CQDM. We celebrate.
CQDM celebrates its 15th anniversary. We have some great dates and milestones to highlight and share with you. We start with 2008, the year of the foundation of CQDM.
In 2008, the Quebec consortium for drug discovery (CQDM) is founded by Max Fehlmann, with the support and backing of the Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ) and three major global pharmaceutical companies: Merck, Pfizer and AstraZeneca. The three companies sought to develop a new form of collaboration between pharmaceutical companies with the aim of accelerating the discovery of new drugs.
Max Fehlmann, CEO of CQDM in 2008: ” I remember with great pleasure the first days of existence of the CQDM, when Alain Baudet and some of his colleagues at the FRSQ asked me to put together an idea they had had to bring the academic world closer to industry needs. A few weeks later, the CQDM was born, to the enthusiasm of the main players in the world of biopharmaceutical innovation in Quebec and Canada.’’
Since 2008, the CQDM collaborative model has not only extended to 13 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, but also to Canadian SMEs. Uwe Schoenbeck, SVP & Chief Scientific Officer, External Science & Innovation (ES&I) at Pfizer: ‘’CQDM’s unique model generates a collaborative force to the life science research ecosystem, bringing together top science from academia as well as pharma and biotech. From its inception, CQDM has been a key driver of innovation and breakthrough science for the benefit of patients that would not exist otherwise.’’
Fifteen years later, the mission of CQDM is even more relevant, being dedicated to stimulating innovation in companies of all sizes through collaborative research with the academic community. Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientist of Quebec: “The CQDM has never been so important to facilitate and accelerate effective collaborations between academia and the private sector—from biotech to big pharma. I am convinced that the CQDM will play even more essential roles in years to come considering the huge societal challenges posed by climate change, resistance to antibiotics and the likes. Best wishes on your 15th anniversary—the next 15 years should be even more exciting for CQDM with increased impacts locally and globally.’’
See how CQDM has been facilitating biopharma innovation since 2008 by consulting our website, including the section dedicated to our 15th anniversary: https://cqdm.org15th-of-cqdm/
