Stephen Harper boosts funding for tech commercialization by $1.9 billion to $9.2 billion

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070517.wscience0519/BNStory/Science/home

“Our strategy will seek to expand government and business partnerships so new
investments can move quickly out of the laboratory and into the marketplace. We
will focus our efforts on Canada's inherent strengths and Canadians' primary
interests, including preserving the environment, improving public health,
developing natural resources and producing new information and communications
technologies.”

While this type of funding certainly is useful and has its place, I'm not sure how it's going to increase enrollment in computing science and mathematics. Comes back to the usual issue of how do you encourage business to set up shop in one locale over another. Targeted funding like this seems to me like a bandaid fix and ends up giving only temporary boosts until the money is gone.

Maybe the government would be better off fixing our capital markets by consolidating regulatory bodies and improving enforcement to gain some international respect, thereby improving access to capital for companies.

Brazil Takes Steps To Import Cheaper AIDS Drug Under Trade Law : Chilling Signal to Researchers or Heroic Action to Save Lives?

Brazil does it again, read the whole story on

http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=614&res=1024&print=0

"The government of Brazil has issued a license that will allow the importation of cheaper versions of a patented HIV/AIDS drug after negotiations failed to bring about agreement on price reductions with Merck, the US company holding the patent. Merck said it was “profoundly disappointed,” as Brazil’s action sparked a flurry of positive and negative reactions. "

"Thailand offered three compulsory licenses in late 2006 and early 2007 for two HIV/AIDS drugs (including efavirenz) and a heart disease drug (IPW, Public Health, 12 March 2007). Among other countries that have issued CLs for pharmaceuticals are Canada, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia and Mozambique, the Brazilian Health Ministry said. "

Remember Canada did it in the times of Anthrax scare, when Apotex manufactured huge stocks of Ciprofloxacin (patent held by Bayer) ...

Seems like other countries might follow the suit....Novartis is fighting a court case in India for another patent violation...The IP battle in pharmaceuticals is really heating up....

Pharmaceutical sector In Edmonton: Is the glass half full or half empty??

The Pharmaceutical sector in Edmonton has still to realize its full potential. with population expected to double in next 3-4 years (at the rate of 10% growth), the need for drug products is going to increase significantly. In addition to that the intensive research at the drug molecule level will demand the formulation of such drug substances, in order to take them from labscale to clinic for trials and market. this represents an opportunity for people in field of Pharmaceutics, Analytical sciences, regulatory fields and training institutions.
Talking of profits, the pharmaceutical sector has always been a very profitable venture with very steady growth rates rivaled only by IT in term of magnitude (not steadiness).

As a personal interest, I am looking into specific opportunities in the field and perhaps prepare a report that can then be used by interested parties. If any of my fellow bloggers are interested in partenering on such a project, please give me a shout......or let me know if such a report already exists...

Alberta invests $130-million in ‘the science of small’

What are your thoughts on how these resources should be most effectively used??

The following is part of press release by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology on May 2, 2007. ..

Investing in ‘the science of small’ will help generate huge returns for Albertans, said Premier Ed Stelmach, unveiling the province’s strategy to capture a $20-billion market share of the world’s burgeoning nanotechnology market.

“Our $130-million investment today will help Alberta represent part of the competitive nanotech market by 2020,” Stelmach said. “That investment can grow to an estimated $20-billion in new economic activity, helping build a stronger Alberta.”

Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, said the three-pillar strategy to grow new nanotech businesses, garner nanotech talent and build nanotech infrastructure will propel Canada to be among the top five countries in the world for nano-based economic activity.

“Nanotechnology lets us discover the unique properties of materials and how we can manipulate them at molecular levels to develop products that are stronger, faster or smarter,” he said.

The province already enjoys a solid nanotechnology base because industry, government and academic institutions collaborate on research and innovation. A new $5.5-million entity called nanoAlberta will further that collaboration.“nanoAlberta will guide partnerships with industry, post-secondary institutions and government, and it will look for opportunities to make the biggest economic and social impact for Albertans,” he added.

“Alberta has shown a commitment to the future of the province by taking its investments in nanotechnology to the next level,” said Dr. Peter Hackett, President and CEO, Alberta Ingenuity. “Alberta Ingenuity is strongly aligned with the province’s plans, and we are looking at this as an opportunity to transform the research landscape in Canada by recruiting exceptional people to the province, providing exceptional support and creating exceptional results that benefit all Albertans.”
The province expects nanotechnology will accelerate innovation in Alberta’s traditional sectors of energy, agriculture and forestry as well as environmental, health and medical technologies.

Candace Toews, Communications
Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
Candace.Toews@gov.ab.ca