Toronto-based Epitome Pictures, in association with marblemedia, is primed to keep teens on the edge of their seats with the January 20 debut of new live-action drama Open Heart on Canadian net YTV and TeenNick US.

The 12 x half-hour mystery series, Epitome’s first production following its acquisition by DHX Media, will bow at 9 p.m. ET/PT on YTV in Canada and TeenNick in the US.

Led by the production team behind Degrassi, Open Heart’s serialized, high-stakes drama follows the story of rebellious teen Dylan Blake (Karis Cameron) as she looks to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance.

The series is set against the backdrop of Open Heart Memorial, the hospital where Dylan’s mother and sister are doctors and where her dad was last seen alive.

Open Heart is being supported digitally with the January launch of Open Heart: Unlocked!, an app for iOS and Android devices designed to keep fans engaged with the show’s plot during and in between episodes.

The app will feature exclusive content, including a function that lets users unlock Dylan’s phone so they can access her text messages, photo gallery and social media accounts to delve deeper into her private life and examine the clues she collects.

Viewers can also go to www.open-heart.com for a sneak-peek of the series prior to its debut, and to find exclusive character confessions and episodic bonus features.

Open Heart is executive-produced by Epitome’s Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, writer and showrunner Ramona Barckert, and marblemedia’s Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop.

Stefan Brogren and Samir Rehem serve as directors, while Chris Pozzebon, Scott Oleszkowicz, Brendan Gall, Brendon Yorke and Barbara Haynes round out the writing team.

Corus Entertainment’s Jamie Piekarz and Chris Bell are production executives with Kim Powers from TeenNick.

The series, which was developed six years ago and brought back to life this year after a commission from YTV and TeenNick, is funded by Shaw Rocket Fund, the Cogeco Program Development Fund, Bell Fund and RBC Royal Bank.