Pfizer Canada Invests in Canadian Innovation, Announcing Winners of Open Call for Healthcare Solutions

With support from Pfizer Canada's Healthcare Hub, selected startups will further develop innovations to foster more patient-centred care at this critical time in healthcare

KIRKLAND, QC, Oct. 16, 2023 /CNW/ - Pfizer Canada ULC, in partnership with Communitech, announces today the tech and innovation startups selected from its open call to help address key challenges in Canadian healthcare, with the goal of enhancing outcomes and the patient experience. The initiative is driven by Pfizer Canada's Healthcare Hub, a commitment to fostering innovation in the life sciences sector in Canada.

Following a quantitative and qualitative adjudication process by Pfizer Canada and other health system stakeholders that considered factors including market readiness, desirability of the solution to eventual users and scalability, the following startups and their proposals have been selected:

• CANImmunize (Ottawa, Ontario):
  • A technology solution that helps healthcare providers navigate complex immunization guidelines to enhance both patient safety and the healthcare provider experience, ultimately improving vaccine awareness and uptake.
• PharmaGuide (Richmond Hill, Ontario):
  • An innovative patient portal, PharmaVision, that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline the drug coverage processes – eventually predicting the coverage by an insurer, with the goal of promoting transparency, informed decision-making, and better patient care.
• Wave View Imaging (Calgary, Alberta):
  • A novel breast imaging medical device that could provide accessible, comfortable, and convenient breast imaging for women of all ages. The device will first deliver breast density assessments but has the potential to address a currently unmet clinical need for neoadjuvant treatment monitoring, allowing Oncologists to monitor tumour response in clinic.

"We are pleased to see the robust response to Pfizer Canada's call for solutions. It's clear there is talent, dedication, and passion in Canada's life science sector," said Najah Sampson, President, Pfizer Canada. "This is an opportunity for creative collaboration, combining progress in the tech sector with our biopharmaceutical expertise. This is an essential part of Pfizer Canada's Healthcare Hub, and we're thrilled to support these new ideas to help improve care for patients. Together we'll help to redefine healthcare in Canada by bringing these scalable solutions to life."

Pfizer has committed to investing $1.4 million across this first cohort of the Healthcare Hub "Call for Solutions" winners. The backing from Pfizer for these innovators ranges from in-kind support to significant business donations to help design, develop, manufacture, and scale their respective solutions. These substantial investments reflect Pfizer's goal of acting as a true accelerator for digital solutions that will bring a meaningful contribution to redefining healthcare in Canada. Support in bringing solutions to market is also provided by Communitech who offer a suite of growth resources targeted in helping homegrown innovations succeed.

The Pfizer Canada Healthcare Hub is part of a global network of 18 active Pfizer Healthcare Hubs including France, U.K., Belgium, Israel, Singapore and others. For more information visit Pfizer Canada Healthcare Hub.

About Pfizer Canada

Pfizer Canada ULC is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. Our diversified healthcare portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most prescribed medicines and vaccines. We apply science and our global resources to improve the health and well-being of Canadians at every stage of life. Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from our disease awareness initiatives to our community partnerships. To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit pfizer.ca or you can follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

About Communitech

Communitech was founded in 1997 by a group of entrepreneurs committed to making Waterloo Region a global innovation leader. At the time it was just a wild idea, but somehow this community managed to pull it off. Today, Communitech is a public-private innovation hub that supports a community of more than 1,600 companies — from startups to scale-ups to large global players. Communitech helps tech companies start, grow and succeed in three distinct ways:

• Communitech is a place – the centre of gravity for entrepreneurs and innovators. A clubhouse for building cool tech and great companies.
• Communitech delivers programs – helping companies at all stages with access to capital, customers and talent. We are here to help them grow and innovate.
• Communitech partners in building a world-leading ecosystem – making sure we have all the ingredients (and the brand) to help companies go from a small startup to a global giant.

For further information:
Corporate Affairs Canada
1-866-9PFIZER (1-866-973-4937)
[email protected]

SOURCE Pfizer Canada