Waterloo Region now home to Canada's first industry-led medical technology hub dedicated to helping Canadian start-ups scale globally
KITCHENER, ON, June 13, 2019 /CNW/ - Intellijoint Surgical, a Waterloo Region-based medical device company manufacturing and commercializing smart navigation for total joint replacements, leads the creation of Canada's first industry-led hub dedicated to supporting southern Ontario medtech start-ups achieve global scale while keeping their headquarters in Waterloo Region. Opening this month, MIX - Medical Innovation Xchange - will occupy 30,000 square feet of the west side of the building at 809 Wellington Street North, Kitchener. Intellijoint Surgical is the anchor tenant and will be joined by Penta Medical, Vena Medical, and Bloom Care Solutions; together, they currently employ nearly 100 people. Integrated, community workspace for local health care professionals and smaller medtech companies will also be created. At full capacity, this hub will house 200 people of the local medtech industry.
The number of new Canadian medtech companies starting up in Waterloo Region has grown dramatically in the last 10 years thanks to significant public investment in early-stage research, as well as, the entrepreneurial spirit embraced by so many in the Region. As these companies grow past the start-up phase, they face significant challenges in scaling up successfully within Canada. These challenges are well documented and are headlined by a lack of access to talent, customers and capital. This leads to many start-ups leaving Canada to seek access to the resources they so desperately need.
"Our goal is to create a thriving local medtech ecosystem that supports local companies in achieving scale without having to relocate to Boston, Houston, or any other city outside of the Region," explained Armen Bakirtzian, Intellijoint Surgical CEO & Co-founder. "Launching MIX is the first step to creating an ecosystem that enables the Region to retain and develop talent, create local customers, and attract capital. If we don't fill this gap, we risk the loss of our local medtech companies to the established ecosystems in the US. It's time we create our own ecosystem, retain and develop our highly skilled start-ups, and commercialize Canadian medtech innovations in Canada!"
MIX will connect and unite the medtech community within Waterloo Region, creating a natural collision space for members to share know-how, leverage experience, and ultimately, achieve scale. Members will have direct access to intelligent mentorship and local health care professionals and administrators all housed in this state-of-the-art facility. Access to such resources will help to combat the exodus of Canadian innovation, intellectual property (IP), biomedical engineering talent, and economic value created by maturing medtech companies. The hub will complement the current start-up programming landscape of Waterloo Region and is intended to bridge the gap as start-ups scale.
"The evolution of the local health and medical technology ecosystem is demonstrating the strength of collaboration between the innovation community and clinicians," commented Elliot Fung, Executive Lead, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network.
"These collaborations have produced new, exciting disruptive health technologies that are improving patient outcomes, wellness and making it easier for clinicians to do what they do best. Co-locating so many innovative scale-ups will allow for health innovators to learn from each other, share successes and mentor each other so that they can maximize opportunities for improvements to patient care. We are very excited to support this next step in establishing Waterloo Region and the province of Ontario as a world class centre for health innovation."
"As medtech companies in the Region mature and phase out of start-up incubators, they are left without the resources they need to continue to develop their product and enter commercialization," said Alexa Roeper, CEO & Founder, Penta Medical. "The collaborative hub of MIX fills this gap through access to affordable lab space, industry-specific knowledge sharing, and one-to-one mentorship centred around the unique challenges that medtech companies face when scaling. MIX has created the option for many local medtech entrepreneurs to remain in the Region and scale successfully."
A grand opening of MIX will be held in the early fall inviting government officials, members of the medtech community and media to tour the facility. To see photos and learn more about Canada's first industry-led hub for medtech scale-ups, visit: www.medicalinnovationxchange.com
Intellijoint Surgical® develops and commercializes surgical navigation solutions. It is committed to improving patients' lives by providing every surgeon with effective, easy-to-use technology. Intellijoint's flagship product, Intellijoint HIP®, provides surgeons with real-time, intraoperative measurements to ensure accurate positioning of orthopaedic implants during total hip replacements.
Bloom was created as an easy to use and innovative reinvention of home health care, ensuring access to quality Health Care Professionals (Care Pro's), improving accountability & efficiencies, facilitating automated scheduling – while enabling technologies to ensure real time communication with both family and care team.
Bloom connects people with Health Care Professionals by combining technology with the highest quality, fully vetted Care Pro's to help facilitate easy scheduling, higher wages, and better service outcomes. All ongoing care is easily managed through the platform – enabling flexibility, real time communication, and responsive service delivery. Bloom is for those seeking the highest quality home care that is fast, safe, secure, and affordable.
Penta Medical has developed PentaVO, a small device which allows patients to treat themselves at home for conditions including arthritis, postoperative recovery, and muscle and tendon tears. It collects biometrics to allow the user to be remotely monitored by their care provider for signs of complications, to improve outcomes through better patient adherence.
Vena Medical is creating a suite of tools to change the way physicians perform minimally invasive neurosurgery. Its flagship product is the world's smallest camera that gives physicians a live imaging-feed from inside veins and arteries within the brain. We've proven the usefulness of this new product in stroke treatment (a $1B market opportunity in the US alone) through a pre-clinical trial performed at the Baylor College of Medicine. Vena Medical has built an advisory team of leading physicians in minimally invasive treatment like Dr. Peter Kan, Chief of Neuroendovascular Service at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, and veterans of the medical technologies industry like Maria Aboytes, founder of Medina Medical.
SOURCE Intellijoint Surgical Inc.
Nanalysis secures key strategic investor, Factors Group
CALGARY, June 13, 2019 /CNW/ - Nanalysis Scientific Corp. (TSXV: NSCI), is pleased to announce it has closed a non-brokered private placement with the Chairman of Factors Group.
The Chairman of Factors Group stated "We are very pleased we are investing in Nanalysis Scientific. Factors Group is committed to producing the highest quality products possible and seeing worldwide improvement of testing in all areas of product quality. The bench-top NMR technology that Nanalysis produces will provide our company with an invaluable tool to confirm source botanical identity and to monitor key active concentrations as products move through the production system and indeed is distributed to our customers, ensuring highest possible safety, potency, purity, and quality. We will be working with Nanalysis and other partners to develop software and reference standard databases that will assist regulatory authorities make progress with their mandates of ensuring nutraceutical authentication, and we will be promoting Nanalysis' products throughout our global network."
This offering is in addition to the concurrent non-brokered unit private placement for gross proceeds of approximately $5,000,000 that was disclosed in the Company's Filing Statement dated May 24, 2019 and closed on June 4, 2019. Pursuant to this Offering, the Company issued 2,500,000 units ("Units") at $0.60 per Unit for a total gross proceeds of $1,500,000. Each Unit consists of one common share of Nanalysis ("Common Share") and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Common Share for a period of two years following the date of issuance of the Warrant.
The Company will use the net proceeds of the offering for SG&A associated with the global expansion of the Nanalysis' sales organization and distribution network and for working capital.
All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance.
About Factors Group
Factors Group has been a producer of the highest quality Natural Health Products and dietary supplements for over 50 years. Factors Group operates across nine locations in North America: housing offices, manufacturing and production facilities, laboratories, distribution centers, and extensive warehouses. The company also grows on its own pristine farm land. Factors' head office is in Coquitlam, BC with a US office in Monroe, Washington. The company's mission is to enhance the well-being of its customers through research, development, and delivery of effective nutritional supplements and other health-building products. http://factorsgroup.com
About Nanalysis Scientific
Nanalysis (TSXV:NSCI) has been in business for 10 years developing/manufacturing portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers for the laboratory instrumentation market. Nanalysis products are used by industry (oil & gas, chemical, pharma, biotech, food science, atomic agencies) and are category leaders in teaching/research. http://www.nanalysis.com/investor-relations
Nanalysis Scientific Corp. seeks safe harbor for any forward-looking statements in this release. Investors should not rely on information in this release to make any investment decisions but rather should consult an independent financial advisor.
SOURCE Nanalysis Scientific Corp.
Rapid Dose Therapeutics Announces Commercialization of QuickStrip™ Oral Thin Strips
Licensee, Chemesis International Inc., begins efforts for distribution of QuickStrip™ across United States & Puerto Rico
BURLINGTON, ON, June 13, 2019 /CNW/ - Rapid Dose Therapeutics Corp. ("RDT" or the "Company") (CSE: DOSE), a Canadian life sciences company focused on innovative drug and active ingredient delivery solutions, announces that Chemesis International Inc. (CSE:CSI), a Licensee, has begun commercialization of QuickStrip™Oral Thin Strips. Chemesis will deliver CBD infused strips across the United States as well as THC and CBD infused strips in Puerto Rico.
Chemesis' subsidiary, Natural Ventures, operates a facility with the infrastructure required to manufacture, package and distribute QuickStrip™ Oral Thin Strips. Chemesis will distribute QuickStrip™ through Natural Ventures distribution network and existing relationships in Puerto Rico.
As the Company continues to expand its manufacturing, Chemesis will look to add additional infrastructure for its QuickStrip™ Oral Thin Strips in California. In anticipation of federally changing CBD regulations, Chemesis has begun signing distribution agreements in the mainland United States for CBD infused QuickStrip™ products to ensure the Company maintains a first mover advantage by forming distribution channels and partnerships that will gain market share. The RDT proprietary drug delivery technology is infused with CBD, THC and other cannabinoids.
The Rapid Dose Therapeutics proprietary QuickStrip™ delivery system is a true sublingual delivery device for THC, CBD and other cannabinoids. Furthermore, QuickStrip™ is conducting controlled trials to further demonstrate QuickStrip™ effectiveness and consistent onset. Chemesis believes this technology is at the forefront of sublingual delivery systems and will expand its efforts to bring it to market.
"Through our Managed Strip Services Agreement (MSSA), Rapid Dose is focused and committed to providing consumers in the United States and Puerto Rico cannabis markets a Smoke‐Free Choice™," said Mark Upsdell, CEO of Rapid Dose. "RDT's agreement with Chemesis will enable them to manufacture and sell under both their own private brand and as part of our white label program. Our brand partnership with Chemesis further strengthens and positions QuickStrip™ for rapid growth as an international brand and delivery device to cannabis consumers while delivering health and improving outcomes. With the QuickStrip™ discreet and measured dosing, Chemesis is well positioned to bring a unique and exciting product offering to Puerto Rico and U.S. markets and we are thrilled to be an integral part of their growth."
About Rapid Dose Therapeutics
Rapid Dose Therapeutics Corp. is a publicly-traded Canadian life sciences company that provides innovative, proprietary drug delivery technologies designed to improve outcomes and quality of lives. RDT offers Quick, Convenient, Precise and Discreet™ choices to consumers. RDT is focused and committed to clinical research and product development for the healthcare manufacturing industry, including nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cannabis industries. Within the cannabis sector, RDT provides a turn-key Managed Strip Service Program which enables RDT's QuickStrip™ proprietary drug delivery technology to be licensed by select partners. RDT's service based annuity contracts drive recurring revenue which enables rapid expansion into emerging markets — generating value for consumers and shareholders. Rapid Dose Therapeutics is committed to continually create innovative solutions aimed at multiple consumer segments and future market needs — including humans, animals and plants.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain information in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking statements. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Statements containing forward-looking information, including, without limitation, in respect of the delivery of products using the QuickStrip™ product delivery method, express, as at the date of this news release, the plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs of RDT as to future events or results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to them. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; marketing costs; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments involving cannabis; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the cannabis industry in Canada generally, income tax and regulatory matters; the ability to implement its business strategies; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations and other risks. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. There can be no assurance that statements of forward-looking information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, will prove to be accurate as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
SOURCE Rapid Dose Therapeutics Corp.
Mayor Bevilacqua Makes A Historic Announcement at the 2019 Mayor's Gala
Cortellucci family makes historic $40-million donation to new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital
VAUGHAN, ON, June 13, 2019 /CNW/ - It gives me immense pleasure to officially announce that the Cortellucci family has donated a historic $40 million toward building the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said in a keynote address to an audience of nearly 1,000 people during the 2019 Mayor's Gala.
Mayor Bevilacqua chairs the $250-million Mackenzie Health Foundation's Exceptional Care Belongs Here Campaign. More than $160 million have been raised toward constructing Vaughan's first hospital. "The Cortellucci family's donation marks the largest single contribution in Mackenzie Health's history," Mayor Bevilacqua said.
The Cortellucci family has an admirable, selfless and extensive history of giving back to ensure Vaughan has a bright and promising future. In July 2018, Mayor Bevilacqua hosted a special ceremony at Vaughan City Hall to announce the Cortellucci family had stepped forward with a $3-million donation that will go toward building the Hospice Vaughan – Mario & Nick Cortellucci Hospice Palliative Care Centre of Excellence. Mayor Bevilacqua also chairs Hospice Vaughan's A Better Ending Capital Campaign.
In January 2019, Mayor Bevilacqua was joined by the Cortellucci family to announce the expansion of Niagara University's new campus to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the city's emerging downtown core. It is located walking distance from the VMC TTC subway station and further connected by vivaNext bus rapid transit service. Niagara University is the first university in Vaughan and York Region.
Cranes tower over the 1.2-million square foot Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital site, which can house up to 550 beds. The new hospital is a $1.6-billion initiative. It will employ over 1,800 full-time hospital staff and be the first in Canada to feature fully integrated smart technology systems and medical devices that can speak directly to one another to maximize patient care. Last fall, Mayor Bevilacqua, Members of Council and the community marked the hospital topping-off ceremony to celebrate reaching the highest point of construction and moving closer to opening the hospital in late 2020.
The 2019 Mayor's Gala theme is #WeAreVaughan. It represents pride of citizenship and the knowledge that all people have an important and enduring role in creating a city that is admired across the country and around the world. Since 2011, the efforts and events of Mayor Bevilacqua's Spirit of Generosity commitment have raised more than $70 million. Proceeds have gone to help over 200 not-for-profit and community organizations that play a vital role in shaping the City of Vaughan.
QUOTES
"The 2019 Mayor's Gala is a momentous occasion. This year's gala will be remembered, cherished and celebrated as another important milestone embodying the work we have undertaken to ensure people have access to modern, quality and world-class front-line healthcare. Vaughan is blessed to be the destination of choice for so many families who have chosen to make Canada their home. Like many men and women who immigrated to Canada, the Cortellucci family have spent their lives giving back, helping all people, especially our most vulnerable citizens. Their exceptional generosity and support for the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital is an example of what we can achieve when we work together. The Cortellucci family are philanthropic leaders and Vaughan's first-ever hospital will stand as a testament to their inspiring legacy of unwavering public service." - Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
"Our family's journey is one that embodies the immigrant experience. It is to work hard, do your best, contribute and share your blessings. We are especially grateful to the Vaughan community that we have called home for the last 25 years. And, we are humbled to contribute to the Vaughan Hospital, Canada's first 'smart' hospital. By planting these seeds, we are helping a community and the members within it to flourish." - Mario Cortellucci on behalf of the Cortellucci family
"Today's announcement is a major step forward in building the 'smart' hospital our community deserves. We're grateful to the Cortellucci family for their leadership, generosity and commitment to improving the health and wellness of all patients and their families in York Region and the promise of care close to home it inspires." - Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health
QUICK FACTS
Proceeds from the Mayor's Gala and Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua Annual Charity Golf Classic have been used for many important purposes. These include iPads for youth with autism, expansion of hospice programs, camp programs for children, toys for kids at Christmas, support for victims of abuse and a new home for adults with special needs.
The 2019 City of Vaughan Mayor's Gala #WeAreVaughan is presented by HBNG (Holborn Group) and RGF (Real Estate Fund L.P.)
ABOUT VAUGHAN: The City of Vaughan is one of Canada's fastest growing cities with a population of more than 335,000. Incorporated in 1991, Vaughan includes the communities of Concord, Kleinburg, Maple, Thornhill and Woodbridge. This culturally diverse municipality is located in the heart of York Region and the Greater Toronto Area.
SOURCE City of Vaughan
How Food and Life Sciences Can Help Your Maximize Your Workout Routine
It’s no lie that knowledge is power. It’s no exaggeration, either. If you want to make the most out of your existing exercise regimen, then it can help you greatly to learn all that you can about life and food sciences. Understanding how the body works can help you make decisions that are safe, sensible, and logical. It can help you dodge dilemmas of all kinds, too.
Better Dietary Choices
If you have a good grasp of how your body responds to exercise, it may help you grasp your dietary requirements, too. Eating a nutritious diet can give you all the energy you need to do well during your exercise sessions. It can even help you attain better workout results. It doesn’t matter if you want to maintain your body, drop a few pounds, or gain extra muscle. Knowledge about food and science can help you eat a lot better daily.
Essential Breaks
Knowledge about life sciences and food can also be suitable for individuals who want to grasp the body and its recovery processes. If you want your exercise sessions to go off without a hitch, then you need to take occasional breaks. Some people work out six days a week. Others have different schedules. You can make the most out of your exercise regimen by comprehending the body and its various recovery pathways. Bodies need to recharge themselves from time to time.
Proper Equipment Use
Using exercise equipment the wrong way can be detrimental. It can bring on serious physical injuries. It can sometimes even bring on fatalities. If you want to optimize your workouts, you need to find out all you can about the world of life sciences regulatory compliancematters. Your aim should be to know how to use workout equipment items without any risks.
Devising a Regimen that Actually Works
Educating yourself about food and life sciences can help you put together a workout plan that legitimately makes sense for your body and for all of your fitness objectives. If you grasp life sciences, you can come up with moves that can help you attain your goals. You may want to strengthen your core. You may want to become more limber and flexible. Reliable details can guide your future exercise strategies.
Workout regimens that are ineffective can be significant wastes of time. If you want to steer clear of time wasting, then food and life sciences can aid you. Learning is always a terrific thing.
Safe365 Launches First-Ever Free Mobile Care App for Seniors
New technology combines GPS & social aspects to keep elders safe & connected
(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) – Despite our hyper-connected world, elders are often by themselves and vulnerable in many situations, leaving family members worried about their safety. But now a free app is providing newfound protection and peace of mind for all people involved. Safe365 is being launched as the first free mobile telecare application for seniors. Through the app, family members know at all times where their loved ones are, if they have arrived safely home or at their destination, or if a confused senior loved one may have wandered away.
The app has other functionalities as well: an emergency button for the senior to press to get help; automatic notifications when your family member enters or leaves a certain area; an option to warn when a mobile device is running out of battery, or whether they have or not Internet access, etc. What also sets Safe365 apart is its intelligent notifications based on pattern detections of the elderly user. The machine learning aspect in the app helps hone in on habits of the family member and can send out an alert when something outside that habit takes place.
The app maximizes the use of GPS technology but also sports a social and “e-motional” side to it as well. It connects elders with their families via features like photo and mood sharing. It also offers an infinite scrolling social feed with latest family actions much like an Instagram-type app. Safe365 is available around the world with user presence in 193 countries around the world
“We are not following trends, but rather we are the first to develop an app for the elderly in an engaged, social and emotional way,” says Guillem Viladomat, CEO of Safe365. “Busy schedules sometimes keep us from remembering tasks involving elderly family members and make us feel guilty. With Safe365 it feels like you are connected to your family 24/7. Safe365 helps extend years of self-reliance for our loved ones, even delaying expensive senior housing solutions.”
Although Safe365 has been designed to be a safety locator for the elderly, it is open to any type of audience that can adapt the app's functionality to their needs. For example, it can also serve as a GPS locator for children in case parents want to know their kids’ location when they return only from school or are headed to or from a friend’s house.
For more information on the full capabilities and benefits of Safe365: www.Safe365.com
The app is free in both the Google Play Store (for Android devices) and the App Store (Apple iOS devices).
# # #
3 Safety Marathon Training Tips for New Runners
Training for a marathon can be a lot of fun. It can challenge your body in new ways. However, safety is the most important thing that you will have to keep in mind when you are training for a marathon. There are a number of things that you will need to do in order to stay safe.
Know Your Limits
You will have to push your body past your comfort zone. However, it is important to know your limits. You should take the time to warm up before you work out. Warming up will help get the blood flowing and loosen up your muscles.
You should also avoid doing too much, too fast. This is one of the top causes of injuries. You will have to gradually increase your running speed and distance.
Additionally, you should not push through pain. Even though you may experience some discomfort if you have just started to train, you should not have intense pain. If you do have pain, then you will need to stop and see a doctor. Pain is often a sign that a injury has already happened or about to happen.
Have a Rest Day
Resting is just as important as training for a marathon. That is why it is a good idea to have one or two rest days per week. Running puts a lot of strain on your body. When you rest, you give your body a chance to recuperate.
Your body will let you know when you are tired and need to rest. For example, if your resting heart rate is high, then this is a sign that you have overdone in it and need to rest. You may also find yourself getting sick if you train too hard.
Avoid Traffic
Every year, thousands of people are hit by a car while they are out running. That is why is important to research the areas before you run. Try to run in areas where there is little to no traffic or that are designated for running like trails and parks. You will also need to make sure that you are visible. Wear bright colored clothing and reflective vests. Even safe runners can be the victims of personal injuryfrom distracted drivers. Make sure that you keep alert of your surroundings and are clearly visible.
You have to take all of the steps that are necessary for keeping yourself safe while you are training for a marathon. You will need to avoid traffic. You will also need to know your limits and have at least one rest day a week.
Steelworkers' Settlement at Long-Term Care Facility Improves Conditions, Wages and Benefits
COBDEN, ON, June 10, 2019 /CNW/ - A United Steelworkers union (USW) settlement with a long-term care facility in Eastern Ontario recognizes the growing issues of staffing and increased levels of care, says USW Ontario Director Marty Warren.
"Our members are experiencing more and more stress as they deal with changing workloads, increased patient acuity and government austerity, all at a time when long-term care is becoming more important to an aging and ailing population," Warren said.
The settlement at Caressant Care Nursing and Retirement Homes in Cobden involves two collective agreements for members of USW Local 6936. The three-year agreements will see wages increase by a total of 4.5% in the nursing home and by 6% in the retirement home. The agreements cover service workers, personal support workers (PSWs), registered practical nurses (RPNs) and registered nurses (RNs).
In both contracts, there are increases in uniform allowances, vision care, weekend premiums and benefits covering such services as chiropractors, psychologists and others. Employees will also be able to be paid for 50% of unused sick leave. For the first time, there is a provision for time off for employees to deal with domestic violence. There also are improvements in contract language.
"In short, this settlement is a step forward for these 138 members of our union," said Warren. "At the same time, however, due to government austerity and the consequent restraint practised by boards of arbitration, wage increases tend to be below the rate of inflation.
"That needs to change as long-term care generally faces a shortage of skilled workers. The future demands secure public services for older Canadians and better working conditions for care providers."
SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)
Toronto Caribbean Carnival Launches Brand New Website
(TORONTO, ON) - The Toronto Caribbean Carnival (TCC) has launched a brand-new interactive website torontocarnival.ca. The new website features a fusion of videos and images that captures the cities largest cultural event.
To ensure the Toronto Caribbean Carnival remains relevant and at the cutting edge of our technology, a new site was designed with new features, including a more user-friendly interface and simplified search capability. Visitors can explore the Toronto Caribbean Carnival calendar of events, in addition to purchase tickets to the festival's eight core events leading to the Grand Parade on August 3rd, 2019.
“Many of our visitors come from overseas, they rely on our website to research and plan their next Toronto summer visit,” remarked Denise Herrera Jackson – Chief of Public Affairs at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival.
“Consumers are now able to purchase tickets online to the Grand Parade; King & Queen Showcase, and an exciting new event launched this year - Beyond the Mas. The brand-new website was part of a strategic plan to target foreign markets online through digital and social media. As the largest cultural event of it’s kind in North America, our goal is to attract new visitors to the city, the website is the festival’s window to the world.”
Over the next few weeks, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival will continue to develop the site with exciting new features, including viewing in other languages and adding more information and content. The Toronto Caribbean Carnival anticipates that the new upgrades will drive more traffic to its homepage over the course of 2019 leading into 2020.
This year, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival has completely restructured it’s digital platforms with vibrant new imagery and captivating videos, including social media. For more information visit us online at torontocarnival.ca and follow us on social media @toronto_carnival
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Toronto Caribbean Carnival Festival
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival Festival, formerly known as "Caribana," was established in 1967 as part of Canada's 100th Anniversary celebrations by Caribbean immigrants as a cultural gift to Canada.
Produced by the Festival Management Committee, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival showcases the best in Caribbean arts and is recognized as a major international cultural festival, the largest of its kind in North America.
The Caribbean Canadian community that inspires and gives life to the Toronto Caribbean Carnival Festival is comprised of Canadians with heritage taken from Barbados, Bahamas, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, Haiti, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the other countries of the Caribbean.
AbbVie's MAVIRET™ now listed on the Nova Scotia and Manitoba formularies
MAVIRET is the first and only 8-week, pan-genotypic treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection without cirrhosis and who are new to treatment.*1
MAVIRET is the only pan-genotypic treatment approved for use in patients across all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
MONTREAL, June 10, 2019 /CNW/ - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company announced today that MAVIRETTM (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir tablets) is now listed on the Nova Scotia Formulary and on the Manitoba Drug Benefits and Interchangeability Formulary, both effective since May 31, 2019. MAVIRET is a once-daily ribavirin-free treatment for adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection across all major HCV genotypes (GT1-6).2 It is the only 8-week, pan-genotypic treatment for patients without cirrhosis and who are new to treatment.*
"In Nova Scotia, it is possible to reach the World Health Organization's target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public threat by 2030. But in order to be successful, we need to implement strategies that include prevention, screening, timely and rapid testing, effective treatment and patient centred care for everyone living with hepatitis C," says Dr. Lisa Barrett, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Assistant professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University. "Today, with treatments including MAVIRET, we should be able to treat almost all people living with hepatitis C infection regardless of their background. This is very important for each individual person but also for elimination because treatment helps prevent the spread of HCV."
MAVIRET is listed on the Nova Scotia Formulary for treatment-naive or treatment-experienced adult patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 infection.3
"At the Hepatitis Outreach Society of Nova Scotia (HepNS), we've worked over the last decade to promote healthy living through information and support for people living with hepatitis C. But more importantly, we've been committed to reducing the transmission rates. We are hopeful that with newer medications like MAVIRET being available in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, our members will be able to seek the appropriate treatment and finally shed the stigma associated with this disease," explains Alex MacDonnell, Acting Executive Director of HepNS.
MAVIRET is listed on the Manitoba Drug Benefits and Interchangeability Formulary for treatment-naive or treatment-experienced adult patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 infection.4
"Hepatitis C is a serious health concern. When left untreated it leads to complications including liver cancer," explains Dr. Kelly Kaita, Hepatologist, Director, Viral Hepatitis Investigative Unit at the University of Manitoba. "Today, we have the knowledge and the expertise to test, diagnose and treat Canadians living with this deadly disease. Moreover, we have the right treatments, such as MAVIRET, that can cure the disease in as little as eight weeks. Now is the time to act, especially as we are working towards eradicating this virus by 2030."
MAVIRET's efficacy and safety were evaluated in nine phase II-III clinical trials, in over 2300 patients with genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 HCV infection and with compensated liver disease (with or without cirrhosis).
About Hepatitis C An estimated 250,000 people in Canada are living with chronic hepatitis C but as many as 44% are not aware that they have it.5 Left undiagnosed and untreated, chronic hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure. Currently, hepatitis C is the leading indication for liver transplant in Canada.6 AbbVie supports a range of efforts to help elevate and prioritize HCV elimination because we know achieving the shared goal of elimination by 2030 will take more than medicine. It will take transparent and collaborative partnerships with all stakeholders – industry, healthcare providers, healthcare systems, patient groups and their support networks. Joint efforts and maximizing the time we have left will enable us to reach this goal.
About MAVIRET MAVIRET is approved in Canada for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in adults across all major genotypes (GT1-6).7 MAVIRET is a pan-genotypic, once-daily, ribavirin-free treatment that combines glecaprevir (100 mg), an NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and pibrentasvir (40 mg), an NS5A protein inhibitor. MAVIRET is taken once daily as three oral tablets.7
MAVIRET is an 8-week, pan-genotypic treatment that makes a virologic cure** possible in patients without cirrhosis who are new to treatment.*,1 These patients represent the majority of people infected with HCV. MAVIRET is also approved in patients with specific treatment challenges, including those with compensated cirrhosis, who are carriers of one of the major genotypes, and those who previously had limited treatment options, such as patients with severe CKD, post-liver and post-renal transplant recipients*** and those patients with genotype 3 HCV infection.7 MAVIRET is the only pan-genotypic treatment approved for use in patients across all stages of CKD.7
Glecaprevir was discovered during the ongoing collaboration between AbbVie and Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA) to develop HCV protease inhibitors and therapeutic regimens that include protease inhibitors.
* Patients without cirrhosis and new to treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DDAs), (i.e., either treatment-naive or did not respond to previous interferon-based treatments (pegylated interferon [peg IFN] +/- ribavirin or sofosbuvir-ribavirin +/-peg IFN).
** Patients who achieve a sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment (SVR12) are considered cured of hepatitis C.
***MAVIRET is recommended for 12 weeks in liver or kidney transplant recipients who are HCV GT1-6 treatment-naive or HCV GT-1, -2, -4, -5 or -6 PRS (IFN or peg IFN, ribavirin and/or sofosbuvir)-treatment experienced. A 16-week treatment duration should be considered in transplant patients who are HCV GT-1 NS5A inhibitor experienced (but NS3/4A inhibitor-naive) or HCV GT-3 PRS- treatment experienced.
About AbbVie Care Canadians prescribed MAVIRET will have the opportunity to be enrolled in AbbVie Care, AbbVie's signature care program. The program is designed to provide a wide range of customized services including reimbursement and financial support, pharmacy services, personalized education and ongoing disease management support throughout the treatment.
About AbbVie AbbVie is a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience. In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.ca and www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvieCanada and @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.
1 Decisions Resources Group. Hepatitis C virus: disease landscape & forecast 2016. January 2017.
