Notes from the Floor: Bloom Burton & Co., Day 1

The Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference is in full swing in Toronto, and the Investing News Network (INN) is on site to provide coverage. 

Held from May 2 to May 3 at the Sheraton Center Hotel, the healthcare-focused event features around 60 Canadian publicly traded and venture-backed private companies, along with promising pre-venture companies.

INN spent the first day of the show attending presentations, as well as speaking with companies. Interviewees from day one include Antibe Therapeutics (TSXV:ATE), Zymeworks (TSX:ZYME,NYSE:ZYME), Knight Therapeutics (TSX:GUD), Crescita Therapeutics (TSX:CTX), Pediapharm (TSXV:PDP), Resverlogix (TSX:RVX) and Medicenna Therapeutics (TSX:MDNA). Scroll on for a pictorial overview of what happened on day one.

To kick off the day, Brian Bloom, co-founder, chairman and CEO at Bloom Burton & Co., took the stage to give his opening remarks.

Day 1 of #BBHIC2018 is off to a great start! Brian Bloom giving the opening remarks. pic.twitter.com/IQMDFFODHT

— Bloom Burton & Co (@bloomburton) May 2, 2018

This year is the seventh year that Bloom Burton & Co. has run its annual conference, and in his address Bloom explained that the event’s focus on investors is part of the reason for its success.

#BBHIC2018 kicking off with Brian Bloom passionately speaking about how this conference’s laser focus on catering to investors has been the reason for its success. @JohnCendpts up next. #1100participants #550-1v1meetings #records pic.twitter.com/qsAhBAro64

— Roberto Bellini (@rbellini) May 2, 2018

John Carroll of Endpoints News took over from Bloom to give the day’s keynote.

.@JohnCendpts of @endpts giving the keynote at #BBHIC2018. pic.twitter.com/RO5XbStPCA

— Bloom Burton & Co (@bloomburton) May 2, 2018

Presentations from over a dozen companies followed the talks from Bloom and Carroll, with midday bringing a lunch panel. Moderated by Bloom, the panelists were: Paulina Hill of Polaris Partners; Ting Jia of Hillhouse Capital; Daniel Krizek of Surveyor Capital; Stacey Seltzer of Aisling Capital; and Caroline Stout of EcoR1 Capital. All were able to share plenty of insight.

Fantastic lunch time investor panel on R&D stage investments. Lots of conversation about big data and computational drug discovery. pic.twitter.com/ksqY2QZVZv

— Jeremy Grushcow (@crossborderbio) May 2, 2018

We do feel really confident about the biotech industry in China, says Ting Jia during the Investing in R&D Stage Healthcare Companies panel at @bloomburton #BBHIC2018

— INN Life Science (@INN_LifeScience) May 2, 2018

I think we’re hitting the golden age of biotech says Daniel Krizek—especially in the case of small molecules—during the Investing in R&D Stage Healthcare Companies panel at @bloomburton #BBHIC2018

— INN Life Science (@INN_LifeScience) May 2, 2018

The combination of a good team and a high unmet need are really what we look for in #medtech companies says Paulina Hill during the Investing in R&D Stage Healthcare Companies panel at @bloomburton #BBHIC2018

— INN Life Science (@INN_LifeScience) May 2, 2018

The problem with diagnostic companies is there’s a high unwillingness for the regulatory side to pay for it, says Daniel Krizek during the Investing in R&D Stage Healthcare Companies panel at @bloomburton #BBHIC2018

— INN Life Science (@INN_LifeScience) May 2, 2018

More company presentations followed in the afternoon, with attendees leaving the busy day tired but satisfied.

Here at #BBHIC2018 @Resverlogix_RVX CEO Don McCaffrey said no investors have sold shares since buying, meaning they’re in for the long-term @bloomburton #Cardiology pic.twitter.com/0jOZWvhb38

— INN Life Science (@INN_LifeScience) May 2, 2018

Had a great time today @bloomburton #BBHIC2018 it was a full house @TRChealth pic.twitter.com/T5ITKG5E5g

— Sachin Aggarwal (@saggarwal1979) May 2, 2018

The Bloom Burton & Co. conference continues on May 3, and the INN team will be on the floor providing coverage. Check back at the end of the day for our recap of day two.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_LifeScience for real-time updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.