|
|
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of
living things in engineering, technology, medicine, and other useful
applications. Modern use of the term includes genetic engineering as well as
cell- and tissue culture technologies. The concept encompasses a wide range
of procedures (and history) for modifying living organisms according to
human purposes - going back to domestication of animals, cultivation of
plants, and "improvements" to these through breeding programs that employ
artificial selection and hybridization. By comparison to biotechnology,
bioengineering is generally thought of as a related field with its emphasis
more on higher systems approaches (not necessarily altering or using
biological materials directly) for interfacing with and utilizing living
things. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines
biotechnology as:
"Any technological application that uses biological systems, living
organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes
for specific use."
Biotechnology draws on the pure biological sciences (genetics, microbiology,
animal cell culture, molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology, cell
biology) and in many instances is also dependent on knowledge and methods
from outside the sphere of biology (chemical engineering, bioprocess
engineering, information technology, biorobotics). Conversely, modern
biological sciences (including even concepts such as molecular ecology) are
intimately entwined and dependent on the methods developed through
biotechnology and what is commonly thought of as the life sciences industry.
|
|
|
What's New?
Featured Listings :
|
|
-
Æterna Zentaris Inc.
Æterna Zentaris Inc. (TSX: AEZ) is a Quebec, Canada-based
biopharmaceutical company focused in oncology
and endocrine therapy. It has over 250 employees in
North America and Europe.
-
BioMS Medical
BioMS Medical Corp (TSX: MS) is a
Canadian biotechnology company engaged in the
development and commercialization of novel therapeutic technologies with
emphasis on the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. On July 27, 2009 the company
announced that its drug, dirucotide, failed to meet its primary endpoint in the
Phase III MAESTRO-01 Trial. It will discontinue testing of the drug and the
future of the company is unclear.
-
ConjuChem
ConjuChem
Biotechnologies Inc. (TSX: CJB) is a medical
biotechnology company
located in Montreal, Canada and employs 45 people, 90% of whom are in research
and development.
-
Generex Biotechnology Corporation
Generex Biotechnology Corporation (NasdaqCM: GNBT) is a leader in drug delivery
for metabolic diseases through the inner lining of the mouth. Generex has
developed a proprietary platform technology for the delivery of drugs into the
human body through the oral cavity (with no deposit in the lungs). The Company's
proprietary liquid formulations allow drugs typically administered by injection
to be absorbed into the body by the lining of the inner mouth.
-
Guardian Biotechnologies
Launched in August 2002, Guardian Biotechnologies Inc. is a privately owned
plant biotechnology company that operates from its corporate headquarters in
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
-
InNexus Biotechnology
InNexus Biotechnology, Inc. is a drug company based in British Columbia, Canada.
InNexus was founded in 2001 and became a publicly traded corporation in 2003 on
the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX: IXS.V). On 2009-12-30, the company filed a Form
15-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to voluntarily
deregister its common stock under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and
continue its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol of
IXS.V.
IXS is developing what they refer to as DXLA- or DXL-modified antibodies,
wherein certain autophilic peptides are integrated with a monoclonal antibody.
The DXL-modified antibodies have been shown to have enhanced binding affinity
and, as a result, greater potency for use as an improved therapeutic to fight
cancer and higher signal strength for use as an improved diagnostic for
detecting cancer versus an unmodified antibody.
-
Iogen Corp.
Iogen Corporation is a
Canadian company based in Ottawa, Ontario that was
founded by Patrick Foody. Iogen is a company specializing in cellulosic ethanol
made from farm waste. They also develop, manufacture, and market enzymes used to
modify and improve the processing of natural fibres in the textile, animal feed,
and pulp and paper industries.
-
Medicago
Medicago Inc., Québec City, Canada is a publicly-traded biotechnology company
focused on the development, production and commercialization of protein-based
biopharmaceuticals (vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, biogenerics etc) by the
genetic engineering of plants. Medicago is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange
under the symbol "MDG".
-
Prairie Plant Systems
Prairie Plant Systems is a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based company established in
1988. It specializes in biosecure underground growth chambers used for
plant-made pharmaceuticals . Its most famous contract was Health Canada's
marijuana 2002 award for a cultivation project in Flin Flon, Manitoba.
-
Resverlogix Corp.
Resverlogix Corp. is a publicly traded biotechnology company (TSX:RVX) focused
on developing novel therapies for unmet medical markets, primarily
cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and fibrotic conditions. Our goal is to
improve the quality and longevity of patient’s lives by becoming a leader in the
research, development and commercialization of innovative products for these
grievous diseases.
-
SemBioSys Genetics
SemBioSys Genetics Inc. (TSX: SBS) is a biotechnology company that is using its
proprietary oilbody/oleosin-based protein production technology to develop
high-value proteins including protein-based pharmaceuticals, industrial
reagents, food additives, and nutritional oils. The company's strategy is to
partner with other companies to enable the commercialization of products that
might not otherwise be commercially viable because of high
production/manufacturing costs.
-
Sipco Industries
Sipco Industries Ltd., also known as Sipco Bioengineering Inc., is a
Canadian biotechnology company.
Established 1974 in Delta British Columbia, Canada. Sipco has offices in Canada
(head office) and the United States, and supplies specialized bio-solutions to
government, military & industry customers world-wide.
A world pioneer in enzyme technology, Sipco is best known for helping the United
States Postal Service (USPS) with Anthrax following the attacks on the US Senate
shortly after September 11, 2001. Sipco supplied a proprietary enzyme technology
developed from a product known as Hygrozyme.
-
YM BioSciences
YM BioSciences Inc. (TSX: YM, AMEX: YMI) is a life sciences product development
company based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The Company is currently
developing four late-stage products: nimotuzumab, an EGFR-targeting
Affinity-Optimized Antibody™; CYT387, a highly selective JAK 1/2 small molecule
inhibitor, CYT997, an orally bioavailable, potent, vascular disrupting agent
(VDA) and AeroLEF®, a proprietary, inhaled-delivery composition of free and
liposome-encapsulated fentanyl.
|
|
|
|
See Also :
|
