New life science Entrepreneurs-in-Residence join MaRS Venture Group

Toronto, April 30, 2008 – MaRS is pleased to announce the addition of two new life sciences focused Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) to the advisors, funded through Ontario’s Market Readiness Program. The addition of these EIRs further expands the talent and expertise of the Venture Group advisory team, adding additional skill-sets our clients can tap into to help develop their businesses.

Wendy Hill brings over 25 years of experience in drug development in a variety of therapeutic areas including cancer, inflammation, infection and cardiovascular diseases. Ms. Hill has extensive expertise in preclinical and clinical trail development and design, and will be primarily assisting clients with preclinical design strategies.

She is the Managing Principal of Gap Strategies, a company she founded in 2004, assisting biotechnology companies to prepare and execute strategic clinical and regulatory development plans for products or devices and to formulate commercialization strategies.

Prior to founding Gap Strategies, Ms. Hill was involved as Director of Research at Knoll Canada, where she played a key role in designing and conducting international clinical studies.  She was Senior Director of Clinical Research at GlycoDesign, where she oversaw all aspects of the company’s cancer and antithrombotic programs.  She was also R&D Director of Inflammation and Neurology of Amgen Canada and holds an MSc in epidemiology from Queen’s University.

Greg Hines also joins us with a wealth of experience in small, medium and large pharma. Mr. Hines is President and CEO of ArcticDX Inc., a molecular diagnostic company with an intellectual property portfolio in colorectal cancer and age-related macular degeneration.

Previously, he was President, CEO and Director of Tm Bioscience, where he led the design, development and commercialization of a molecular diagnostic platform until he sold the company to Luminex Corporation. Mr. Hines has also served as President of Leo Pharma Inc., a research-based pharmaceutical company, which he founded.  There he brought eight new medicines through clinical development, regulatory approval and commercialization.

He serves on the Board of Directors of The Biotechnology Initiative (Toronto), Genesis Genomics Inc. and The Canadian Gene Cure Foundation.

About the Market Readiness Program
MaRS and the Ontario Centres of Excellence have recruited a team of successful technology entrepreneurs and placed them throughout Ontario to assist entrepreneurial technology companies accelerate their business growth. Each of these “Entrepreneurs in Residence” (EIRs) has real-world experience to share: starting companies, exploring markets, developing products and services, landing customers, obtaining financing and successfully exiting their businesses (in some cases several times over).

About MaRS Advisory Services
The MaRS Venture Group helps Ontario-based technology companies commercialize early-stage innovations. Venture Group resources include entrepreneurial educational programs, market intelligence research and a team of experienced, multidisciplinary Advisors made up of professionals with diverse backgrounds in fields such as venture capital financing, strategic management, market intelligence, channel strategies, mergers and acquisitions, institutional commercialization, among others.

For more information about the MaRS Venture Group (now called MaRS Advisory Services), please contact:

Don Duval
416.673.8178
dduval@marsdd.com

About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (www.marsdd.com) is a large scale, mission driven innovation centre located in Toronto and networked across Ontario, focused on building Canada’s next generation of technology companies. MaRS works closely with entrepreneurs to grow and scale their ventures into global market leaders in life sciences and health care, information, communications and digital media technologies, cleantech, advanced materials and engineering, as well as innovative social purpose business.

For more information, contact:
Linda Quattrin
Director Communications
MaRS Discovery District
416.673.8104
lquattrin@marsdd.com