LONGUEUIL AND LÉVIS (QC) — August 25, 2026 — Espoir Biosciences, a Canadian biotechnology company developing antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and TransBIOTech, a leading applied research center specializing in biotechnology, have received a $450,000 grant under the Applied Research and Development (RAD) program of the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program, administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
This three-year collaborative project will advance the preclinical development of ESP01, Espoir Biosciences’ lead ASO candidate, which targets a novel molecular target involved in axonal degeneration and regeneration.
ALS is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 4,000 Canadians, with approximately 1,000 new diagnoses each year. Current treatments offer limited benefits, underscoring the need for new approaches capable of modifying the course of the disease. The project targets axonal degeneration, an early and central mechanism in the pathology of ALS.
Advancing a New Therapeutic Approach
Previous studies conducted by the Espoir team have shown that inhibiting this target reduces motor neuron degeneration and improves locomotor function in several preclinical models of ALS, providing strong support for this approach.
Over the next three years, the teams will:
• will identify and optimize ESP01 through in vitro screening in human neuronal cells;
• will evaluate its efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics in a TDP-43 mouse model of ALS;
• will study its mechanism of action in axonal repair using in vitro and in vivo models.
The project brings together complementary expertise in drug development, RNA biology, advanced in vitro models, and preclinical research. Dr. Sarah Paris-Robidas, principal investigator at TransBIOTech, will lead the project in collaboration with Dr. Marie-Eve Janelle, a professor and co-principal investigator, thereby contributing complementary expertise to the in vitro and preclinical studies.
Together, these studies aim to generate the preclinical data needed to advance the ESP01 program toward future confirmatory studies in preparation for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application.
“This grant represents a pivotal step for Espoir Biosciences as we work to advance a potentially first-in-class therapeutic approach for ALS based on axonal regeneration,” said Constantin Bretonneau, CEO of Espoir Biosciences. “Our partnership with TransBIOTech gives us access to world-class expertise and preclinical infrastructure, and this funding will enable us to accelerate the progress of our lead program toward clinical trials.”
“This project is a great example of how applied research can help bridge the gap between promising scientific discoveries and the development of future therapeutic candidates,” said Dr. Sarah Paris-Robidas, principal investigator at TransBIOTech. “Our team is proud to support Espoir Biosciences in advancing this promising and much-needed therapeutic approach for ALS.”
About Espoir Biosciences
Espoir Biosciences is a biotechnology company spun off from the CRCHU and the University of Montreal that is developing ESP01, an antisense oligonucleotide-based therapy targeting a new molecular pathway—potentially the first of its kind—involved in axonal regeneration. The company participates in Quebec’s AReNA program, which supports the development of RNA-based therapies, and was recently selected as one of the world’s top teams during the first phase of the Longitude Prize on ALS.
About TransBIOTech
TransBIOTech is a college-based technology transfer center (CCTT) affiliated with the Cégep de Lévis and a nonprofit organization specializing in biotechnology and preclinical research. Since 1999, TransBIOTech has been helping life sciences companies accelerate the development of new therapies, diagnostics, and other health products through tailored research support in pharmacology, cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology. Its multidisciplinary team designs tailored experimental strategies to generate the scientific data needed to advance technologies from the early stages of research through to clinical trials or commercialization. TransBIOTech also helps eligible Canadian companies access non-dilutive funding through research grants, enabling them to accelerate their R&D programs while retaining ownership of their intellectual property.
