From Coast to Coast: Canada’s Growing Immunology and Biotechnology Landscape

Canada is a country defined by its sheer size, which gives rise to diverse landscapes and distinct regional cultures. From the wet and temperate mountains of British Columbia, across the open plains, to the densely populated cities of Ontario and Quebec and the rugged seaboard of the Maritimes, Canadians have established communities within every region. Although each are distinct from one another, a common thread across these communities is a shared passion for science, discovery and biotechnology. This passion takes form not only in the nation’s vast network of universities, research centres, and large-scale foreign pharmaceutical company sites, but also in the creative and innovative biotech companies founded on Canadian soil.

It takes just one dedicated individual, or team, with a single idea to harness their creativity and scientific knowledge to bring an idea into reality. As novel discoveries are made and technologies are applied in new ways, the scientific foundation for new biotech companies constantly evolves. Of all the fields guiding these innovations, immunology stands out as one that has never been more relevant. Across Canada, this is reflected in the rise of biotech companies translating breakthroughs in immunology into life-saving therapies and diagnostics – from West to East.

Vancouver, BC: Zymeworks

Starting far off in the West, Vancouver is home to one of Canada’s most successful biotechnology companies, Zymeworks. Zymeworks specializes in the design, development, and production of antibody therapeutics that treat cancers, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory diseases. Zymeworks’ success lies in their ‘Azymetric’ antibody design platform, which enables the design and screening of highly customized antibodies capable of safely and effectively targeting specific tumour cells.

While this technology has led to the development of a diverse array of antibody shapes and forms, Zymeworks has achieved particular success with ‘bispecific’ antibodies which target a given protein in two distinct regions for increased specificity. This approach led to the development of zanidatamab, an antibody targeting the HER2 protein, commonly overexpressed in many metastatic breast cancers, which received accelerated approval in 2024.

Beyond zanidatamab, Zymeworks also specializes in the design and development of antibody drug conjugates, which involves binding antibodies to drugs for increased delivery specificity. By developing novel targeting and conjugation techniques, Zymeworks has effectively created a versatile “toolbox” that allows scientists to mix and match antibody specificities with different drugs, leading to several new therapeutic candidates. With multiple drugs in clinical and preclinical development, and ongoing collaborations across the pharmaceutical industry, Zymeworks stands as a beacon of Canadian biotechnology driving global innovation.

Toronto, On: Noa

Next, a prime example of Canadian innovation exists directly across the street from the University of Toronto campus. The MaRS Discovery District is North America’s largest urban innovation hub and home to many medical, engineering, and information technology start-ups. Among them, Noa Therapeutics exemplifies how Canadian researchers are tackling chronic, immunological diseases from new angles. Their mission is to develop long-term and effective treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases by harnessing the power of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a protein involved in the regulation of immunity, metabolism, and barrier function genes. Inflammatory diseases are hallmarked by the dysregulation of these systems, and as such, through fine-tuning of AhR activity by designing and developing targeting-drugs, the company aims to restore immune system and barrier balance.

Noa has developed a discovery engine to screen for safe and effective AhR targeting compounds, which has led to their current lead candidate, NOA-104, an atopic dermatitis therapeutic currently in pre-clinical testing. While still early in development, Noa’s work is already generating buzz; this is evidenced by the Catalyst Research Grant recently awarded by the National Eczema Association to Johns Hopkins’ University Department of Dermatology to fund in vivo studies of the compound. As one of many promising ventures within MaRS, Noa highlights the opportunity for creative, early-stage experimentation in Canadian biotech sphere and exemplifies how Canadian innovators are pushing the boundaries of translational science from the lab bench to the real-world.

Montreal, QC: Cura Therapeutics

Moving slightly east and just a short train ride away to Montreal, another innovative technology hub is rapidly expanding. What’s unique about Montreal, however, is its emergence as Canada’s artificial intelligence and machine-learning centre. Given this, computational expertise is increasingly being integrated into biotechnology development in the city, including in emerging immunotherapies.

A common use of computational methods is in early-stage discovery and design, and is a key component of Montreal-based Cura Therapeutics’ discovery platform. Cura Therapeutics is working to develop next generation cancer and age-associated disease immunotherapies through the design of single drug compounds capable of targeting disease from multiple angles. Notably, their platform integrates AI-driven predictive protein modeling with immune functional assays to bioengineer and optimize these therapeutic molecules. Their leading candidate, CT101, is shown to have immunostimulatory, anti-metastatic, and anti-angiogenic properties, making it potentially the first of its kind if approved. Cura is now expanding its AI-driven discovery platform to design drugs for additional diseases, showcasing how Montreal’s growing computational science ecosystem is accelerating the creation of innovative therapies that address diverse and complex diseases effectively.

Halifax, NS: MedMira

Finally, although often considered more remote and secluded, the Maritimes offer unique advantages for establishing biotech companies that represent Canada on the global stage. A lead example is MedMira, a company developing the next generation of rapid diagnostics for sexually transmitted and emerging diseases, including COVID-19.

Built upon the immunological antigen-antibody interaction, MedMira’s products uniquely detect multiple biomarkers of a given disease on a single test, allowing for highly specific, rapid, and accurate testing. MedMira was founded by graduates of Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia in 1993, and has remained headquartered in the province since. Its co-founder cites a steady stream of talented local graduates and proximity to both the U.S. and Europe markets as major advantages of their location. MedMira stands as a testament to how innovation and global impact can thrive even outside major urban centers, highlighting the depth and reach of Canada’s biotechnology ecosystem.

From Vancouver to Halifax, Canada’s biotechnology landscape reflects a nationwide spirit of innovation grounded in scientific excellence. Whether through antibody engineering, immunomodulatory drug discovery, AI-driven therapeutics, or rapid diagnostics, Canadian biotech continues to push past scientific boundaries and transform immunological research into real-world medical solutions.