MONTREAL, April 7, 2025 /CNW/ - Sylvain Chrétien, CEO and cofounder of Canadian biotech firm Synucure Therapeutics, is proud to announce a strategic financial partnership with the government of Québec, through its agent Investissement Québec. Under this agreement, the government of Québec is injecting 50% of funding, or $1.4 million, via the Impulsion PME program, becoming a shareholder in the business. The other half of the funding, $1.4 million, is provided by private investors.
This investment is critical to the development of a unique new formulation of cysteamine, a repurposed drug that has shown, over the last fifteen years of research, neuroprotective and neurorestorative properties.
Treating Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a major challenge because of the lack of therapeutic solutions able to modify the course of the disease. Currently, there are no options that slow or stop its progression. Over 110,000 people suffer from PD in Canada*.1
Based on years of robust preclinical work conducted by Dr. Francesca Cicchetti, Chief Science Officer and cofounder of Synucure Therapeutics, the team is very optimistic and confident that they will be able to develop a significant treatment for patients with the disease.
Dr. Cicchetti’s research has shown, in various animal and cellular models, that cysteamine can prevent and/or reverse a number of characteristics associated to Parkinson’s disease.
Synucure Therapeutics’ ambition is to position itself as a global reference for Parkinson’s disease research. Its objective is clear: to change the fate of patients affected by this condition.
Synucure Therapeutics thanks CQDM for its support as a reference and advisory entity in the due diligence process with Investissement Québec.
Quotes:
“The arrival of the government of Québec as a shareholder is a decisive stage in our search for an innovative Parkinson’s disease treatment. We are certain that our scientific approach will transform the lives of thousands of patients. We continue to seek capital, and we hope to gain support from new partners in the coming months to help us to achieve our mission of hope.”
Sylvain Chrétien, CEO and cofounder of Synucure Therapeutics.
“Advances up until now are promising. I’m delighted with the work under way, and this strategic funding for Synucure Therapeutics will let us accelerate discoveries on the way to tangible clinical applications.”
Dre Francesca Cicchetti, Chief Science Officer and cofounder of Synucure Therapeutics, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at Université Laval and a Neuroscience Researcher at the CHU de Québec – Université Laval Research Center.
“The government of Québec is proud to invest $1.4 million in Synucure Therapeutics to help develop a promising treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Support for Québec businesses that contribute to progress in the life sciences is essential to building our culture of innovation and, above all, improving care for the public.”
Christopher Skeete, Minister for the Economy, Minister Responsible for the Fight Against Racism and Minister Responsible for the Laval Region.
“Thanks to the intervention by Investissement Québec, Synucure can now continue its mission to treat the effects of Parkinson’s disease. When we encourage the life sciences, we not only foster the development of innovative medical solutions and Québec expertise in the field, but we also contribute to developing a dynamic ecosystem that smooths the transition from research to marketing.”
Bicha Ngo, CEO of Investissement Québec
About Synucure Therapeutics
Synucure Therapeutics, founded in 2021, is a Canadian biotech firm researching degenerative brain disorders. Synucure’s main objective is to pursue the promising preclinical work conducted by Dr. Francesca Cicchetti on a repositioned drug, cysteamine. This research has shown, in various animal and cellular models, that this drug can prevent and/or reverse a number of characteristics associated to Parkinson’s disease (PD). The firm has several research projects under way, including developing a tool to better diagnose PD based on blood biomarkers.
To learn more, visit www.synucure.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
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1 *Public Health Agency of Canada – Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System |
SOURCE Synucure Therapeutics Inc.
