Octane Medical Group: Building Ontario’s biotech community
In Kingston, Ontario, Tim Smith and Ian Grant have built an Ontario company with an impressive international presence. Since its founding in 2007, and with an internal team of just 15 people, MaRS client Octane Medical Group has developed collaborations with the University of Leuven in Belgium and University Hospital Basel in Switzerland and snagged multinational clients, such as Becton Dickinson & Co. and Medtronic Spinal and Biologics Inc. Octane, which specializes in the commercialization of medical devices for research and clinical markets in regenerative medicine, may have big league connections, but it remains dedicated to the Eastern Ontario communities it calls home.
“Canada is very-well placed [for] pursuing this type of work. Ontario is an open, receptive community in terms of bringing in advice and resources, and it’s a well-established community in terms of programs,” says Smith, Octane’s CEO and co-founder.
For Octane, this type of work falls into three areas:
- Octane Orthobiologics specializes in advanced biomaterials for skeletal reconstruction. Its bioactive implants address progressive changes at the implant site by taking advantage of natural cell processes to physically remodel the implant.
- Octane Biotech focuses on clinical systems for cell and tissue therapy. Its multi-stage approach uses specialized, interlinked bioreactors that provide control over cell source isolation, cell expansion, cell collection, cell washing and final implant formation.
- Octane OEM offers contract manufacturing of ISO certified clean room conditions. Octane’s production resources are focused on medical device manufacture in regulated clean room conditions. Its flexible manufacturing workstations can be implemented down to Class 1000 levels.
In addition to its business activities, Octane runs a biotechnology cluster in Eastern Ontario and participates in collaborative programs between the Ontario Centres of Excellence, University of Toronto and Queen’s University. In 2009, Octane was awarded a grant of $670,000 from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, which will allow Octane Orthobiologics to create six new full-time manufacturing set-up and technical positions in Kingston.
Unlike most MaRS clients, Octane was well established before accessing MaRS’ advisory and other business services. “When we joined MaRS, we were up and running and looking to see which groups could help us leverage our growth,” says Smith. As a MaRS client, Octane has participated in an international stem cell workshop, accessed market studies by MaRS market intelligence and received international marketing research.
Octane’s partnerships, including those with MaRS and other local and international organizations, have helped it grow in both size and scope. With innovative projects underway in all three of its business areas, Octane continues to contribute to Eastern Ontario’s biotech and business communities.
