it works with any endoscopy device, it provides real-time video image analysis, it generates instant patient reports, and it has a feedback loop to train the AI model.

“Our mission is to improve the quality of diagnosis and care, therefore, validating the AIDREA™ platform in top Canadian research hospital settings benefits A.I. VALI by providing valuable feedback, enhancing credibility, opening new market opportunities, acquiring data for research and development, and generating financial gains through increased adoption,” said Azar Azad, CEO of A.I. VALI.

“OBIO is thrilled to support a female-led company that is tackling significant healthcare challenges while simultaneously leveraging critical technologies such as AI,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “The A.I. VALI platform can help improve workflow efficiencies to address patient backlogs that hospitals are currently facing which in turn can result in increased diagnostic accuracy.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

About A.I. VALI 

A.I. VALI offers services in research and development, analytical validation, optimization, and validation for regulatory submissions. These services can be utilized by our clients and incorporated into the early stages of drug development through clinical trials and validation of biomarkers, or companion diagnostics (CDx), by providing precise interpretation of information on cell functioning, as well as the structure of critical proteins and biomarkers. Our extensible data science environment and toolkit was built to serve as an architectural framework and community platform for developing and distributing reusable data visualization modules and reusable multi-modality data integration pipelines. Our innovative system allows our team to develop the algorithms, validate them properly, and either commercialize them directly, or support our clients in their efforts to commercialize these products.

Contacts

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Senior Director, Technology Adoption
Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization
bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca

For more information about A.I. VALI please contact:

Azar Azad
CEO
A.I. VALI.
azar@aivali.org

OBIO® opens applications for its newly-launched Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence

September 26, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Economic trends and market forces are rapidly shifting towards new critical technologies that are transforming the health science sector. The commercialization and adoption of critical technologies such as 5G/advanced networks, ethical artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, robotics, quantum computing and blockchain will ensure that Ontario innovators stay competitive in the global market. To address the long-standing technology development and commercialization gaps that impede growth-stage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from being able to scale domestically, the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) is inviting health science companies from across the province to apply for the Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence.

Supported by the Government of Ontario, the LSCTC Centre of Excellence will catalyze a globally competitive collaborative ecosystem by leveraging and building on Ontario’s expertise and capabilities. Critical technologies are driving innovation and intellectual property (IP) creation globally across all health science sectors of life sciences, medtech and healthtech.

“We are excited to support Ontario’s health science companies to develop healthcare solutions leveraging the critical technologies. The LSCTC Centre of Excellence establishes our province as a leader in the commercialization and adoption of innovative technologies globally,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President & CEO of OBIO®. “The LSCTC Centre of Excellence will be a hub for the advancement of made-in-Ontario intellectual property, enabling the growth of Ontario’s health science sector.”

The LSCTC Centre provides infrastructure, commercialization, technology adoption and talent programming to Ontario SMEs and emerging ventures, including but not limited to therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and digital health. The LSCTC Centre leverages the expertise of OBIO® and its partners: HaloHealth, Linamar, L-SPARK, MaRS, NirvSystem, Recursion Canada, Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, and Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP).  

“We are delighted to partner with OBIO® to support health science companies with AI expertise through the LSCTC Centre of Excellence,” said Naheed Kurji, member of the OBIO® Board of Directors & President of Recursion Canada. “My experience taught me the importance of having a coordinated network of ecosystem players offering an easy-to-navigate set of programmatic activities and general support to enable early-stage companies to be able to scale globally.”

Ventures participating in the LSCTC Centre will have access to technical & commercialization support, which will accelerate business growth and capital investment, enhance productivity and create high value jobs.

To access the LSCTC Centre resources, OBIO® invites interested ventures to review the eligibility criteria and submit an application.

For more information, contact Christina Yeh, Vice President, Programs & Strategic Partnerships, OBIO®. 

Hypercare helps cut pagers and paper on-call schedules at Southlake thanks to OBIO®

September 19, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Today, Hypercare announced the procurement of an innovative Canadian digital software solution at Southlake Regional Health Centre. The technology provides clinical teams with an unprecedented means to securely communicate and collaborate amongst each other, and efficiently coordinate on-call schedules.

Ongoing staffing shortages since the start of the pandemic have created a need to coordinate schedules across the hospital. The previous approach for on-call scheduling at Southlake was inefficient and overloaded through the hospital switchboard. The hospital manages forty clinical on-call and support schedules in various formats and updates these rosters verbally or via email.

Albert Tai, CEO of Hypercare, along with co-founders, Umar Azhar, CTO, and Dr. Joseph Choi, emergency physician and COO, recognized the need to replace old-fashioned pagers and outdated, manual internal on-call processes. In response, the co-founders of Hypercare built a software platform that could become the sole source for hospital communication and on-call scheduling. Hypercare’s platform enables users to instantly contact on-call doctors without having to first track them down. Hypercare’s platform also enables users to securely share clinical images and prioritize important messages.

OBIO®, through funding and advice from its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), supported Hypercare’s commercialization journey from inception to procurement. OBIO®, Hypercare and Southlake collaborated to evaluate the impact of Hypercare’s digital software solution on on-call scheduling and make the case for procurement.

“With the current stress in the healthcare system, EAHN™ has been able to provide more resources for the project to help get it off the ground. They are helping remove obstacles in the way to allow healthcare systems to sign off on Hypercare and see the value,” said Dr. Albert Tai, CEO at Hypercare.

“Hypercare has improved our efficiency,” said Sam Fielding, Chief Information Officer at Southlake. “By integrating this secure messaging app and consolidating on-call schedules, Southlake’s central communications team is able to react and reach team members quicker, helping to improve patient outcomes.”

An EAHN™ evaluation successfully demonstrated that Hypercare could solve Southlake’s on-call scheduling management and communication challenges. With a positive determination of value and recommendation, OBIO’s EAHN™ program was able to provide follow-on funding and advisory support to Southlake to plan and implement the procurement of Hypercare’s platform in accordance with Broader Public Sector procurement guidelines.

“The Hypercare procurement demonstrates how the EAHN™ program enables the adoption of innovative Canadian technologies in our health systems. We are delighted that through EAHN™, Southlake now has a streamlined on-call scheduling system that will benefit patients, thanks to better coordinated care,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “EAHN’s 65+ member health organizations and systems can now leverage Southlake’s procurement of Hypercare to adopt the technology.”

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. Visit OBIO.ca for more information.

About Hypercare

Hypercare is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that provides everything a clinical team needs to communicate compliantly and to coordinate care effectively and efficiently. The platform includes various modules to provide secure messaging, on-call scheduling, virtual pagers, automation of care escalation and code team activations. To learn more about Hypercare, visit www.hypercare.com.

Media Contacts:

Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®

Albert Tai, Chief Executive Officer, Hypercare

OBIO’s EAHN™ supports the evaluation of Huron Digital Pathology’s technology solutions for faster and more accurate diagnoses

Sept 13, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Hospitals generate thousands of pathology slides and reports each month. If harnessed, this immense body of knowledge could be used to support a faster and more accurate diagnosis for patients. Grand River Hospital, in partnership with Huron Digital Pathology, is conducting an evaluation of Huron’s state-of-the-art Scan, Organize and Analyze digital pathology solutions that enable seamless digitization and efficient management of pathology slides. The collaborative effort between Huron and Grand River Hospital was made possible by the funding and advisory support provided by OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™).

Huron’s Scan, Organize and Analyze platform includes the versatile and high throughput TissueScope iQ™ scanner with smart features, which can rapidly scan up to 400 standard pathology slides or 200 double-wide slides. Once scanned, SlideVault™, an image management system, indexes the digitized slide images, making them accessible to pathologists through a web browser and tools for viewing and managing the images.

The evaluation, supported by EAHN™, commenced in April and focuses on assessing the performance of Huron Digital’s solution within the context of Grand River Hospital. Specifically, Grand River Hospital will ensure seamless connectivity and integration between SlideVault™ and Grand River’s existing pathology information system. Pathologists at Grand River will also conduct a retrospective validation study, comparing digital image diagnoses with microscope-based diagnoses to evaluate accuracy and concordance.

“Our engineers have worked for more than a year with Dr. Demo Divaris, Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital Integrated Chief of Pathology, and laboratory staff to implement a digital workflow within the anatomic pathology lab. We are pleased to have successfully integrated our scanners and software for the imaging, evaluation, and diagnosis of pathology cases. All of us at Huron are proud that our technology is contributing to the fight against cancer”, said Audil Virk, President of Huron Digital Pathology.

“Grand River Hospital is proud to evolve our partnership with Huron Digital Pathology, one that began as a simple research project over 5 years ago,” said Ron Gagnon, president and CEO of Grand River Hospital. “Our organization is committed to innovating and transforming the way we deliver health care and this includes using a first-of-its-kind technology, like that developed by Huron Digital Pathology.”

“The collaboration between Huron Digital Pathology and Grand River Hospital provides an opportunity to showcase how Canadian digital pathology solutions can revolutionize seamless digitization and efficient management of pathology slides, advancing collaboration, research and diagnostics in the field,” stated Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “This partnership is yet another example of how OBIO® and EAHN™ are spearheading the adoption of cutting-edge Canadian technologies in our healthcare systems, ultimately improving efficiency and patient care.”

“Digital Pathology is the wave of the future in Laboratory Medicine. Nationally, labs face serious health human resource pressures and we need to use innovative technologies to bridge the gap for fair and equitable access to all patients. Further to this, the use of Digital Pathology will be tested in its ability to scale across our region and its use will be expanded to include St. Mary’s General Hospital through our integrated pathology services.” explained Giroux, Integrated Lab Administrative Director at Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital. ” The OBIO® EAHN™ program provided a financial boost to help make this happen, and GRH is excited to partner with Huron Digital Pathology, in our backyard of St. Jacobs.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, please visit OBIO.ca.

About Huron Digital Pathology

Huron Digital Pathology is on a mission to transform glass slides into shareable knowledge. Its Scan, Organize, and Analyze solution for pathology combines award-winning whole slide imaging hardware with powerful image search technology to connect pathologists, researchers and educators with the expertise of their colleagues to help speed up diagnosis and accelerate disease research.

About Grand River Hospital

Grand River Hospital is one of Ontario’s largest community hospitals with an outstanding team of 5,000 dedicated health care workers and volunteers.  We provide services and support to more than 840,000 residents at our two campuses and satellite locations in Waterloo Region and Guelph Wellington. We take pride in the ways we collaborate with our health system partners, our region’s academic and innovation communities, and diverse community stakeholders as we work toward providing a world class experience for patients, families and team members.

Our programs include cancer and renal (kidney) services; care for the most seriously ill and injured adults; services for mothers, newborns and children; emergency care; mental health and addictions; and care for older adults including rehabilitation.

Our pathology and laboratory services are integrated with St. Mary’s General Hospital in order to provide seamless services and support to our clinicians and patients in our region.

Contacts:

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact:

Bibaswan Ghoshal
Senior Director, Technology Adoption
bibaswanghoshal@obio.ca

For more information about Huron Digital Pathology Inc, please contact:

Audil Virk
President
avirk@hurondigitalpathology.com

For more information about Grand River Hospital, please contact:

Carla Girolametto
Director of Innovation, Research
carla.girolametto@grhosp.on.ca

OBIO® receives funding from the Ontario government to bring new technologies to market

Today, the Ontario government announced that the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) will receive $9.7 million to support their program to help Ontario companies in the life sciences sector to adopt, develop and bring to market critical technologies, such as 5G, ethical artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cybersecurity, quantum and robotics. 

The new funding, through the province’s Critical Technology Initiatives program, will help OBIO® launch a new Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization Centre of Excellence alongside its delivery partners. The centre of excellence will use a hub and spoke model to help small and medium-sized businesses in the life sciences sector adopt, develop and bring to market critical technologies, and will include access to two 5G living labs in Ottawa and Toronto. 

"We are grateful for this new funding, which will enable us to support companies through the adoption, development and commercialization of critical technologies, a key driver for the Ontario life sciences sector," said Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. "We look forward to working with our partners to launch the Life Sciences Critical Technologies Centre of Excellence, ensuring that Ontario-made technology companies are supported in the province to become international market leaders."  

We acknowledge the Ontario government for their continued support of OBIO®.  

CHEO successfully evaluates in-house 3D printing as a solution to save time and money

July 12, 2023 (Ottawa, ON) – Eager to implement innovative solutions to save time and money and better serve patients and families, CHEO, a leading pediatric healthcare and research centre in Ottawa, partnered with PolyUnity Tech Inc, a leader in Additive Manufacturing as a Service (AMaaS). With the support of OBIO® through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), they evaluated how a digital inventory and 3D printing solution could help solve supply chain issues. The solutions explored include printing replacement parts, repairing equipment and medical devices, and creating new product innovations across the CHEO organization (CHEO, CHEO Research Institute and CHEO Foundation).

CHEO wanted to understand if 3D printing could address the cost of managing multiple vendors, complex procurement processes, and the threat of future supply chain disruption to the local healthcare system. PolyUnity’s i3D.Health solution is a fully managed product design, digital inventory and 3D printing manufacturing solution that enables healthcare providers and their networks to design, access and produce what they need on demand.

The EAHN™-supported evaluation started in the fall of 2022 and engaged an impressive 29 departments across seven hospitals, including CHEO, with the involvement of over 110 active users. The results were remarkable, with more than 200 new innovations requested, 1,281 products successfully delivered, and 460 pieces of equipment repaired and returned to service. CHEO estimates that for every dollar spent, 28 dollars were saved when using the PolyUnity solution.

“Embracing transformative technologies like 3D printing is paramount in addressing the current challenges we face and ensuring the continued growth and resilience of our healthcare system,” said Dr. Jason Berman, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, CHEO Research Institute, and Vice-President Research, CHEO. “EAHN™ played a pivotal role in facilitating the PolyUnity evaluation, granting CHEO invaluable insights into implementing innovative technologies like 3D printing as a solution within our organizations.”

A few examples of 3D printing solutions provided by PolyUnity include a critical attachment piece for hammock attaching to a specialized stretcher needed to transport patients by air, a test tube rack to increase efficiencies in the CHEO Research Institute labs, and a mask dispenser system to improve use of space and accessibility.

“PolyUnity’s quick turn-around time from idea to design and printing of the attachment piece for the stretcher hammock enabled me to work in parallel on other repairs, trusting that their team would develop a viable solution,” said Mark Heathcote, Technician, CHEO Clinical Engineering.

Following CHEO’s positive determination of value and a recommendation to proceed with a procurement process, OBIO’s EAHN™ program will now provide support to other healthcare organizations interested in the procurement of a fully managed 3D printing solution.

PolyUnity is at the forefront of bringing AMaaS and its associated benefits to the healthcare sector. Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, utilizes a computer-controlled process to create three-dimensional objects by depositing materials, typically layer by layer. By harnessing AMaaS, healthcare providers can leverage rapid and innovative product solutions while simultaneously reducing operational inefficiencies, driving down costs, and enhancing overall patient outcomes. AMaaS empowers healthcare professionals such as clinical engineers, doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists to swiftly transform problems into prototypes and commercial products.

“We’re asking our healthcare organizations to continuously do more with less. Innovation is critical to this and organizations, like CHEO, who embrace innovation will lead the country in delivering extraordinary value-based healthcare services. We’re so proud of the 200+ innovative products created in collaboration with CHEO’s team members and excited to continue creating more solutions together,” said Jacqueline Lee, CEO, PolyUnity.

PolyUnity’s i3D.Health web-based software serves as a hub for all digital product designs, housing a comprehensive product library and an ideas portal for future on-demand production through local/regional 3D print facilities. To date, PolyUnity has collaborated with healthcare partners to develop over 220 problem-solving non-medical and medical (Class 1) devices.

“The evaluation between PolyUnity and CHEO showcases how hospitals can effectively reduce costs and address supply-chain and procurement challenges through the implementation of a 3D printing solution,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “By bringing a Newfoundland and Labrador-based company to the Ontario market, EAHN™ is advancing a pan-Canadian approach to facilitating adoption of cutting-edge Canadian technologies within our healthcare systems.”

About OBIO®

OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace.

For more information, please visit OBIO.ca or contact Bibaswan Ghoshal, Director, Market Acceleration, OBIO®.

About CHEO

Dedicated to the best life for every child and youth, CHEO is a global leader in pediatric health care and research. Based in Ottawa, CHEO includes a hospital, children’s treatment centre, school and research institute, with satellite services located throughout Eastern Ontario. CHEO provides excellence in complex pediatric care, research and education. We are committed to partnering with families and the community to provide exceptional care — where, when and how it is needed. CHEO is a partner of the Kids Come First Health Team, a network of partners working to create a high quality, standardized and coordinated system for pediatric health care that is centred around children, youth and their families. Every year, CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Ruff, Director of Communications, CHEO Research Institute.

About PolyUnity Tech Inc.

PolyUnity is a Canadian healthcare technology company with a driving purpose to “Improve Healthcare Experiences.” Their mission is to partner with healthcare organizations and use agile manufacturing to provide efficient, less expensive solutions that reduce frustrations. PolyUnity’s i3D healthcare solution significantly reduces the cost and complexity of traditional healthcare procurement, builds supply chain resiliency and reduces its carbon footprint. It enables healthcare providers and their networks to design, access and produce what they need on-demand. Visit PolyUnity for more information and connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.

For more information, please contact Mark Gillingham, President, PolyUnity Tech Inc.