The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer

What The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer does

The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), formally Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie de l'Université de Montréal, is a university-affiliated academic research institute founded in 2003 at Université de Montréal. It operates a unique Canadian model combining fundamental research, graduate training programs, and a research valorization team under one roof, enabling rapid translation of discoveries into new therapeutic solutions. The institute conducts fundamental and translational cancer research across multiple cancer types including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), breast cancer, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer, serving the broader scientific, clinical, and patient communities.

IRIC's core technology platform comprises five specialized research units: proteomics and bioanalytical mass spectrometry (CAPCA, led by Pierre Thibault), functional and structural bioinformatics (Sébastien Lemieux), cell signaling and proteomics (Philippe P. Roux), molecular pharmacology (Michel Bouvier), and molecular genetics of stem cells (Guy Sauvageau). Notable proprietary assets include the UM171 molecule—a stem cell expansion technology exploiting a novel E3 ligase complex mechanism that has already been used in over 120 cord blood stem cell transplants—and the Leucegene multi-omics initiative improving AML molecular classification. Supporting infrastructure includes high-throughput screening, histology, and a bioinformatic platform directed by Sébastien Lemieux.

IRIC's revenue model is primarily non-commercial. It operates through publicly funded research grants from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Fonds de recherche du Québec–Santé (FRQS), Canadian Cancer Society, and Société de recherche sur le cancer, supplemented by charitable donations (notably the annual Gala Audace, which raised $1,130,000 in 2026) and technology commercialization through spin-off companies—most prominently ExCellThera, founded by Guy Sauvageau to develop UM171-based stem cell expansion therapies. The institute trains M.Sc., Ph.D., and postdoctoral researchers, executes collaborative research agreements with pharma/biotech partners (CQDM, Drave Therapeutics), and runs clinical translation activities via Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont. Research outputs are disseminated through peer-reviewed publications in journals including Nature Cancer, Cell Reports, Science Advances, Blood, and JCI Insight, and through the institute's bilingual French/English digital presence and annual fundraising gala.

Name

The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer

Legal name

Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie de l'Université de Montréal

Website

https://iric.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) is a Université de Montréal-affiliated research institute conducting fundamental and translational cancer research, training graduate students, and commercializing discoveries via spin-off companies such as ExCellThera.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic cancer research and training

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Biomedical Research Universities (Academic Medical Center–Affiliated) (EDAHABAC)

Keywords

• Cancer research institute
• Immunology research
• Proteomics and mass spectrometry
• High-throughput drug screening
• Stem cell expansion technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government and foundation research grants: IRIC operates primarily through publicly funded research grants from Canadian and Quebec federal/provincial agencies including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS), the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Société de recherche sur le cancer. These grants fund core research programs, investigator salaries, and infrastructure.
2. Charitable donations and fundraising events: The institute raises funds through events such as the annual Gala Audace, individual donations, and corporate sponsorships. The 2026 Gala Audace raised $1,130,000 for cancer research. Donations support research activities, equipment, and trainee positions.
3. Technology commercialization and spin-off companies: Research discoveries are commercialized through spin-off companies. ExCellThera, founded by Guy Sauvageau, develops UM171 for stem cell expansion therapies, generating potential licensing and equity revenue for IRIC and its researchers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IRIC is an academic research institute that conducts fundamental and translational research in immunology and cancer across multiple specialized research units (proteomics and mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, high-throughput screening, cell signaling, molecular pharmacology, molecular genetics of stem cells, immunobiology, and vesicular transport). It delivers its outputs through peer-reviewed scientific publications, training of graduate and postdoctoral researchers, collaborative research agreements with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and technology commercialization via spin-off companies (such as ExCellThera) and licensing.

Product overview

IRIC (Institut de recherche en immunologie et en cancérologie de l'Université de Montréal) is a fundamental and translational cancer research institute operating within the Université de Montréal ecosystem. It is not a commercial product or software company. IRIC conducts research in immunology and cancer through multiple specialized research units and technology platforms, including proteomics and mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, high-throughput screening, and histology platforms. Research discoveries from IRIC are commercialized through spin-off companies such as ExCellThera (focused on stem cell expansion technologies like the UM171 molecule), rather than through IRIC itself as a product entity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Graduate and Postdoctoral Training Programs University-level training programs (M.Sc., Ph.D., postdoctoral) in cancer and immunology research conducted by IRIC's principal investigators, available to graduate students and fellows worldwide via an annual international student recruitment competition.
• CAPCA Proteomics and Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Services Quantitative proteomics and bioanalytical mass spectrometry services delivered through the Advanced Proteomics and Chemogenomics Analysis Centre (CAPCA) for studying molecular mechanisms and post-translational modifications controlling protein function, dynamics, and localization in immunity and cellular signaling.
• High-Throughput Screening Platform Services High-throughput screening core facility services supporting drug discovery and target validation across multiple cancer research programs, including assay development and compound screening.
• Bioinformatics and Functional Analysis Platform Services Algorithm and computational analysis services for transcriptomics, proteomics, and high-throughput screening data developed by the Functional and Structural Bioinformatics Research Unit to process and analyze complex biological data supporting cancer research.
• Collaborative Research Programs with Pharmaceutical and Biotech Partners Joint research programs, collaborative agreements, and grant co-funding arrangements with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to advance cancer and immunology drug discovery, including co-funding partnerships such as with CQDM and Drave Therapeutics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 120 patients have received UM171-expanded cord blood transplants with clinical results reportedly surpassing standard transplants.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ExCellTheracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExCellThera is a biotechnology company founded by Guy Sauvageau (scientific founder and CEO) that develops and commercializes UM171-based stem cell expansion technology. The company is applying cord blood stem cell expansion methods for therapeutic transplantation and gene therapy applications, building on IRIC research that has already been used in over 120 patient transplants with promising clinical outcomes.
• Université de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRIC is an integral part of the Université de Montréal, located on its campus. The institute leverages the university's academic infrastructure, talent pipeline, and administrative resources. Multiple researchers hold dual affiliations with UdeM departments (biochemistry, medicine, pharmacology, chemistry).
• Hôpital Maisonneuve-RosemontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuy Sauvageau serves as hematologist at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, enabling direct clinical application of research discoveries including UM171-expanded cord blood transplants. The hospital's Stem Cell Transplant Centre collaborates with IRIC on translating laboratory findings into patient care.
• Leucegene project collaborators (Hébert, Marinier, Lemieux, Lavallée, Zawati laboratories)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Leucegene project is a multi-laboratory initiative co-directed by Guy Sauvageau and the laboratories of Hébert, Marinier, Lemieux, Lavallée, and Zawati. The initiative brings together Quebec researchers to improve characterization of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and develop new therapies, leveraging multi-omics approaches across hundreds of patient specimens.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR): Canadian provincial cancer research institute focused on translational oncology. Comparable to IRIC as a publicly funded, multi-disciplinary cancer research hub performing fundamental discovery, genomics, and translational work, with similar reliance on government grants and academic spin-offs.
• Institut Curie: French research foundation combining cancer research center, hospital, and translational programs. Comparable to IRIC as an integrated research-and-clinical institution focused on oncology, with strong fundamental science and translation mandate.
• Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (University Health Network): Major Canadian academic cancer research and treatment centre. Comparable to IRIC as a research-intensive oncology institution with strong ties to a major research university, large investigator base, and translational pipelines across multiple cancer types.
• Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM): Montréal-based biomedical research institute affiliated with Université de Montréal. Closely comparable to IRIC in geography, parent-institution, research model combining fundamental and translational work, and similar funding mechanisms (grants, donations, spin-offs).
• Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (Jewish General Hospital): Canadian hospital-affiliated research institute conducting translational biomedical research, including cancer. Comparable to IRIC in model (hospital/university-adjacent research institute with grant funding and training programs) though with a slightly broader disease focus.
• Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM): University-affiliated research centre in Montréal focused on translational biomedical research. Comparable to IRIC as a Quebec-based, UdeM-adjacent research hub conducting fundamental and clinical-translational research across cancer, immunology, and related fields.

Broad incumbents

• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: Large U.S. research center focused on cancer and infectious disease, with significant investigator-initiated and translational programs. Comparable to IRIC in mission and structure, but at substantially greater scale, funding base, and global visibility.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Premier global cancer research and treatment institution. Comparable to IRIC in its integration of fundamental cancer research, translational pipelines, and training programs, though vastly larger and more established.
• European Institute of Oncology (IEO): European cancer research and treatment institution integrating clinical and translational research. Comparable to IRIC in its integrated research-clinical model, although larger and based in Italy.
• Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard: Large, multi-disciplinary biomedical and genomic research institute. Comparable to IRIC in combining large-scale fundamental research, technology platforms (genomics/proteomics), and translational spin-off activity, though at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iricumontreal
• Xx.com/IRIC_umontreal
• Facebookfacebook.com/iric.umontreal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer