Principal Entity:
Darbix BioTech Inc.
Project of $749,266 over 18 months
- Supported by CQDM through:
Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie (MDEIE) - And by co-funding partner:
– Darbix BioTech Inc.
The project in detail:
Challenge:
mRNA therapeutics have the potential to transform the treatment of cancer, genetic disorders, infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine. However, important barriers remain, including limited RNA stability, challenges in achieving high product purity, and inefficient delivery of multiple mRNA constructs requiring balanced expression of complementary proteins. Current approaches often produce variable payload ratios and inconsistent protein expression, limiting the development of complex therapeutics.
Solution:
This project led by Québec-based biotechnology company, Darbix BioTech Inc., advances a proprietary mRNA platform designed for the coordinated delivery and expression of complementary therapeutic peptide chains. By ensuring that multiple mRNA cargos reach the same target cells together, the technology promotes balanced and consistent protein production. The approach addresses limitations of conventional co-delivery strategies and bicistronic constructs, which can result in unequal expression levels and reduced therapeutic effectiveness. This project will systematically optimize key platform components, including lipid nanoparticle (LNP) composition, formulation parameters, and cryopreservation strategy, to improve stability, purity, and in vivo performance. The platform also supports innovative mixed-modality therapeutics, enabling combinations of mRNA with peptides, proteins, or small molecules. These advances aim to create a robust and clinically viable platform for next-generation mRNA medicines.
Expected Achievements /Impacts:
The project will deliver an optimized mRNA platform capable of achieving reliable co-delivery and balanced expression of complex therapeutic products. Improved efficacy, stability, and manufacturability will help address critical limitations in the mRNA field and accelerate the development of advanced therapeutics. The project strengthens Québec’s life sciences ecosystem through the growth of a Québec biotechnology company and creates opportunities for future clinical and commercial partnerships.
