The Prince Edward Island Bioscience Cluster: Working with the Real Power of Nature
The Prince Edward Island Biocience Cluster is a collaborative network of businesses, research organization and public sector agencies committed to be the leading center for bioactives-based research, product development and commercialization in human, animal and fish health and nutrition.
This vision builds on PEI’s existing competencies, expertise and resources: a growing research and development platform; successful bioscience businesses; the ability to attract and retain skilled technical and professional human resources; and a business-oriented public policy environment.
Anchored by the University of Prince Edward Island, its Atlantic Veterinary College, and the NRC Institute for Nutrisciences and Health, the PEI Cluster has 25 companies actively engaged in health product research and development.
Products currently being produced range from pharmaceutical ingredients for human and animal health, to replacements for antibiotics in animal feeds, fish health vaccines, nutraceuticals and non-pharma health products.
The Cluster has developed an integrated and accessible natural product chemistry-based system of health product development that creates an attractive opportunity for businesses working in these markets.
I. Bioprospecting and identification (of potential health product candidates)
II. Extraction and fractionation (of components)
III. Bioactives screening (over 40 disease models)
IV. Bioactive characterization (purification, characterization and quantification)
V. Secondary screening and validation
VI. Pre-regulatory submission preparations (toxicology screening, bioequivalence, literature search)
VII. Regulatory and preclinical preparations
VIII. Commercialization Support
PEI offers a ‘friction-free’ environment for business-research collaboration, a ten year provincial tax holiday for bioscience companies, and a setting where work-life balance is a natural phenomenon.