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Montreal, the biggest metropolis in Canada’s Quebec province, has seen a increase in life sciences through the years. Residence to Biotech Metropolis, a hub that connects and helps biopharmaceutical corporations inside the area in addition to attracts expertise from the world over, Montreal rivals the likes of Vancouver and Toronto in being the main biotech hub within the nation.
Because it contributes to most of Quebec’s gross home product (GDP), the second largest Canadian metropolis has a aggressive benefit within the life science sector on account of its vital progress in areas akin to prescription drugs, digital well being, and synthetic intelligence (AI).
On this article, we check out 9 promising biotech corporations in Montreal which are advancing preclinical and scientific analysis.
Potential Biotherapeutics
- Know-how: Synthetic intelligence
- Prime candidates: Leap 1121, Leap 1009, and Leap 1030 for autoimmune illnesses and most cancers
- Newest information: Closure of $18 million seed funding spherical in 2024
Located in Montreal, Potential Biotherapeutics has provide you with its discovery engine AbiLeap that mixes AI and a database of antigen-antibody interactions with the intention to develop multispecific antibodies for most cancers and autoimmune illnesses.
It has 4 candidates – Leap 1009 and Leap 1030 for autoimmune illnesses, and Leap 1121 and an undisclosed candidate to deal with most cancers, all of that are within the discovery and preclinical phases.
Final month, it introduced a collaboration with Encourage Bio Improvements, Quebec’s life science analysis middle, to shift its analysis and improvement (R&D) to the hub. It joined forces with AI firm Mila Companions in an effort to convey safer and extra efficacious antibody therapeutics to the forefront late final yr.
Additionally a yr in the past, Potential closed an $18 million seed funding spherical to find and generate immunomodulator therapies.
Congruence Therapeutics
- Know-how: Drug discovery and protein therapeutics
- Lead candidate: MC4R-targeted drug in genetic weight problems
- Newest information: Closure of $65 million seed funding spherical in 2023
Congruence Therapeutics, a biotech firm that was based 4 years in the past in Montreal, closed its sequence A funding spherical two years in the past, which now quantities to a complete of U.S. $65 million. With these investments, the corporate is advancing its Revenir platform.
Revenir is a computational drug discovery platform to find and develop medicine that stabilize misfolded proteins. This may then present a greater understanding of how the mutation in these proteins befell and appropriate or reverse it. As soon as the mutations – which are related to a specific illness – have been detected and studied, Revenir creates a map of all of the druggable pockets, that are then screened and evaluated to ultimately assist in drug discovery. The platform avoids the necessity for high-throughput screening and helps save on time and price when in comparison with conventional drug design strategies.
By means of its Revenir platform, Congruence Therapeutics is creating its pipeline of preclinical medicine. Its lead candidate targets MC4R in genetic weight problems – a receptor that performs an important position in regulating urge for food and vitality steadiness – adopted by one for Parkinson’s illness focusing on GCase – an enzyme linked to Parkinson’s – and one other candidate to deal with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a genetic dysfunction that may trigger lung and liver harm.
Final yr, the younger Montreal-based biotech started a collaboration with Japan-based Ono Pharmaceutical to create small molecules for stable tumors.
Cura Therapeutics
- Know-how: Immunotherapies
- Lead candidate: CT101 for most cancers
- Newest information: Seed funding raised this yr
Montreal-based Cura Therapeutics is an immunotherapy startup that has a preclinical program for most cancers and infectious illnesses. It leverages cytokines and immune receptors to create multifunctional proteins with novel immunomodulatory properties.
Its lead candidate is CT101, a cytokine fusion protein that prompts the immune system to destroy most cancers cells. The primary goals of the drug’s design are to induce immune effector cell activation, cut back the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and block blood provide to the tumor with the intention to forestall its unfold. The aim is to extend the survival price and high quality of life in sufferers with most cancers in comparison with the present customary of care. Quickly, the corporate will submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) software for CT101.
The corporate can also be advancing CT102, CT103, and CT104, that are all in preclinical and discovery phases. Earlier this month, the corporate raised cash for a seed spherical, in keeping with Crunchbase.
Giiant Pharma
- Know-how: Precision drugs
- Lead candidate: GT-2108 for intestine problems
- Newest information: Acquired $500,000 grant in 2023
Specializing in precision drugs, Giiant Pharma’s lead candidate follows a gut-restricted method – which means that the drug stays inside the intestine with minimal publicity to the remainder of the physique – to deal with gastro-intestinal problems. GT-2108 is designed to focus on irritable bowel illness (IBD) – a situation the place practically half the sufferers don’t reply effectively to present therapies.
The candidate’s mechanism is to inhibit the enzyme phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) – which is very expressed throughout irritation. First, the prodrug is inactive and poorly absorbed and, in consequence, stays restricted to the intestine. This prevents the systemic publicity of its lively type, permitting for safer therapies. It’s then activated by the intestine microbiome, the place it targets the location of irritation within the intestinal tract. Along with this preclinical asset, Giiant can also be advancing GT-1908, one other PDE4 prodrug inhibitor for the remedy of Crohn’s illness.
Based in 2014 within the Montreal area, the preclinical-stage firm has signed a licensing settlement with California-based biotech Palisade Bio for the long run commercialization of Giiant Pharma’s pipeline merchandise. Two years in the past, Giiant Pharma was awarded U.S. $500,000 from the US Crohn’s and Colitis Basis via its IBD Ventures program. With the assistance of this grant, Giiant Pharma seems to pursue GT-2108 and goals to file for its investigational new drug (IND) software with the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA).
Inversago Pharma
- Know-how: CB1 blockade
- Lead candidate: GT-2108 for weight problems and diabetic kidney illness
- Newest information: Acquired $67.94 million in sequence C funding in 2022
Primarily based in Montreal, the biotech firm Inversago Pharma was acquired by Danish multinational firm Novo Nordisk for as much as U.S. $1.075 billion.
Its lead drug candidate, monlunabant, is a small molecule CB1 receptor (CB1r) blocker that’s being developed to deal with metabolic problems like weight problems and diabetic kidney illness (DKD). Blocking the CB1r in peripheral tissues just like the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, adipose tissues, muscular tissues, and lungs might help regulate metabolism and urge for food.
Presently in section 2 research for weight problems and DKD, the drug lately accomplished a section 2 trial in weight problems, whereby it achieved a statistically vital weight reduction in comparison with placebo.
Centered on creating CB1r blockers, the pharmaceutical additionally has INV-347 and the INV-300 sequence within the combine. INV-101 is at the moment in preclinical phases for the remedy of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Arrange in 2015, Inversago Pharma final raised funds in 2022 when it secured $95 million CAD ($67.94 million) in a sequence C spherical.
Laurent Prescribed drugs
- Know-how: Small molecule
- Lead candidate: LAU-7b for cystic fibrosis COVID-19
- Newest information: Well being Canada authorised lengthy COVID section 2/3 trial for LAU-7b in 2023
Established in 2012, Montreal-based Laurent Prescribed drugs is advancing its sole candidate LAU-7b, which has been in scientific improvement for greater than a decade.
The candidate is an oral formulation of fenretinide, a spinoff of retinoid – a substance associated to vitamin A. Laurent is creating it to deal with respiration problems, akin to cystic fibrosis, a genetic dysfunction that causes the physique to provide thick, sticky mucus within the lungs. The irregular type of the CFTR protein is implicated in cystic fibrosis. This causes lung irritation, which ends up in tissue harm. LAU-7b is designed to regulate irritation by stabilizing the CFTR protein.
LAU-7b will increase the manufacturing of fats molecules referred to as phospholipids, that are linked to the discount of irritation. Whereas a section 2 trial didn’t meet the endpoint, the drug candidate will proceed to be developed within the clinic for cystic fibrosis.
In the meantime, LAU-7b can also be being evaluated to deal with COVID-19. Presently in section 3 trials, the once-daily drug diminished development of the illness in sufferers hospitalized with moderate-to-severe COVID-19.
It bagged approval from Canada’s regulatory physique, Well being Canada, to start a section 2/3 trial for LAU-7b in lengthy COVID two years in the past.
Modulari-T Biosciences
- Know-how: cell therapies
- Lead candidate: GT-2108
- Newest information: Raised $500,000 in pre-seed spherical in 2023
The corporate’s co-founders David White and Stephanie Mok’s curiosity in cell therapies throughout their PhD days led them to discovered Modulari-T Biosciences in 2021, a Montreal-based biotech centered on cell and gene therapies.
The oncology startup is engaged on creating chimeric antigen T cell receptors which are able to reprogramming cells, in a bid to engineer immune cells to establish and assault most cancers cells, in addition to probably assist within the manufacturing of stem cells to have the ability to regenerate tissues. The receptors are constructed utilizing a modular scaffold because the therapies purpose to lower unwanted side effects and improve efficiency.
In a pre-seed funding spherical, the corporate obtained funding from startup accelerator Y Combinator and raised a complete of U.S. $500,000 in 2023.
Nomic Bio
- Know-how: Protein profiling
- Platform: nELISA
- Newest information: Secured $42 million in sequence B spherical in September
Concerned within the area of proteomics, Nomic goals to profile proteins via its nELISA know-how, a modified model of the famed ELISA exams that makes use of DNA nanotechnology.
Pairs of target-specific antibodies are assembled previous to assaying on the floor of each bead. Goal proteins are then recognized by the seize and detection antibodies, which collectively type a sandwich advanced, with the detection antibody certain to the bead, which is then labeled with a fluorescent dye. The corporate makes use of the nELISA platform to assist researchers who wish to profile proteins sooner and extra exactly, whereas utilizing a easy workflow primarily based on commercially obtainable instrumentation.
Having been round since 2017, the Montreal-based biotech firm has raised a complete of U.S. $18 million over six funding rounds. The most recent spherical bagged $42 million to spice up protein profiling know-how in September.
This was additionally across the time Nomic joined palms with the Parker Institute for Most cancers Immunotherapy (PICI) to profile blood samples utilizing the nELISA platform to evaluate the degrees of inflammatory and cancer-related proteins and discover how effectively sufferers reply to remedy, survival charges, and probability of creating immune-related adversarial occasions.
Nospharma
- Know-how: Small molecules
- Lead candidate: NOS-01 for fragile X syndrome, SYNGAP1-related dysfunction, and GRIN dysfunction
- Newest information: $25,000 partnership with cureGRIN Basis in 2024
Primarily based in Montreal, preclinical-stage biotech Nospharma needs to make a distinction within the area of uncommon genetic illnesses, significantly those who have an effect on the mind and the nerves, by creating small molecules to deal with them.
One of many problems it’s eager on focusing on is fragile X syndrome. It arises from a mutation within the FMR1 gene current on the X chromosome and causes neurodevelopmental delay and a number of other neurological signs.
Two different problems Nospharma focuses on are SYNGAP1-related dysfunction, a uncommon genetic situation the place sufferers have developmental delay and sometimes have extreme epilepsy, mental incapacity, autism, ataxia, apraxia, and sleep problems, in addition to GRIN dysfunction, which belongs to a big household of uncommon neurological problems the place sufferers current with developmental delay, mental incapacity, autism, speech deficiency, incapability to stroll, gastrointestinal points, visible impairment, and epilepsy.
Nospharma strives to handle all these circumstances with its candidate NOS-01, which is now in preclinical research. It has collaborated with McGill College, a public college in Montreal, on all these research.
Final yr, the Montreal-based firm partnered with the cureGRIN Basis to advance analysis in GRIN problems and acquired $25,000 as a part of it. Beforehand, it was awarded $150,000 in grant funding from McGill College’s Bowie Lab in 2022.
Montreal aspires to guide North American life science sector
Montreal goals to be one among North America’s main life science markets, in keeping with a report by CBRE. The Higher Montreal Space (GMA) has 5.6 million sq. toes of lab house, half of which is distributed throughout hubs together with the Laval Biotech Metropolis. The report acknowledged that the province has pledged $569 million to assist $2 billion in direct funding within the business to satisfy its life science sector targets.
The presence of nonprofit organizations like Montreal InVivo that mobilize a cluster of over 600 organizations, in addition to a number of universities just like the College of Montreal and McGill College, touted as high establishments for graduating with a life science diploma within the province, attracts researchers to the area.
Oncology R&D developments and breakthrough improvements
Sponsored by Kadans, this report identifies the newest developments and rising applied sciences in oncology R&D.
