NEW YORK, May 3 – BIOQuebec, a group of 200 businesses supporting Quebec-based biotechnology companies, announced a partnership with IBM CanadaThursday to improve local access to genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics-oriented equipment and systems.
“Quebec needs a critical mass of bioinformaticians and leading-edge equipment,” BIOQuebec president Michel Dennis said in a statement. “The partnership announced today… seeks to accelerate and promote access to leading-edge equipment and global computer solutions for Quebec biotechs.”
IBM Canada created a life sciences Net Generation program--a program similar to the technology and capital investment firm for Internet companies--to invest in Quebec life sciences firms.
“Just as our Net Generation program did for Internet companies, we are offering to become technology, and in some cases, financial partners of Quebec life-sciences enterprises,” Claude Leclair, executive director for Eastern Canada of IBM’s Net Generation Life Sciences unit, said in a statement.