Rare Challenges. Rare Place. AGADA Biosciences Plays a Critical Role.

Relatively few life sciences companies are in the business of developing therapies for rare diseases. The commercial market is smaller, patient recruitment is harder, and clinical trials are more complex. The companies that do specialize in this area are truly persistent and, one imagines, pleasantly surprised when they find a partner as dedicated as they are. 

One of those partners is AGADA Biosciences. And you’ll find them in an unexpected location due to a rare combination of factors.  

Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, AGADA partners with international pharmaceutical companies to accelerate treatments for neuromuscular disorders, rare genetic conditions, and gene therapies. In 2020, AGADA played a critical role in supporting clinical trials for Viltolarsen, a therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which went on to secure regulatory approval in both the U.S. and Japan. AGADA also successfully passed an FDA inspection during the process — a milestone that cemented its reputation as a CRO capable of working to the highest international standards.
 
Where Place Becomes Advantage

AGADA has grown into a trusted development partner for clients across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Given the scale of its work, you might expect AGADA to operate out of Boston or San Diego. Instead, Halifax became home. The decision, CEO Dr. Eric Hoffman says, “just made sense.”

The company’s founders were drawn by Nova Scotia’s Life Sciences Research Institute, a facility offering state-of-the-art incubator space and proximity to Dalhousie University’s leading rare disease researchers. But it wasn’t just about infrastructure. Halifax also offered an innovation ecosystem where academia, industry, and government collaborate with a level of collegiality that’s—you guessed it—rare.  

That collaborative culture has become one of Nova Scotia’s strongest assets. The province is home to 10 universities and 14 community college campuses, creating one of the country’s densest concentrations of research and technical talent. Partnerships between post-secondary institutions, industry, and government ensure programs are designed to meet sector needs, while immigration initiatives help attract skilled professionals from around the world.

“While some U.S. federal and state programs may offer more substantial financial incentives, we have found that Nova Scotia’s workforce quality, commitment, and collaborative spirit have been far more instrumental to our success,” explained Hoffman.  

A Place People Want to Stay

The research infrastructure and collaborative culture made choosing Nova Scotia an obvious choice for AGADA. But choosing to stay? That’s rooted in Nova Scotia’s enviable quality of life. The province offers a coastal lifestyle that blends beauty, affordability, community, and culture. In a sector where turnover can be relentless—especially in larger biotech hubs—AGADA’s experience has been different. 

“Nova Scotia offers the right mix of scientific talent, cost competitiveness, and quality of life,” says Hoffman. “We’ve found it easier to retain employees and build long-term expertise here, especially among researchers who want to stay in the region.”

For AGADA, that continuity matters. Rare disease research is complex work where institutional knowledge compounds over time. Fewer disruptions mean smoother studies, faster insights, and stronger partnerships. Halifax has allowed AGADA to build a team—and a culture—that keeps growing deeper.
“We’ve found it easier to retain employees and build long-term expertise here.”

Headquarters for Global Business

AGADA’s growth has mirrored the evolution of Nova Scotia’s life sciences sector. With support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Invest Nova Scotia Innovation Rebate Program, the company recently moved into a 17,000-square-foot facility inside Halifax’s historic Brewery Market. It’s from this space, once central to the city’s shipping and trade economy, that AGAGA now reaches across borders.  

“Some companies assume that being based in Nova Scotia means being isolated from global markets or talent,” Hoffman says. “That hasn’t been our experience. We’ve found that our international pharmaceutical clients have no hesitation travelling to Halifax for site visits and project coordination, which speaks to the province’s accessibility and appeal.”
 

Building More Than a Business

AGADA’s impact extends beyond its own growth. Through partnerships with academic researchers and collaborations with other CROs and biotech startups the company is helping shape Nova Scotia’s life sciences sector to have even greater influence.

“We’re helping attract talent and investment, partnering with local universities and industry, and representing the province on a global stage,” Hoffman says. “As more companies like ours grow here, the ecosystem gets better for everyone.”

Rare Is an Advantage

Tackling rare diseases takes a rare combination: scientific expertise, an ambitious but collaborative ecosystem, and a supportive environment. AGADA Biosciences has all three. And Nova Scotia—with its unique blend of talent, infrastructure, and connectedness—is proving to be exactly the kind of place where global ambitions in life sciences can thrive.

Rare challenges. Rare place.