Leading Health and Life Sciences in Nova Scotia

Entrevestor: Beyond Food Raises $1M Round

See the full Entrevestor article here Halifax-based Beyond Food Inc. has closed a $1 million funding round to help it launch its system that will convert aging supermarket produce into a powdered food supplement. The company issued a press release this week saying it raised the money from a range of investors, including several National Hockey League players. The company’s website shows that it plans now to develop its first Zero Waste Pod this month and to launch its first partnership with a national supermarket chain in April. The company was formed two years ago with a core of sports and health enthusiasts. Its mission is to reduce food wastage, which now amounts to $31 billion a year in Canada alone, by finding supermarket produce that is about to be tossed out and using it to make a nutritional food supplement. It sells nutrition products under the brand TDF Sports. “We are building a revolutionary technology and company,” said Co-Founder and CEO Darren Burke in a statement. “Our Zero Waste Pod is a first in this race to tackle the large challenges related to the excessive food waste occurring in North America and beyond.”  ]]>

Sona Nanotech Inc. Announces Collaboration with Anteo Technologies

Read original release here

Innovative companies combine technologies to speed up lateral flow assay development time

Halifax, Nova Scotia–(Newsfile Corp. – January 16, 2019) – Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA) today announced a collaboration with Australia-based nanotech company Anteo Technologies Pty Ltd to speed up the development of lateral flow immunoassays. Under the terms of the agreement Sona will supply its unique, proprietary gold nanorod technology to Anteo, which will combine it with its own proprietary AnteoBind ™ technology and various biomarkers including, but not limited to, cardic (cTnI), sepsis (CRP) markers and HCG, the well-known fertility marker used in pregnancy tests. Anteo will supply Sona with these solutions for assessment in a lateral flow assay format as well as conducting its own in-house assessment. Because lateral flow assays are relatively cheap and easy to produce, more than 2 billion are manufactured every year, including more than 400 million each for malaria and HIV tests (1). The lateral flow market was worth an estimated US$6 billion (C$7.9 bn) in 2018 (2). Sona Nanotech CEO Darren Rowles said: “The project aims to co-develop sets of reagents that can benefit all lateral flow assay developers worldwide, by providing them with products that can reduce a key production process timeframe, while increasing performance of tests and the benefits of multiplexing. By integrating Sona’s gold nanorod technology with Anteo’s surface chemistry technology we have the potential to create innovative new products for the market. We are excited to be working with Anteo and look forward to a productive collaboration.” Anteo Technologies Pty Ltd is a fully-owned subsidiary of Anteo Diagnostics Ltd, an ASX listed company (ASX:ADO). The company, which has its head office in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, develops and commercialises products in the life sciences research, in-vitro diagnostics, energy and medical devices markets. Charlie Huang, Anteo’s head of research and development, said: “We have been impressed by Sona’s unique gold nanorods and their impact in the lateral flow market. We believe that our combined technologies have great potential. We are excited about the new opportunities this could bring for both companies.” (1) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324096920_Improving_Lateral_Flow_Assay_Performance_Using_Computational_Modeling (2) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-lateral-flow-assay-market-is-projected-to-reach-usd-8-7-billion-by-2023-from-usd-6-0-billion-in-2018-growing-at-a-cagr-of-7-7-from-2018-to-2023–300754197.html About Sona Nanotech Inc. Sona Nanotech Inc. is a nanotechnology life sciences firm that has developed two proprietary methods for the manufacture of rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. The principal business carried out and intended to be continued by Sona is the development and application of its proprietary technology for use in multiplex diagnostic testing platforms that will improve performance over existing tests in the market. Sona’s gold nanorod particles are CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium) free, eliminating the toxicity risks associated with the use of other gold nanorod technologies in medical applications. It is expected that Sona’s gold nanotechnologies may be adapted for use in applications, as a safe and effective delivery system for multiple medical treatments, pending the approval of various regulatory boards including Health Canada and the FDA. Sona is a publicly listed company on the Canadian Securities Exchange existing under the laws of Nova Scotia, with its operations in Nova Scotia. About Anteo Group – Anteo Diagnostics Limited (ADO: ASX) & Subsidiaries (Anteo Technologies Pty Ltd is a fully-owned subsidiary of Anteo Diagnostics Ltd.) Anteo Group is a surface chemistry company with Intellectual Property (“IP”) in its core technology product groups: AnteoCoat™, AnteoBind™ and AnteoRelease™. The Company’s purpose is to create shareholder value by identifying and solving important global industry problems and providing unique value-add solutions for its customers. Anteo’s customers operate in the Life Sciences, Diagnostics, Energy and Medical Devices markets. For more information, please visit www.anteotech.com For More Information For more information about Sona, please contact: Darren Rowles President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (902) 442-7192 Email: Darren Rowles [email protected] FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company’s current expectations. When used in this press release, the words “estimate”, “project”, “belief”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or “should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the Amalgamation (including the structure of the Amalgamation), the Amalgamation (including shareholder approval, shareholder support, and other terms), the Private Placement (including its completion and the use of proceeds from the Private Placement), the directors and management of the resulting issuer upon completion of the Amalgamation, and the implementation of Sona’s business plan. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with the completion of the Amalgamation and matters relating thereto; and risks associated with the marketing and sale of securities, the need for additional financing, reliance on key personnel, the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors, and the volatility of the Company’s common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to Sona’s proposed business, such as failure of the business strategy and government regulation; risks related to Sona’s operations, such as additional financing requirements and access to capital, reliance on key and qualified personnel, insurance, competition, intellectual property and reliable supply chains; risks related to Sona and its business generally, such as infringement of intellectual property rights and conflicts of interest. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company’s forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES]]>

ENTREVESTOR: PhotoDynamic Eyes 2020 Launch

Read full article here After receiving surprisingly strong results from its first clinical trials, Halifax-based PhotoDynamic has altered its business strategy to build up more value in the company before contemplating an exit. PhotoDynamic is developing a device that uses natural extracts from a wild Nova Scotia plant to erase heavy plaque buildup on teeth. Last spring, it took the device through a two-week clinical trial with 20 patients at Boston’s Forsyth Institute, which specializes in dental sciences. Those trials showed that, in just two weeks, the PhotoDynamic device made noticeable improvements in patients’ conditions.  With that in mind, the company is aiming to raise a $1.35 million round of equity funding so that by late 2020 it can be selling the product to Canadian brace-wearers through orthodontists. …continued at the link above]]>

Collaboration with Major European Lateral Flow Test Developer and Sona Nanotech Inc.

Read the original press release here Halifax, Nova Scotia–(Newsfile Corp. – December 4, 2018) – Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA) has signed a collaboration agreement with one of Europe’s largest lateral flow test developers, who will integrate Sona’s nanorod technology into their market-established lateral flow assays. Operon SA, based in Zaragoza, Spain, produces a range of rapid diagnostic test and molecular diagnostic products, which it exports to more than 50 countries. Operon and Sona have agreed to work together to improve the performance of Operon’s currently in-market lateral flow tests to help further establish their market share in the infectious disease arena. If the feasibility study is successful, further development will take place with the expectation to launch products into the market in the first half of 2020. Sona CEO Darren Rowles said: “Sona Nanotech is growing its presence in the lateral flow market, and this agreement with one of the largest and most respected developers in Europe demonstrates the scale of our ambition. We are confident that Sona’s unique gold nanorods will improve the performance of Operon’s tests while remaining cost-competitive, allowing expansion of their market share in this multi-billion-dollar market segment*. I am confident this collaboration is just the start of a long and productive relationship between our companies.” Tomas Toribio, MD of Operon, said: “Operon is always looking for new innovations that will improve the performance of our diagnostic tests and provide a more cost-effective offer for our customers. Sona’s gold nanorods are a unique and impressive technology and we look forward to working together to maximise their potential in our lateral flow assays.” About Sona Nanotech Inc. Sona Nanotech Inc. is a nanotechnology life sciences firm that has developed two proprietary methods for the manufacture of rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. The principal business carried out and intended to be continued by Sona is the development and application of its proprietary technology for use in multiplex diagnostic testing platforms that will improve performance over existing tests in the market. Sona’s gold nanorod particles are CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium) free, eliminating the toxicity risks associated with the use of other gold nanorod technologies in medical applications. It is expected that Sona’s gold nanotechnologies may be adapted for use in applications, as a safe and effective delivery system for multiple medical treatments, pending the approval of various regulatory boards including Health Canada and the FDA. Sona is a publicly listed company on the Canadian Securities Exchange existing under the laws of Nova Scotia, with its operations in Nova Scotia. About Operon Operon has been developing, manufacturing and selling lateral flow tests to the global market for more than 26 years. Its main product lines are:

  • Raw Materials: monoclonal antibodies and recombinant antigens.
  • Immunocromatography: rapid lateral flow tests.
  • Molecular Diagnostic tests: Opegen and OligoGen.
  • Customized services: contract manufacturing of lateral flow tests and raw materials.
For More Information For more information about Sona, please contact: Darren Rowles President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (902) 442-7192 Email: Darren Rowles [email protected]]]>

ENTREVESTOR: BlueLight Raises $3M, Led by CIC

Read the original article here Dental technology company BlueLight Analytics has closed a $3 million funding round and plans to use the money to launch a new data analytics product that can be installed in any dental office. The Halifax company released a statement Wednesday saying the lead investor in the funding round was CIC Capital Ventures, the North American venture capital arm of French private equity firm CM-CIC Investissement. Innovacorp, the Nova Scotia government’s early-stage venture capital agency, also joined the round. It was the first time BlueLight has raised venture capital financing, though it has raised about $3 million in equity funding from angel investors. Continue reading]]>