Médicament Québec Funds a Structuring Initiative to Accelerate the Deployment of the DePTAQ Network
March 16, 2026 – News from Médicament Québec
Montréal, QC,March 16, 2026 — Médicament Québec (MQ), with the support of the Government of Québec, announces $1.3 million in funding to initiate a collaborative, structuring initiative mobilizing the platforms of the Québec RNA Therapeutics Development and Production Network (DePTAQ). This initiative will enable the operational integration of the network’s platforms to accelerate the development of innovative RNA therapeutics for the benefit of patients.
“By supporting the implementation of DePTAQ, Médicament Québec continues its mission to advance structuring initiatives that transform cutting-edge expertise into accessible and operational platforms for the entire ecosystem,” said Arianne Trudeau, Executive Director of Médicament Québec.
Created and supported by AReNA, Québec’s RNA hub, and built on three complementary academic platforms from the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), McGill University, and Université de Sherbrooke, DePTAQ provides a single access point offering the academic, clinical, and industrial communities a full range of services, from RNA therapeutic design to preclinical-scale production. “This initiative concretely illustrates how complementary platforms can be brought together in synergy to accelerate innovation and strengthen Québec’s position in the field of RNA therapeutics,” said Véronique Dugas, President and CEO of CQDM, the organization responsible for the AReNA initiative.
The activity funded by Médicament Québec aims to simultaneously mobilize the three DePTAQ platforms around collaborative pilot projects in order to implement an integrated approach built on platform synergy. In this context, Dr. Geneviève Bernard (McGill University), Dr. Taha Azad (Université de Sherbrooke), and NumBio Therapeutics will leverage the network’s capabilities to advance their RNA therapeutics projects. “This initiative allows us to test and optimize, under real-world conditions, the integration of the platforms while harmonizing practices and developing high-potential pilot projects,” said Dr. Benoit Chabot, Full Professor at Université de Sherbrooke and lead of the initiative.
The initiative also relies on collaboration with industry partners Galenvs Sciences, NemRod, NumBio Therapeutics, Element Biosciences, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and New England Biolabs, which will contribute complementary expertise to the DePTAQ platforms and support the project, further strengthening the alignment between academic capabilities and industry needs.
This structuring initiative will lay the necessary foundations for DePTAQ to transition from a conceptual stage to a fully operational infrastructure capable of accelerating RNA therapeutic development, strengthening the local supply chain, and positioning Québec as a leading hub for RNA innovation.
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For more information
Arianne Trudeau
Executive Director
Médicament Québec
arianne.trudeau@umontreal.ca
About Médicament Québec
Médicament Québec, an initiative funded by the Government of Québec, brings together research and teaching institutions as well as companies around a shared mission. Its goal is to increase Québec’s and Canada’s autonomy and dynamism in bioinnovation and biomanufacturing. Médicament Québec supports structuring and collaborative academic activities to strengthen local drug supply chains.
About AReNA
AReNA was established with the support of Québec’s Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) to position Québec’s RNA therapeutics expertise on the provincial and international stage and to bring together the province’s initiatives under a common banner to strengthen the RNA sector. AReNA connects talent, resources, and expertise to accelerate innovation and facilitate the transition from fundamental research to clinical applications. Our mission is to build a dynamic ecosystem where all stakeholders collaborate to transform scientific discoveries into accessible therapeutic solutions, supporting the growth of a globally competitive RNA industry.
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