ProteinQure Receives $2.5M Genome Canada Award to Advance siRNA Therapeutics for Glioblastoma
The company also appoints world-renowned neuro-oncologists Dr. Henry S. Friedman and Dr. Alexandra M. Miller to Clinical Advisory Board.
TORONTO, Ontario, April 7, 2026 – ProteinQure Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging machine learning and generative AI to design precision therapeutics, today announced it has been awarded funding through the Genome Canada Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) to support preclinical testing of its lead candidates for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive form of brain cancer. The company also announced the appointments of Dr. Henry S. Friedman and Dr. Alexandra M. Miller to its Clinical Advisory Board.
“This Genome Canada award validates our approach to tackling one of the most devastating cancers with virtually no effective treatments,” said Lucas Siow, CEO at ProteinQure. “We are delighted to have the support of world class clinicians and unparalleled translational expertise in neuro-oncology for our GBM program. Their input will be invaluable as we advance this program towards the clinic.”
Genome Canada Funding
The GAPP award, totaling $2,545,768 and co-funded by Genome Canada and Ontario Genomics, will support rigorous preclinical testing of lead candidates and focus on advancing ProteinQure’s peptide-directed small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery platform for GBM. The project will leverage ProteinQure’s proprietary peptide technology to deliver siRNA to the brain, addressing key proteins driving treatment resistance in GBM.
The testing program is led by Dr. Stéphane Angers, Director of the Donnelly Centre at the University of Toronto and an internationally recognized leader in GBM genetics. The project team also includes Dr. Peter Dirks, a world-renowned neurosurgeon at SickKids and pioneer in brain cancer stem cell biology, and translational expert for CNS therapeutics Dr. Douglas Cook, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery at Queen’s University.
Clinical Advisory Board (CAB) Appointments
ProteinQure also announced the appointments of two leading neuro-oncologists to its Clinical Advisory Board:
Dr. Henry S. Friedman, MD is the James B. Powell Jr. Professor of Neuro-Oncology and Deputy Director of The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University. An internationally renowned adult and pediatric neuro-oncologist, Dr. Friedman has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed publications and is among the most cited authors worldwide on GBM.
Dr. Alexandra M. Miller, MD, PhD is Chief of Neuro-Oncology and Co-Director of the Brain and Spine Tumor Center at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center. A neurologist and neuro-oncologist specializing in the treatment of primary brain tumors, Dr. Miller’s research focuses on diffuse glioma and the molecular changes underlying progression to lethality. She has a particular interest in developing CSF liquid biopsy for minimally invasive diagnosis and monitoring of primary brain tumors.
About ProteinQure
ProteinQure Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Toronto, Canada, that designs best-in-class peptide therapeutics. At the core is ProteinStudio™, a proprietary platform that integrates machine learning, structural biology, and atomic-level simulations to design therapeutic peptides using thousands of non-natural amino acids, enabling tissue-specific delivery and access to novel target classes. The company’s lead asset, PQ203, a peptide-drug conjugate for triple-negative breast cancer, is currently in a Phase I clinical trial. For more information, visit www.proteinqure.com.
ProteinQure gratefully acknowledges funding support for this GAPP project from the Government of Canada, Genome Canada and Ontario Genomics.