BIOQuebec awards salute the province’s biotech leaders

Montreal, QC May 1, 2003 Leading companies and researchers in Quebec’s biotechnology industry were celebrated at the annual gala for this year’s Genesis Awards.

Sponsored by BIOQuebec and the Association of Health Technologies Industry, the annual awards recognize the work of companies and individuals in the biotechnology and health technologies industries.

“The Genesis Awards Gala is a privileged occasion for putting on display the talent and genius of our researchers and companies, who are innovating in the emerging sectors of biotechnology and health technologies,” said Elie Farah, CEO of Biophage and vice president of BioQuebec.

At a gala presentation held last night at Montreal’s Hilton Bonaventure Hotel, the Entrepreneurship, Biotechnology-Biopharmaceuticals Award was presented to ProMetic Life Sciences, a company whose technological platforms help improve existing drugs and develop new therapeutic techniques.

The Entrepreneurship, Health Technology Award was given to CryoCath Technologies, a company that manufactures catheters and console systems for cardiac arrhythmia treatment.

Caprion Pharmaceutiques, involved in oncological research and mad cow disease screening products, received the Innovation Award.

Aegera Therapeutics, a company specializing in the prolongation and amelioration of the life of cancer patients, was awarded the Transfer-Emergence Award.

The Brio Award was presented to Dr Eric Dupont, founder of Aeterna Laboratories, for his long-standing dedication to cancer research and organizations that fight the disease.

All five winners of this year’s Genesis Awards work directly or indirectly on cancer research.

Several individuals were also inducted into the organization’s prestigious Excelcia Circle. The inductees were:

– Leon F Gosselin, chairman of the board, president and CEO of Axcan Pharma, a company specializing in gastroenterology.

– Dr Fernand Labrie, director of the CHUL Research Centre. Founder of the Molecular Endocrinology Research Laboratory at Laval University, Dr Labrie is credited with over 1,000 scientific publications, has been cited over 30,000 times and has made more than 460 presentations at scientific conferences.

– Yvon Giasson, business management consultant who has set up administrative systems and structures for the Rgie de l’assurance-maladie du Qubec (the Quebec health insurance board).