- Industry veterans Paul Lévesque, Philippe Dubuc, and John Leasure have launched CELYSTRA Pharma, a Quebec-based company focused on bringing globally developed therapies to underserved Canadian patients
- Backed by >$20M from investors including Investissement Québec and Crédit Mutuel Equity, the company is starting with TRYNGOLZA (olezarsen), recently approved by Health Canada for familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS)
- CELYSTRA licensed Canadian rights to TRYNGOLZA and DAWNZERA (donidalorsen) from Ionis Pharmaceuticals, with donidalorsen currently under Health Canada review for hereditary angioedema
- The company plans to expand its rare disease portfolio further, including seeking approval of olezarsen for severe hypertriglyceridemia, while supporting broader access to RNA-based therapies in Canada
Takeaways:
CELYSTRA is being set up as a dedicated Canadian “importer–operator” for advanced rare‑disease drugs, starting with RNA therapeutics. It’s led by senior ex‑big‑pharma executives, funded with over 20 million dollars from investors like Investissement Québec and Crédit Mutuel Equity, and focused on in‑licensing globally developed assets and navigating Canada‑specific regulatory, HTA, and access hurdles.
The first two assets, TRYNGOLZA (olezarsen) for familial chylomicronemia syndrome and DAWNZERA (donidalorsen) for hereditary angioedema, give CELYSTRA an immediate foothold in ultra‑rare metabolic and immunologic disease, with room to expand TRYNGOLZA into severe hypertriglyceridemia and build a broader RNA‑based portfolio over time, filling a long‑standing gap where Canadian patients often lag the US and EU in getting novel therapies.
Source: CA Newswire
