Award Description

This award recognizes a Canadian biotech company that has distinguished itself from its peers with strong overall performance as a company, demonstrated leadership and shown significant achievement. It will have reached milestones in terms of financing, product introduction, and / or partnerships during the year that has allowed the company to be recognized as a leader. The company will have established a solid foundation for a strong and diverse pipeline, and impressive potential for sales and earnings. This award is based on performance in the previous calendar year (2012).

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Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. -  2013 Company of the Year Award

Xenon is a privately held biotechnology company that uses its human genetics platform to develop novel pharmaceuticals for rare diseases. Xenon licensed out one of its first technologies for the gene therapy treatment of a rare lipid disorder known as Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency. The product, Glybera, was approved in Europe in 2012 and represents the first gene therapy product approved in Europe.

In 2012, Xenon entered into two major pharmaceutical deals for the treatment of pain. The first deal was a $646M partnership with Genentech. The second deal was a $376M partnership with Teva Pharmaceuticals. Xenon has raised almost $90M in non- dilutive R&D funding from alliance partners in the past 5 years in a challenging Canadian financing environment.

In addition to Glybera, Xenon’s pipeline includes two phase 2b products for treating pain partnered with Teva and a development stage product for treating anemia of chronic disease (expected to start clinical trials in 2013). Xenon’s pipeline is rounded out by additional exciting discovery stage assets which should form the basis of its future clinical products.

With a very strong balance sheet, a rich development and discovery pipeline and multiple top tier pharmaceutical partners, Xenon is poised for an exciting future.

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