REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER MONTREAL CHEST INSTITUTE SITE:

A brand-new life sciences hub is born at the heart of downtown Montreal

MONTREAL, May 4, 2023 /CNW/ - On the occasion of the Effervescence conference organized by Montréal InVivo, Normand Rivard, Managing Partner, Life Sciences and Innovation at Jadco Group, and Martin Leblanc, Co?founder and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of CellCarta, unveiled Inspire Bio Innovations Montreal, a brand new life sciences and precision medicine hub that will be home to CellCarta's head office, among other things.

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Situated in the heart of the university district, opposite the IRCM (Montreal Clinical Research Institute) and at the centre of the city's health corridor, Inspire bio innovations revives the site of the former Montreal Chest Institute, which was a key medical centre in the history of Montreal and Quebec.

Ultimately, this large-scale project, with $350 million in private investment, will offer 450,000 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratories, offices and collaborative spaces. Inspire bio innovations will become the focal point of the life sciences ecosystem. Major pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, research institutes, students, university researchers and innovative startups will work together to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries and make them accessible worldwide.

The Montreal area and indeed all of Quebec will be able to count on this key hub to foster synergy and strategic meetings between relevant players in the life sciences and artificial intelligence ecosystems in health, accelerate innovation and discoveries, develop and recruit world-class talent, and retain and attract head offices in cutting-edge sectors. Some of the project's key features include a glass atrium, a conference and training centre, a rooftop terrace, and an exceptional architectural signature (NEUF architect(e)s, Fahey).

In addition, collaborative spaces, including state-of-the-art laboratories, along with top-notch professional services and a scientific entrepreneurial startup accelerator, will facilitate the creation, growth and success of the next generation of life sciences companies.

Inspire bio innovations will be able to host, for example, early-stage drug development projects and accompany startups through the various clinical phases, allowing them to benefit from the proximity of all major clinical sites and CellCarta's expertise in clinical trial design and regulatory expertise.

Quotations

"For many years, researchers, startups and investment firms have decried the glaring lack of state-of-the-art laboratories in downtown Montreal, at the heart of the life sciences research and training ecosystem, near universities, hospitals, research centres and the business community. In addition, one of the greatest challenges faced by life sciences companies remains recruitment and retention of the skilled personnel they require for their development, in a context of shortage of qualified workers. Montreal is therefore facing strong competition, at a time when several major North American and European cities already have well-established life sciences hubs in the heart of their downtown areas that serve as major growth drivers. However, Montreal has all the assets to become one of the most dynamic and promising international life sciences hubs. This project is a perfect response to the needs expressed by the ecosystem and will allow Montreal and Quebec to maintain their position as leaders on the international scene." - Normand Rivard, Managing Partner, Life Sciences and Innovation, Jadco Group.

"We are very proud to be associated with this highly structuring and promising project for the future of the life sciences sector and of downtown Montreal. Having chosen to establish our laboratory operations and headquarters in downtown Montreal over 12 years ago, CellCarta is delighted to have found a site and a project that fully meets our strategic ambitions of reuniting all our Montreal employees under one roof and of securing the longer-term growth and sustainability of our operations in Montreal." - Martin Leblanc, co-founder and vice chair of the board of directors, CellCarta.

"As Mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal Borough and as the Executive Committee member responsible for economic development, knowledge and innovation, I am delighted to see this new life sciences innovation cluster being established in the heart of an area that has remained mostly unoccupied since the Montreal Chest Institute moved in 2015. The imminent arrival of Inspire bio innovations on this prime site is a testament to the fact that the downtown area continues to attract world-class projects, thanks to its proximity to world-class universities and teaching hospitals. These new laboratories will contribute to the emergence of a synergy between medicine, research and artificial intelligence, positioning Montreal among the most dynamic and promising international life sciences centres. This project and the many jobs it will create will also help revitalize this important employment hub and attract talent from all over to a high?quality environment" - Luc Rabouin, mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, member of the executive committee of the City of Montreal and member responsible for economic and commercial development, knowledge, innovation and design.

About Jadco Group

Founded in 1987, Jadco Group designs, develops and builds signature residential and industrial projects, particularly those geared to the life sciences ecosystem. Recognized for the high quality of its projects that meet the most important ESG standards, Jadco Group, in collaboration with its institutional partners, has accumulated over $1.2 billion in investments in Quebec. The company acts as a property manager and prides itself on being a landlord of choice. For more information, see www.jadcocorporation.com.

About CellCarta
CellCarta is a leading provider of specialized precision medicine laboratory services to the biopharmaceutical industry. Leveraging its integrated analytical platforms in immunology, histopathology, proteomics and genomics, as well as related ML/AI data analytics and sample logistics services, CellCarta supports the entire drug development cycle, from discovery to late-stage clinical trials. The company operates globally with 11 facilities located in Canada, USA, Belgium, Australia, and China, with more than 1,050 employees, a third of which are located at its laboratories and corporate headquarters in Montreal.
www.cellcarta.com 

SOURCE Jadco Group