LifeSciences British Columbia Adds Three Industry Leaders to their Board of Directors
Friday, September 26, 2008
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Vancouver, BC, September 26, 2008--(T-Net)--LifeSciences BC today announced the appointment of three new Board members representing leading life sciences companies in British Columbia. Mr. Ian Thompson, President, Canadian BioEnergy was appointed as of the September 16th Board of Directors’ meeting, and Dr. Stephen Gillis, Managing Director, ARCH Venture Partners; and Mr. Gordon MacCauley, President & Chief Executive Officer, Allon Therapeutics were elected to LifeSciences BC’s Board of Directors at yesterday’s Annual General Meeting. Dr. Robert Sindelar of UBC was also re-elected to the Board of Directors.
“We are so very pleased to have Ian, Stephen and Gordon become part of our Board, and provide their guidance and counsel,” said Karimah Es Sabar, President. “As an industry and an association, we have made great strides recently, and will be continuing to extend our reach locally, nationally and internationally. Our new Board members’ contributions will play a significant role in continuing to move us forward.”
“We have now officially expanded our mandate to represent British Columbia’s bioproducts and bioenergy sectors,” added Es Sabar. “This integration creates an enhanced industry association that builds upon the strengths of LifeSciences BC, and we’re particularly excited to have representation on our Board from this sector for the first time ever.”
Dr. Simon Pimstone, Chair of the Board of Directors also recognized retiring Directors Scott Cormack of OncoGenex and Patrick Wolfe formerly of Raymond James. “Scott and Patrick have both dedicated their time and we have benefitted greatly from their wisdom,” he commented.
The focus of LifeSciences BC, under the direction of its Board and broad membership, is to foster and support economic growth of the life sciences sector in British Columbia by bringing together its many stakeholders including industry, academia, service providers and government, and together undertaking initiatives to ensure a strong a vibrant life sciences industry for the future.
About Steven Gillis
Managing Director, ARCH Venture Partners
Steven Gillis, Ph.D. is a Managing Director with ARCH, joining the firm as a Venture Partner in 2005. Dr. Gillis is focused on the evaluation of new life science technologies and also on the development and growth of ARCH's biotechnology portfolio companies. He is a director of Trubion Pharmaceuticals (TRBN), Allozyne, Variation Biotechnologies, Magen BioSciences, Surface Logix, PhaseRx, Accelerator, and Surface Logix. He serves as director and Chairman of VentiRx Pharmaceuticals, Spaltudaq and VLST.
Dr. Gillis was a founder and director of Corixa Corp. and served as the company's CEO from its inception and as its Chairman from 1999 until its acquisition in 2005 by GlaxoSmithKline. Prior to Corixa, Dr. Gillis was a founder and director of Immunex Corp. From 1981 until his departure in 1994, he served as Immunex's Director of Research and Development, Chief Scientific Officer, and as CEO of Immunex's R&D subsidiary. Dr. Gillis was interim CEO of Immunex Corp. following its majority purchase by American Cyanamid Co. and remained a member of the board until 1997. Amgen, Inc. acquired Immunex in 2002.
Dr. Gillis is an immunologist by training with over 300 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of molecular and tumor immunology. He is credited as being a pioneer in the field of cytokines and cytokine receptors, directing the development of multiple marketed products including Leukine, (GM-CSF), Prokine (IL-2) and Enbrel (soluble TNF receptor-Fc fusion protein) as well as the regulatory approval of Bexxar (radiolabeled anti-CD20). Dr. Gillis received a B.A. from Williams College and a Ph.D. from Dartmouth College.
About Gordon C. McCauley
President & Chief Executive Officer, Allon Therapeutics
Gordon McCauley was appointed President of Allon in 2004. Mr. McCauley is a co-founder, and the former President and COO of Neuro Discovery Inc., now NDI Capital. Prior to co-founding NDI, he led the successful growth and development of two Canadian healthcare companies. Outside of the healthcare industry, Mr. McCauley has been a senior sales and public affairs executive for a Canadian multinational energy company and served in a staff capacity to two Prime Ministers and former Ontario Premier David Peterson. Mr. McCauley serves on the Board of Hallmark Insurance, ACETECH, BIOTECanada, and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), Washington, D.C.
About Ian Thomson
President, Canadian BioEnergy
Ian oversees the Company's biodiesel fuel operations business and works closely with the Alberta agricultural community in advance of the company's proposed production facility in Sturgeon County. Ian is a Company founder and, from September 2002, led the business through its startup market development phase to the incorporation of the Company. Ian is a pioneer and leader in the Canadian biodiesel industry, working, in 2004, to exempt biodiesel blends in BC from road fuel taxes and assisting with the establishment of the BC BioFleet program.
Ian has 15 years of strategic consulting experience to organizations such as Cargill, Chevron, Duke Energy, PetroCanada, and United Technologies. Ian is a former Chartered Accountant and is the current President of the Alberta Biodiesel Association.
About LifeSciences BC
LifeSciences British Columbia supports and represents the biotechnology, medical device, bioproducts, bioenergy and greater life sciences community of British Columbia through leadership, advocacy, active facilitation of investment and partnering, and promotion of our world-class science and industry. Our mission is to ensure British Columbia realizes its full potential to be a world leader in life sciences; generating a robust and sustainable bio-economy in British Columbia and Canada built on strong partnerships between industry, academia and government.
For more information please contact:
Barry Gee
Director, Operations and Communications
LifeSciences BC
Tel: (604) 602-5226
Email: bgee@lifesciencesbc.ca
www.lifesciencesbc.ca
Company Snapshot |
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LifeSciences British Columbia
Vancouver, BC (Non-Tech Sectors)
6 Employees In BC (6 Total)
Founded: 1995
LifeSciences BC is an industry-funded association that supports the life sciences community of British Columbia through leadership, facilitation of investment and partnering, advocacy, and promotion of our world-class science and industry.
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