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Dr. Albert D. Friesen, PHD
Biochemistry & Biotechnology
Biography
Dr. Albert D. Friesen, is a leading figure in the field of biochemistry and biotechnology with over five decades of experience in pharmaceutical development and biotech innovation. Dr. Friesen has significantly impacted the industry through his work as an entrepreneur, educator, and consultant.
Friesen played a key role in founding several health industry companies including being the first full-time employee then Executive Director and President of the Winnipeg Rh Institute and Winnipeg Plasma Fractionation & Research Laboratory for over 20 years. There he oversaw the development of WinRho (then acquired by Cangene Inc. and more recently by Emergent BioSolutions), ABI Biotechnology (acquired by Apotex Inc.), Viventia Biotech Inc., now Sesen Bio, DiaMedica Inc, Kane Biotech Inc., Waverley Pharma Inc, CanAm Bioresearch Inc. GVI Clinical Development Solutions Inc. and Genesys Venture Inc., a biotech incubator, based in Winnipeg.
Friesen is a founder of the Industrial Biotechnology Association of Canada (IBAC), known as BIOTECanada and past Chairman of its board of directors and former member of the Industrial Advisory Committee to the Biotechnology Research Institute in Montreal.
Expertise
Dr. Friesen has managed the research and clinical development of over 30 Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and three successful New Drug Applications (NDAs). His expertise includes establishing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) production facilities, ensuring the highest quality standards in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Founder & Leader in Biochemistry and Biotechnology
- President, A.D. Friesen Enterprises Ltd., a wholly-owned limited corporation providing consulting and management services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
- Founder and President of Genesys Venture Inc.
- Co-founder, President and CEO of Medicure Inc., a spin-out biopharmaceutical company from the University of Manitoba and the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, focused on the development and commercialization of new treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
- Founder and President of CentreStone Ventures Inc.
Professional Credentials
- B.Sc. (Honours), Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1969
- M.Sc., Biochemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1971
- Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1981
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Albert D. Friesen has been awarded The Order of Manitoba; Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Manitoba; Life Science Award – Individual Contribution to the Industry – LSAM; The Industry Leadership Gold Leaf Award by BIOTECanada; University of Manitoba Faculty of Science Alumni Award; Outstanding Leadership Award in Biosciences, BAM.
Dr Friesen's Passion
"For me, chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology aren't just sciences; they're my canvas. Each step forward in discovery and each breakthrough in drug development is part of the painting, and every patient treated is a masterpiece brought to life. My wife was one of the first patients treated with the first drug I led the development of, WinRho. My three daughters were protected by WinRho. My hope is that my passion fuels progress, my motivation drives change, and the joy of seeing patients' lives transformed is the ultimate reward"
Publications and Patents
With a robust portfolio of research, Dr. Friesen has published 36 abstracts, 36 full peer-reviewed papers, and holds 25 patents, showcasing his innovative contributions to the field of biochemistry and biotechnology.
Sample of Recent Abstracts
- Olivier Thériault 1, Hugo Poulin, George R Thomas, Albert D Friesen, Waleed A Al-Shaqha, Mohamed Chahine. Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (MC-1), a vitamin B6 derivative, inhibits expressed P2X receptors; Can J Physiol Pharmacology, 2014 Mar;92(3):189-196.
- P. Maiti, S. Narang, F. Foote, R. MacKenzie, M. Young, W. Xie, J. Entwistle, A. Araujo, A. Prashar, Y. Xie, X. He, M. Dan, A.D. Friesen, H. Kaplan. Characterizaton of recombinant human monclonal single-chain Fv antibody – Tumour Necrosis Factor bifunctional molecule. AACR Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (1998).
- P.K. Maiti, S. Narang, S. Fotte, R. MacKenzie, M. Young, W. Xie, J. Entwistle, A. Prashar, Y. Xie, X. He, R. Reilly, M.D. Dan, A.D. Friesen, and H. Kaplan. The development and Charaterizaton of single-chain Fv fragment of human pancarcinoma monoclonal antibody H11. 6th International Conference of Human Antibodies and Hybridomas, Washington, D.C. (1998).
- P.K. Maiti, S. Narang, S. Foote, R. MacKenzie, M. Young, W. xie, J. Entwistle, A. Prashar, Y. Xie, X. He, M.D. Dan, A.D. Friesen, and H. Kaplan. Characterization of recombinant human monoclonal single-chain Fv antibody-Tumour Necrosis Factor bifunctional molecule. American Association Cancer Research Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (1998).
- Maiti, P., Entwistle, J., Xie, W., Prashar, A., Fast, D., Friesen, A.D., Dan, M., Kaplan, H., Narang, S., Reilly, R. 1997. Comparison of two bifuntional chelating agents for radiolabelling the H11 human pancarcinoma monoclonal antibody single-chain Fv with In- 111. The Canadian Cancer Associate, 1997. Annual Meeting.
Sample of Recent Full Papers
- Olivier Theriault, Hugo Poulin, George R. Thomas, Albert D. Friesen and Mohamed Chahine. Pyridoxal-5'-phosphae (MC-1) a Vitamin B6 derivative blocks P2X receptors stably expressed in HEK 293 cells. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 92(3): 189-96 (2014)
- P.K. Maiti, M.D. Dan, A.K. Prashar, X.Y. Yuan, D.V. Duncan, X. He, A.D. Friesen, H.A. Kaplan. Development and characterization of pancarcinoma specific human monoclonal antibody H11 (NOVOMAb – G2). Biotechnology International, 1, 85-93 (1998).
- M.D. Dan, P.K. Maiti, X. He, Y. Gillespie, W.C. Halliday, A.K. Prashar, X.Y. Yuan, A.D. Friesen, H.A. Kaplan. Recognition of an Apparently Ubiquitous Glioma Surface Antigen by Human Monoclonal Antibody BT32/A6. In K. Funatsu et al (eds), Animal Cell Technology: Basic & Applied Aspects, 8, 471-477 (19970, Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- M.D. Dan, P.K. Maiti, X.He, Y. Gillespie,W.C. Halliday, A.K. Prashar, A.D. Friesen,H.A. Kaplan. Immunoreactibvity of Human Mab BT32/A6 with neuroepithelial tumours. Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 35, 93-10, (1997)
- M.I. Anazodo, E. Duta, A.D. Friesen, J.A. Wright. Relative Levels of Inhibition of p24 Gene Expression by Different 20-mer Antisense Oligonucleotide Sequences Targeting Nucleotides +1129 to +1268 of the HIV-1 gag Genome: An Analyiss of Mechanism. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 229, 305-309 (1996).
More from Dr. Freisen
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10 Best Pharmaceutical Companies of the
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2023 BAM Outstanding Leadership in Bioscience - Dr. Albert FriesenOn March 2nd at the Annual Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) awards gala, Medicure's founder and CEO, Dr. Albert D. Friesen received an award for Outstanding Leadership in Bioscience of the Year. |
Albert Friesen: Innovations Augmenting the Healthcare SpaceThe cost of prescription medications is growing at an unsustainable rate in the U.S., making it difficult for patients to access the medications they need. |
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