Immunotherapy is a rapidly emerging practice that harnesses the power of the immune system to combat cancer. It could revolutionize cancer care by developing nontoxic, highly efficient and decisive cures that do not rely on chemotherapeutic agents, thus improving patients’ quality of life and reducing healthcare costs. These treatments could be used in 60% of advanced cancer patients by 2025. Canada needs greater capacity to translate these therapies into patient care, and to help Canadian companies compete in a potential $40 billion market.

The Centre for Commercialization of Cancer Immunotherapy (C3i) accelerated access to innovative cancer immunotherapies for patients. Operating out of the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont installation of the Integrated University Center of East Montreal (CIUSS de l’Est-de-l’île-de-Montréal), the centre offered an integrated structure for the development, translation and commercialization of these groundbreaking therapies. C3i combined three interacting units that provided patients with cutting edge biomarker and diagnostics tests, good manufacturing practices standards and rapid access to clinical trials and regulatory support to bring effective and affordable remedies more rapidly to Canadians and the world.

Among the results

C3i in partnership with the Center of Excellence in Cellular therapy, a GMP facility located at Hôpital Maisonneuve Rosemont in Montreal has secured several manufacturing agreements in cancer immunotherapy with academic and private sector partners. These agreements paved the way for Canadian health professionals and patients to gain early access to promising therapies at the developmental stage.
C3i has supported financially two Canadian biotech startups in their drug development program. This was in line with their objective to bring new treatment options for cancer patients while supporting Canadian research breakthroughs.
C3i interconnected a Biomarker and Diagnostic Unit, a GMP facility, a Clinical Research Unit, a large patient base , with entrepreneurial expertise providing a One Stop Shop for the development of Cancer Immunotherapy