Ottawa, ON — November 25, 2025 — Leads & Copy — Capital BioVentures (CBV), a leading biotech accelerator, has launched its newest program, ASCENT, to support early-stage life sciences companies.
ASCENT is a virtual six-month program designed to accelerate the development and funding readiness of promising therapeutic startups. It provides expert-led seminars, workshops, office hours, one-on-one coaching from seasoned executives, strategic investor exposure, and 360 feedback.
The program is supported by the Government of Canada through funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
ASCENT is structured into three core modules: Corporate Development & Strategic Positioning, Product Development, and Financing & Operations. It delivers curated and highly focused content and tools to help pre-seed and seed-staged therapeutic companies navigate key inflection points in their growth journey.
Dr. Jeff Smirle, Executive Director at Capital BioVentures, stated that ASCENT addresses critical gaps in early-stage company development, especially regarding fundability and operational readiness, providing companies with knowledge, support, and investor visibility for meaningful progress.
The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, said that the Government of Canada supports initiatives like ASCENT to build a stronger, more competitive life sciences sector, drive economic growth, create high-quality jobs, and position Canada as a global leader in health innovation.
CBV has selected nine companies for the inaugural ASCENT cohort:
- Atorvia Health Technologies Inc. (Ottawa, ON)
- CEREBRO Therapeutics Inc. (Quebec City, QC)
- Cura Therapeutics Inc. (Ottawa, ON and Montreal, QC)
- Eder Therapeutics Inc. (Ottawa, ON)
- FibroDynamx Biotech Ltd. (Calgary, AB)
- IGLU Therapeutics Inc. (Toronto, ON)
- Inspire Biotherapeutics Inc. (Ottawa, ON)
- i-RNA Corporation (London, ON)
- 20|20 OptimEyes Technologies (Hamilton, ON)
Capital BioVentures is a not-for-profit wet-lab accelerator in Ottawa that offers early-stage funding and resources to Canadian companies. The organization provides access to specialized drug and corporate development professionals, high-quality laboratory space, equipment, and non-dilutive funding, supported by investments from FedDev Ontario and NRC IRAP.
FedDev Ontario has been working for 16 years to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services supporting innovation, growth, and job creation.
Atorvia Health Technologies Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company focused on eliminating organ failure, starting with the kidney, using AI drug discovery tools to advance novel therapeutics for currently untreatable kidney diseases.
CEREBRO Therapeutics Inc., established in 2022 by three professors from Laval University in Quebec City, is dedicated to advancing its gene therapy approach for Parkinson’s disease and exploring treatments for other neurodegenerative disorders.
CURA Therapeutics Inc. is an early-IND-stage biotech company developing the next generation of multimodal Immuno-Rejuvenation therapies to treat metastatic cancer and age-associated diseases, enhancing health span and increasing longevity.
Eder Therapeutics Inc., founded in Canada, is focused on developing gene therapies for rare and serious disorders, advancing an AAV-based gene therapy for lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD) licensed from the NRC, and identifying novel therapeutic targets for rare and serious cardiometabolic diseases.
FibroDynamx Biotech Ltd. is a drug discovery company with a platform for drug target identification based on regenerative healing models. Its initial product, FD-001, has shown improvement in scarring and skin regeneration in pre-clinical models.
IGLU Therapeutics Inc. develops gene-based medicines for neurological conditions resulting from dysfunctional glutamate receptors, focusing on GRIN disorder and potentially treating schizophrenia and autism.
Inspire Biotherapeutics has developed a lung-specific AAV-based gene therapy platform with effective and sustained gene expression in lung tissue and is working towards a clinical trial targeting a lethal neonatal lung disease, with potential to address other lung diseases.
I-RNA Corporation, a spin-off from the University of Western Ontario, is developing treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy, using siRNA molecules to block HOTAIR, a long-non-coding RNA involved in Diabetic Retinopathy, and is preparing for the IND enabling stage of drug development.
20|20 OptimEyes Technologies has developed a mucoadhesive nanoparticle drug delivery platform technology for improved solubility of APIs and extended release, with initial applications in glaucoma, viral respiratory infections, and bladder oncology, seeking partners for further development.
Dr. Jeff Smirle, Executive Director at Capital BioVentures.
Source: Capital BioVentures
