Announcement
Montreal, May 14, 2025 – CQDM is proud to announce the funding of an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) project aimed at developing targeted therapies for various forms of cancer, alongside companion diagnostic tests designed to enhance patient selection in clinical settings. Valued at nearly $1.8 million, the initiative is led by two fast-growing Quebec companies, 9Bio Therapeutics and Vega BioImaging. It is one of 15 projects funded by the Government of Quebec as part of an over $11 million investment to strengthen the province’s leadership in AI. The project is supported through CQDM’s PARTENAR-IA program, in partnership with IVADO.
Despite significant advances, many forms of cancer remain difficult to treat and are associated with poor prognoses, highlighting the urgent need for new therapeutic solutions. Leveraging its proprietary platform that combines structural biology, AI, and custom protein design algorithms, 9Bio Therapeutics will develop an antibody-based targeted therapy for multiple cancer types. Meanwhile, Vega BioImaging will use these therapeutic antibodies in conjunction with its proprietary protein-labeling kit to identify, via biopsy, the patients most likely to benefit from 9Bio’s treatment. Unlike conventional techniques, Vega’s integrated optical system and AI algorithm enable quantitative, multiplexed detection of biomarkers, offering a faster, more precise tool for patient stratification in both clinical trials and healthcare settings.
By combining their complementary expertise and the latest AI technologies, 9Bio and Vega BioImaging aim to significantly improve both therapeutic and diagnostic options for people living with cancer. Moreover, Quebec will quickly benefit from this expertise through agreements between 9Bio and local centers for the domestic production of therapeutic antibodies, starting as early as the initial phases of clinical trials. This will strengthen Quebec’s self-sufficiency in antibody manufacturing while facilitating access to an innovative therapy developed right here.
“Quebec continues to stand out as a fertile ground for research and innovation, supported by a robust ecosystem that guides companies through every stage of their growth. We are proud to support this collaborative project, which leverages the cutting-edge expertise of our companies and multidisciplinary approaches to expand the range of therapeutic options and diagnostic tools available to people living with cancer.,” said Véronique Dugas, President and CEO of CQDM.
“Our goal at 9Bio has always been to develop safe and efficacious treatments that address the real needs of cancer patients,” said Philipe Gobeil, co-founder of 9Bio Therapeutics. “This partnership allows us to build on that mission with an incredible and complimentary collaborator like Vega, supported by organizations that recognize the urgency of innovation in oncology.”
“Our collaboration with 9Bio allows us to validate our companion diagnostic tools in a real-world therapeutic development scenario, further demonstrating the clinical value and impact of our platform,” said Cécile Darviot, CEO of Vega BioImaging.
“IVADO is proud to support this initiative that puts artificial intelligence at the service of tomorrow’s healthcare. By combining advanced protein modeling and precision medicine, this project paves the way for more targeted and better-tolerated treatments, with a meaningful impact on patients facing complex cancers,” added Nancy Laramée, Director of Partnerships at IVADO.
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About 9Bio Therapeutics
9Bio Therapeutics is a biotech company committed to developing innovative oncology therapeutics. Our AI-guided structural biology platform integrates anatomical and biochemical contexts to design drugs that selectively target tumors. Using this approach, we generate medicines with specificity for tumors that spare healthy tissues, improving safety, efficacy, and opening the door to previously underexploited therapeutic modalities. Our pipeline includes two discovery-stage therapies: an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting chemoresistant tumor cells and an ADC targeting tumor-subverted immune cells. More details at https://9bio.ca
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 and join us on Twitter/X @CQDM_Canada and 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 https://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 https://www.vegabioimaging.com/
Media Contact:
Julia Serafino
CQDM Marketing and Communications Manager
438-543-9498
[email protected]
