Announcement
Montreal, October 6, 2025 – CQDM is proud to announce the funding of an artificial intelligence (AI) innovation project aimed at improving the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. This project, with a total value of $395,255, is led by two Quebec-based companies, Vega BioImagerie and Aurora mScope, in collaboration with the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). Funding for this project is made possible by a $194,972 grant from the Government of Quebec, awarded by the CQDM with the support of IVADO under the PARTENAR-IA program.
The diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is complex and currently relies on time-consuming manual analyses subject to variability between pathologists. However, the scarcity of databases for this type of cancer limits the application of AI algorithms developed for other types of cancer, such as breast cancer. This late diagnosis significantly contributes to Canada’s low survival rate, which currently stands at just 17%. Accelerating and improving diagnostic accuracy is therefore essential to enable faster access to effective treatments and improve patient prognosis.
To address this gap, Vega BioImagerie and Aurora mScope are developing a database of digitized pathology slides that will be used to train an automated tumor classification algorithm. This approach will accelerate diagnosis, reduce errors, and increase the accuracy of clinical assessments. Furthermore, testing will be conducted at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), ensuring development in a real-world clinical setting, perfectly suited to the needs of pathologists and the Quebec healthcare system.
By leveraging the complementary expertise of Vega BioImagerie in optical imaging and Aurora mScope in digital visualization, this project will help position Quebec as a leader in artificial intelligence-assisted oncology diagnosis. It will also generate tangible economic benefits for the Montreal companies involved and strengthen the autonomy of the Quebec healthcare system in oncology diagnosis.
“AI is a proven way to accelerate essential diagnoses and enhance quality of life for Quebecers. And its impact is even more powerful when you add collaborative research into the mix. This project is a perfect example. Our government is extremely proud to support the researchers and businesses working tirelessly to drive such advances and transform Québec’s life sciences industry into a powerhouse of innovation” – Céline Haytayan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, responsible for AI, Quantum Computing, Science and Innovation.
“The integration of artificial intelligence into the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, combined with the creation of dedicated databases, enables patients to access more precise and faster care. It also provides a powerful economic lever for Quebec by reducing costs associated with misdiagnosis, accelerating the development of innovative treatments, and fostering local innovation.” – Véronique Dugas, President and CEO of CQDM.
“We are proud to contribute to improving the journey of patients living with neuroendocrine tumors and to position Québec as a hub of excellence in next-generation oncological diagnostics.” – Cécile Darviot, CEO of Vega BioImagerie.
“Aurora mScope is pleased to continue working closely with the Quebec healthcare system to improve digital pathology workflow. We are excited to further this work by participating in this partnership, which has the potential to make a significant positive impact on patient care.”, – John Phillips, Director of Technology and Product Management at Aurora mScope.
“By combining clinical expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and artificial intelligence, Vega BioImagerie, Aurora mScope, and the CHUM aim to provide patients with pancreatic cancer faster and more accurate diagnoses. This project illustrates the power of collaboration between academic research and industry in turning scientific innovation into tangible benefits.” – Nancy Laramée, Director of Partnerships at IVADO.
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About Aurora mScope
Aurora mScope is a vendor-neutral image management, case management, workflow, reporting, and education delivery platform which allows hospitals, clinics, microscopy educators, and life-sciences researchers to utilize scanners and AI from multiple companies simultaneously in a single software platform. The platform includes a full-featured viewer with annotation and measurement tools, which is highly responsive, even over slow networks. For more information: aurorainteractive.com.
About CQDM
Biopharma Innovation Facilitator
CQDM is a not-for-profit biopharmaceutical research consortium whose mission is to support and facilitate collaborative multi-stakeholder research and development aimed at accelerating the translation or transformation of innovative technologies into solutions to unmet medical needs, while generating significant benefits for the Quebec and Canadian economy. For more information, consult our website www.cqdm.org/en/ and join us on LinkedIn.
Partenar-IA is a program providing direct support to Quebec companies for collaborative biopharmaceutical R&D projects based on artificial intelligence and applicable to the biopharmaceutical sector.
About IVADO
IVADO is an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral research and knowledge mobilization consortium whose mission is to develop and promote a robust, reasoning and responsible AI. Led by Université de Montréal with four university partners (Polytechnique Montréal, HEC Montréal, Université Laval and McGill University), IVADO brings together research centers, government bodies and industry members to co-build ambitious cross-sectoral initiatives with the goal of fostering a paradigm shift for AI and its adoption. For more information, please visit our website at ivado.ca/en/.
About Vega BioImaging
Vega BioImaging is transforming cancer diagnostics with the first quantitative multi-protein imaging platform, combining nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. Our patented technology detects multiple biomarkers with unmatched sensitivity in both tissue and cytological samples, while seamlessly integrating into existing pathology workflows. The result: more reliable diagnostics, better patient stratification, and fewer clinical trial failures. Learn more at vegabioimaging.com.
Media Contact:
Julia Serafino
CQDM Marketing and Communications Manager
438-543-9498
[email protected]
