Xagenic secures $1 million investment in chip-based technology for detecting disease, cancer and infection
MaRS Innovation, HTX, OICR and CCR commit over $1 million to speed commercialization of a new rapid molecular diagnostic technology.
MaRS Innovation and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Partner to Develop Four Exciting Medical Discoveries
TORONTO (March 23, 2010) — MaRS Innovation and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre have entered into their first set of agreements to collaboratively commercialize a novel therapeutic technology and three advances in medical imaging. These four technologies will impact diagnosis and care for epidemic chronic illnesses and have clear and broad commercial potential. MI will shepherd these opportunities through the next stages of the commercialization process.
“We are coming out of the gate vigorously in identifying this group of Sunnybrook technologies as commercialization opportunities,” said Dr. Raphael (Rafi) Hofstein, president and CEO of MI. “MaRS Innovation sits with academic institutions at the hub of a major North American cluster in medical devices and biomedical engineering. This agreement will enable MaRS Innovation to leverage our resources with Sunnybrook’s and generate attractive investment packages.”
Physicist pairs with pharmaceutical scientist to design nano-particles for cancer imaging
TORONTO (November 19, 2009) – In the drive to improve early detection and treatment of cancer, a pair of Toronto scientists has developed a unique technology that combines contrast agents with targeted, long-lasting nano-particles for use in multiple medical imaging platforms.
While contrast agents are routinely injected into patients to enhance the quality of medical images, different agents are currently required for various imaging modes (e.g. MRI, CT, PET) each with inherent strengths and limitations. By combining more than one contrast agent into a nano-particle for use in multiple types of imaging, not only are physicians and researchers able to use lower doses of contrast agents (with lower toxicity) but the nano-particle also enables targeted delivery to, and retention by, specific tumours.
MaRS Innovation selects Mount Sinai Hospital’s umbilical cord stem cell technology as first commercialization opportunity
TORONTO (June 29, 2009) – MaRS Innovation and the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital are pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement to collaboratively initiate commercialization of an umbilical cord stem cell technology for potential treatment in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurological disorders.
“With the Toronto area identified as a world-leading cluster in stem cell research, we are extremely excited to have identified this technology as our first commercialization opportunity,” said Dr. Raphael (Rafi) Hofstein, President and CEO of MaRS Innovation.
The technology – invented by Mount Sinai scientists Dr. Ian Rogers and Dr. Robert Casper – offers a proprietary method to create multi-potent stem cells (MPSCs) from human umbilical cord blood. With preclinical data demonstrating efficacy of MPSCs in diabetes, peripheral vascular disease (a complication of diabetes that can lead to amputation) and neurological conditions, the technology has significant potential to address multiple unmet medical needs.