MBiz

WINTER 2019 13 (Far left) The Albrechtsen Research Centre and Asper Clinical Research Institute at the St. Boniface Hospital are home to SciMar's research and human clinical trials. (Centre) Dr. Wayne Lautt (centre) discusses data with Dr. Randall Gieni (left) and Dr. Kawshik Chowdhury (right) in the SciMar laboratory. (Above) Dr. Wayne Lautt is the co-founder and chief scientific officer of SciMar Ltd. "I was humbled by the support, but I wasn't surprised," says Mick Lautt. "Each and every SciMar investor is looking for a return, of course, but they were all excited about being on the ground floor of something that could have so much impact on global well-being. Our investors are positive, forward-looking, and eager to make a difference." To help move SciMar's understanding of metabolic health and the impact of HISS forward, the company has launched an outreach initiative called the Wellness Transformation Network (WTN). The initiative is designed to help communities and organizations test a variety of lifestyle interventions to measure their impact on health, including the production of HISS. Winnipeg's Reh-Fit Centre and Youville have joined the network with other institutional members to follow. WTN is expected to be operational in early 2020. SciMar is working on a pipeline that comprises four products: a daily preventative to protect the HISS mechanism; a revolutionary drug to halt or reverse the disease in people already diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes; the HISS hormone itself, which would be used alongside insulin; and NuPa Test, an early screening diagnostic with its name derived from the concept of nutrient partitioning. Health Canada gave SciMar an initial green light in August to move forward with clinical trials of NuPa Test. "We're very excited about the progress we are making and the results we are seeing," says Lautt. "Medical research is a long process. We're grateful for the skill and focus of our team and for the support and engagement of our investors." For more information on SciMar Ltd., visit scimar.ca. For more information on the Wellness Transformation Network initiative, visit wellnesstransformation.org. ■ M ick Lautt has built a career on helping others raise the bar, fulfill their potential, and build community. Whether leading wilderness- based youth programs, or working as SciMar's CEO, Lautt has always focused his attention on driving results and promoting wellness. "I've always believed that the pursuit of excellence inspires well-being," says the Dauphin-based executive. "Through coaching and entrepreneurship, I have always tried to help others be the best they can be." Prior to immersing himself full-time as SciMar's CEO, Lautt ran his own training and consulting practice focused on management, team-building, and leadership development. Among other career milestones, he co-launched and ran Adventure Education Manitoba, a wilderness- based life skills development company that served youth- at-risk living mainly in Winnipeg's core area, among other people. He founded a white-water kayaking school, worked as a senior consultant with People First HR Services, and continues to work as an occasional sessional instructor in the Executive Education program at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. "I like teaching, and I love working with new ventures that are designed to address pressing social needs. That's why I focused much of my early work on helping youth-at-risk and supporting community development," says Lautt. "Today, through SciMar, my colleagues and I are focused on solving a very serious health crisis with severe social and personal consequences. We are working to create change." ■ Maximizing Potential

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