By: Vanessa Nelson
BioCanRx’s translational research program is designed to increase the number of clinical trials and the number of patients treated through those trials in Canada. However, advancing research from the lab bench to the clinic and, ultimately, to market requires more than research funding. Academic core facilities across Canada provide specialized services essential to translational science—from biomanufacturing to commercialization expertise. BioCanRx has made supporting these facilities a cornerstone of its approach to fostering a successful cancer immunotherapy research ecosystem in Canada.
By partnering with key facilities and providing operational support, BioCanRx enhances the capacity of these centers to support funded projects, contributing towards their state of readiness. Network researchers benefit from streamlined access to these critical resources, enabling rapid response to project needs, including clinical trial execution.
Funding for biomanufacturing facilities supports one part of a complex innovation journey. Bringing a therapy to patients—and eventually to market— also requires deep regulatory, clinical, and commercialization expertise. BioCanRx has forged partnerships with leaders in these areas, empowering researchers to go beyond their institutional boundaries and access expert advice to navigate the “valley of death” in translational research.
These partnerships are mutually beneficial. Operational support from BioCanRx enables facilities to maintain staff and infrastructure while increasing their visibility, project volume and service offerings. This builds capacity and showcases their value to other academic and industry clients.
In April 2025, BioCanRx reaffirmed its commitment to developing a robust national network of support for cancer immunotherapy translational research. This includes access to four core facilities:
• The Molecular and Cellular Immunology Core (MCIC) at the BC Cancer Agency
• The Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC) at The Ottawa Hospital
• IRICoR at the Université de Montréal’s Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), through a strategic partnership
Each facility brings essential expertise and infrastructure that accelerates projects toward the clinic and commercialization.
Recognizing that translational projects often stall at critical phases, BioCanRx’s strategy emphasizes collaboration, access to infrastructure, and multidisciplinary expertise. The aim is clear: to turn innovative immunotherapies into curative treatments for Canadian patients.
BioCanRx researchers are encouraged to reach out to these core facilities for more information or to collaborate on their research projects – current and future.
IMAP (Immunotherapy Monoclonal Antibody Platform), Montreal, QC
A first-of-its-kind academic mAb facility in Canada, IMAP provides researchers with access to cutting-edge platforms and expertise allowing for the acceleration of discovery and application of new immunotherapies.
Led by Dr. André Veillette, IMAP is a state-of-the-art facility established in 2020 at the IRCM (Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal) to accelerate the development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for cancer treatment.
“We are very happy to join the BioCanRx network. Our laboratory has developed over the past few years a core facility to generate new immunotherapeutics against human cancer”, says Dr. Veillette. “We are now happy to share this expertise with the members of the network to impact cancer treatment more broadly in Canada.”
IMAP generates high-quality mAbs for a range of applications, including:
• Diagnostics (e.g., cancer detection and evaluation)
• Research tools (e.g., mechanistic studies, target validation)
Contact:
📧 IMAP@ircm.qc.ca
IRICoR is a national leader in drug discovery and commercialization, with a primary focus on oncology, immunology and rare diseases. Established in 2008, IRICoR has developed extensive expertise in accelerating the translation of academic research into new therapies for the benefit of patients. By leveraging its integrated drug discovery pipeline and deep expertise in commercialization, IRICoR creates value around oncology and immunology assets originating from academic centers across Quebec and Canada.
“BioCanRx’s commitment to funding core facilities like IRICoR is a game-changer for Canadian immunotherapy. This support is absolutely vital, as it directly strengthens our collective ability to accelerate the development of made-in-Canada immune-based cancer therapies,” says Elizabeth Douville, IRICoR President and CEO. “IRICoR, in particular, brings incredible value to the network by fostering cutting-edge innovation through intellectual property strategies, facilitating crucial collaborations with industry, and ultimately, helping us collectively translate promising research into tangible patient benefits.”
IRICoR is available to work with BioCanRx researchers to help them with scientific operations, intellectual property needs, and business development – all activities critical to progress assets rapidly and efficiently through the drug development continuum, generate partnership opportunities with industry and foster the creation of spin-off companies.
Contact
🌐 https://www.iricor.ca/en/
📧 Jean-Louis Brochu – jean-louis.brochu@umontreal.ca
Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC), Ottawa, Ontario
The Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC) is a world-class facility specializing in the development and manufacturing of biotherapeutic products. With over 17 years of experience and support from BioCanRx, BMC has become a trusted partner for early-phase clinical trials across North America, Europe, and Asia.
The BMC provides end-to-end support for biotherapeutics manufacturing for BioCanRx projects and others, including:
• GMP compliant production of cell and virus products for early phase clinical testing
• GMP compliant product release and stability testing
• Supported by a robust quality management system compliant with ICH Q10, GUI-0001, GUI-0119 (Health Canada), and FDA guidelines (21CFR210, 21CFR211)
• Training for the next generation of biomanufacturing professionals through CanPRIME, Canada’s first, work-integrated learning biotherapeutics manufacturing program in Canada
“As a BioCanRx-funded core facility, the OHRI’s Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre is able to offer affordable, high-quality biomanufacturing services that help accelerate the development of cancer immunotherapies.”, says Jennifer Quizi, Director and Investigator at BMC-VMF. “With this funding, I look forward to continuing to work with BioCanRx investigators and partners to ensure that innovative treatments reach clinical trials faster, giving Canadian patients earlier access to these potentially life-saving therapies. ”
Contact:
🌐 ohri.ca/bmc
📧 contactbmc@ohri.ca
Molecular and Cellular Immunology Core (MCIC) – Victoria, British Columbia
The MCIC is a leading centre in Canada for the evaluation of tumour microenvironments, with leading-edge technologies that allow it to visualize the interactions and functional relationships between immune cell populations within a tumour.
A full-service facility specializing in advanced molecular and histological methods, the MCIC is able to provide multicolour immunohistochemistry (mcIHC) and immunofluorescence (mcIF), automated image analysis, laser capture microdissection, multispectral flow cytometry, and single-cell sequencing.
“Support from BioCanRx provides critically needed funds to facilitate development projects within the MCIC,” notes Brad Nelson, Director and Distinguished Scientist at the Deeley Research Centre in British Columbia and head of the MCIC. “This allows us to build ready to use multicolour immunfluorescent panels and test new platforms and methods which in turn allows us to expand the range of services we can offer researchers and clinicians. These projects also provide valuable training experience for our numerous co-op students.”
Through operational investments from BioCanRx, the MCIC has significantly expanded its capacity and impact, and established itself as a leading center in Canada for cell- and tissue-based immune analyses. Today the facility supports 50-60 projects per year, serving national and international academic and industry collaborations.
Contact:
kmilne@bccrc.ca
