With its vibrant biotechnology industry, first-rate academic institutations, world-class innovative scientists, and supportive investment climat, Canda offers an unparrallele environment for collarboration and partnerships.
Canada’s biotechnology industry comprises over 500 core biotechnology companies, with 13,433 employees, generating $4.2 billion in annual biotechnology revenues and investing $1.7 billion annually in R&D. The market capitalization of Canadian biotechnology companies is almost $20 billion.
From 2001 to 2005 the Canadian biotechnology industry had an average annual increase of 20% in the number of firms, while R&D spending increased by 13% and revenues by 8.4% annually.
Canada has an international reputation in key life sciences technologies including genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, protein engineering, immunotherapeutics and drug delivery systems.
Canada has top-quality clinician-researchers and experienced CROs (Contract Research Organizations) with the capability to lead large, complex international trials.
In 2006, KPMG released a detailed study analyzing business costs in nine industrialized countries. Canada finished first in the G7 with a cost advantage over the U.S. of 4.4% for pharmaceutical manufacturing, 10.1% for biotechnology/biomedical R&D and 16% in clinical trial management.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) provides tariff-free access to the large and lucrative U.S. marketplace. Canada itself is the world’s 8th largest pharmaceutical market and is also the 4th fastest-growing, with an annual growth rate of 7.2%.
Canada has the world’s most highly educated workforce (IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006).
Canada’s regulatory approval times for drugs, biologics and genetic therapies are internationally competitive.
Canada’s R&D tax credits are among the most generous in the world. The after-tax cost of $1 in R&D expenditure ranges from $0.40 to $0.50. For information: www.cra.gc.ca/sred
Our research capacity has grown and is attracting international attention with funding bodies such as the National Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council, Networks of Centres of Excellence, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Research Chairs and Genome Canada.
Canada provides 20-year patent protection for pharmaceuticals, ensuring a favorable and stable investment climate for innovation.
Recent amendments to data protection provisions in the Food and Drug Regulations benefit innovative drug companies by guaranteeing a minimum of 8 years of market exclusivity for their products. A further 6 months of protection is available to drugs, that have been subject to pediatric studies.
With close to 500 biopharmaceutical and vaccine products in the pipeline, Canada offers a wealth of opportunities for partnerships with industry and research institutes.
Visit: www.biopipeline.ic.gc.ca
Thriving international collaborations include Neuromed Pharmaceuticals and Merck & Co (Pain treatments); Aspreva Pharmaceutical and F. Hoffman-La Roche (autoimmune disease applications); Caprion Pharmaceuticals and Boehringer Ingelheim (metabolic and inflammatory disease). For partnership information, visit: www.canadianlifesciences.com
Industry Canada, Life Sciences Branch, tel: (613) 954-4715, e-mail: lsinvest@ic.gc.ca website: www.canada-bio.gc.ca, or the Canadian Consulate or Embassy nearest you www.infoexport.gc.ca.http://www.canada-bio.gc.ca