Québec’s life-sciences companies are never short on ideas when it comes to innovating. Whether their focus is pharmaceuticals, health biotechnology, contract research, manufacturing or medical technology, their dynamic approach and cutting-edge projects put them in a class of their own. That enormous innovative potential is a strong drawing card for international companies, many of which have chosen Québec as the site of their head offices.
Open innovation and network R&D: that’s the new business model for pharmaceuticals today. Since this major shift began, many international pharmaceutical companies have forged public-private partnerships with health research centres in Québec.
With support from the Québec government in the form of generous tax credits for public-private partnerships, they have also taken part in creating industry associations and consortiums to promote pre-competitive research.
Partnerships | Stakeholders |
PMPC (Partnership for Personalized Medicine in Cancer)
Objective: Develop and validate biomarkers and encourage their use in medical practice |
Caprion Proteomics, Oncozyme Pharma, Pfizer, Sanofi, Telus Health and the Québec government |
A one-of-a-kind R&D centre
NEOMED and GSK joined forces to create a centre of excellence in vaccines and biological products in the greater Montréal area.
Objective: To create a unique platform of small and medium-sized businesses specialized in the vaccines and biological products field of expertise. |
NEOMED, GSK and SMBs |
Objective: To accelerate the development of innovative technological solutions to improve patients’ health and quality of life. |
The Québec government, Québec’s five university hospital centres, Ubisoft, ORS, Emovi and TS03, global leaders like Medtronic, Roche Diagnostic and Siemens |
CQDM (Québec Consortium for Drug Discovery) Objective: Stimulate pharmaceutical research and accelerate the discovery of new drugs |
AstraZeneca, Pfizer Canada, Merck Canada, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Sanofi Canada and the Québec government |
Québec’s own biotech companies have been making their mark, forging large-scale strategic alliances and teaming up with world leaders on acquisition projects. Some examples are Alexion/Enobia, Bayer/EndoCeutics, GlaxoSmithKline/Angiochem and Mitsubishi/Medicago.
Many top companies have set up operations in greater Montréal—proof that the business climate here is highly attractive!
According to BIOQuébec, Québec is home to some 70 reputed contract research firms, which employ over 4,300 people and offer a full range of services at every stage of drug development. Cato Research Canada , Charles River , CiToxLAB , Icon , ITR Laboratories Canada , Inventive Health clinical and Quintiles are a few examples.
CRCHUM phase I and II clinical research unit (CRU) (URCP1)
This state-of-the-art university research unit is one of just a handful of such facilities in North America engaged primarily in investigating new therapies and determining in which patients they would be effective. The CRCHUM (French website) is now able to conduct both phase I (healthy volunteers) and phase II (patient volunteers) clinical trials.
In November 2014, three university hospital research centres (CHUM, RI-MUHC and CHU Sainte-Justine) joined forces to make Montréal a global centre of expertise in early stage clinical trials. Projects undertaken under this initiative will optimize the effectiveness of R&D activities at these centres by providing quicker access to innovative treatments to twice as many patients.
Within the context of their respective clinical research activities, the centres, under this initiative, agree to collaborate by teaming up with private and public stakeholders involved in early stage clinical trials of new treatments.
Clinical studies: A unique infrastructure in Canada
The Centre for Innovative Medicine (CIM), with its doors now open at the new Glen site, will be the largest dedicated academic clinical research centre in Canada. It will specialize in leading clinical trials to effectively transform discoveries into new treatments for patients and the community.
Québec boasts a wide range of biopharmaceutical manufacturing activities! There are over 30 manufacturers here, producing a vast array of drugs in oral, injectable, ointment, cream, vial and liquid forms.
Global leaders operating in Québec include Galderma , GlaxoSmithKline , Medicago , Merck , Pharmascience , Pfizer and Sandoz .
Our specialty: A good job done fast!
The Québec drug manufacturing industry is renowned for its ability to produce small batches of drugs efficiently, to tight deadlines. This is a critical service, making it possible to meet unforeseeable momentary increases in demand.
And we don’t just do it fast, we do it well! Québec’s drug manufacturers meet the strictest quality standards, and our products are exported around the world. Québec is the ideal location for companies interested in serving both the American and European or Asian markets.
Québec businesses are known for their innovative flair: a number of new medical technologies were conceived right here. There are more than 150 companies in the medical technology sector, generating over 6,300 jobs. Notable examples are
Analogic , BD Diagnostics , Medtronic , Roche Diagnostics , Tyco Healthcare and Zimmer Biomet .
Company | Technology |
Echocardiography simulators that provide a highly realistic training experience for students and surgeons. | |
Jubilant DraxImage Inc. | A wholly owned subsidiary of Jubilant Life Sciences, this nuclear medicine company develops, produces and markets radiopharmaceuticals used for the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of disease. |
Emovi | KneeKG: A non-invasive 3D technology that makes it possible to diagnose joints in motion. The application of this technology to the knee is the first of many potential uses. A world first! |
Genia Photonics | A revolutionary laser-fibre technology with multifunctional capacities, allowing for rapid switching between the imaging and diagnostic or treatment modes. |
Medtronic | A catheter used for cryoablation in the treatment of heart disease. |
Zimmer Biomet (ORTHOsoft)
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Software, instruments and computer systems designed to aid orthopedic surgeons (for joints and spine). |
Productivité innovation website (in French only)
Compétivert(in French only)