About the Industry

British Columbia continues to chart a new course driven by knowledge based industries. Local success stories and opportunities in the biopharmaceutical sector abound, supported by a strong foundation of world-class health research, a wealth of commercialization resources and ever more favorable political and economic conditions.

B.C. is fortunate to have leading researchers investigating, and industry developing, a wide array of biopharmaceutical products and technologies. From novel activation and delivery of drugs to antisense enhancement of chemotherapy, B.C. stands at the forefront of innovation in biopharmaceuticals. B.C.'s biotechnology industry includes over 100 biopharmaceutical companies and medical device companies, many of which have emerged from our globally recognized research institutions. The University of British Columbia has spun-off more than 100 life sciencs companies, raising more than $2 billion in private investments.

The global biopharmaceutical landscape is highly dynamic. Traditional pharmaceutical development aimed simply at symptom relief has evolved to focus on mechanism based approaches, disease modifying treatments, personalized medicine and healthcare efficiency. Our province has managed to keep pace, and often to lead, this shift in innovation, feasible only with a vibrant, collaborative and supportive community that LifeSciences BC continues to foster.