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Pharma in silica
↗Québec City, Canada
Pharma in silica is a Québec City-based private biotechnology company developing precision chemotherapy based on proprietary silica nanocarriers. Its lead product, OpPacli™, is a paclitaxel-loaded silica nanoparticle designed to increase tumor delivery, reduce systemic toxicity, and improve the tolerability of chemotherapy for solid tumors, initially advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The company describes its particles as approximately 40 nm, biocompatible, injectable in saline, and manufactured through a surfactant-free process. ([pharma-insilica.com](https://pharma-insilica.com/fr/?utm_source=openai))
The company was created as a SiliCycle-related spinout and has operated from Québec City’s Parc Technologique since approximately 2018–2019. It remains preclinical, has no publicly identified FDA- or EMA-approved products, and is pursuing a North American Phase Ib/IIa study through an intended 505(b)(2) pathway. Public company materials state that pre-IND/CTA discussions with the FDA and Health Canada have been completed, but no registered human trial was identified in the research performed. ([pharma-insilica.com](https://pharma-insilica.com/en/news/for-a-safe-chemotherapy-pharma-in-silica-starts-up.html?utm_source=openai))
CLASSIFICATION
SIZE & FINANCIALS
Employees:1-50
Founded:2018
Ownership:private
Status:operating
FUNDING
Stage:Seed
Total Raised:At least C$4.5M disclosed through August 2024; a US$10M seed round was being raised in 2026 and was not independently confirmed as fully closed. ([pharma-insilica.com](https://pharma-insilica.com/fr/?utm_source=openai))
Investors:Government of Québec / Investissement Québec through the Impulsion PME program, SiliCycle Inc., historical co-founder and shareholder, François Arcand, co-founder and president, Alexandre Grenier, investor and lead of the May 2023 financing, Six new individual investors contributing approximately C$750,000 in the May 2023 round, Nine accredited investors participating in the first tranche of the October 2024 investment agreement, Alan Davis / Keiretsu Canada, identified as lead investor for the 2026 US$10M fundraising effort
PIPELINE
Stage:Preclinical
Lead Drug Stage:Preclinical; IND/CTA-enabling activities and regulatory preparation; planned Phase Ib/IIa study
Modalities:Small-molecule chemotherapy, Silica nanocarriers, Nanomedicine, Controlled-release drug delivery, Combination chemotherapy
Active Trials:0
Trial Phases:-
FDA Approvals:0
EMA Approvals:0
CORPORATE STRUCTURE
Key Partnerships:SiliCycle Inc. — historical co-founder/shareholder and materials-chemistry collaborator; the original silica technology was developed within SiliCycle before Pharma in silica was established. ([pharma-insilica.com](https://pharma-insilica.com/en/news/for-a-safe-chemotherapy-pharma-in-silica-starts-up.html?utm_source=openai)), CHU de Québec / Université Laval — cellular studies, murine studies, pharmacology, and biomedical imaging collaboration. ([newswire.ca](https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/2m-vers-une-chimiotherapie-efficace-et-clemente-839181235.html)), CERMA at Université Laval and Marc-André Fortin — radioisotope labeling and in-vivo tracking of the company’s nanovectors in mice; the project was funded 80% by Québec’s MEIE and 20% by Pharma in silica. ([cerma.fsg.ulaval.ca](https://cerma.fsg.ulaval.ca/entreprises?utm_source=openai)), National Research Council of Canada / IRAP — C$75,000 feasibility contribution for new Opkemo silica-based nanovector formulations for sustained release and metronomic chemotherapy applications. ([search.open.canada.ca](https://search.open.canada.ca/grants/record/nrc-cnrc%2C172-2023-2024-Q3-1012956%2Ccurrent?utm_source=openai)), Advisory committee participants include Hermann Nabi, Catalina Lopez-Correa, and Luis Ruiz-Avila, with an additional nanomedicine expert listed as to be confirmed. ([precision-chemotherapy.com](https://precision-chemotherapy.com/?utm_source=openai))
COMPETITION
Position:Emerging
Competitors:Bristol Myers Squibb — Abraxane, an albumin-bound paclitaxel product and direct clinical comparator, Oasmia Pharmaceutical — Apealea/Paclical paclitaxel formulation platform, Samyang Biopharmaceuticals — Genexol-PM, a polymeric micelle formulation of paclitaxel, Nanobiotix — oncology-focused nanoparticle platform and radiotherapy-enhancement products, DelSiTech — silica-based controlled-release drug-delivery technology, Silenseed — nanoparticle-based oncology drug-delivery programs, Conventional Taxol and generic paclitaxel manufacturers — standard-of-care and pricing competitors
LEADERSHIP
Key Executives:
François Arcand - President and Co-founder
Myriam Laprise-Pelletier - Scientific Coordinator / CTO
Mahmoud Omar - Translational Researcher
Jean-François Haince - Business Development
Hugo St-Laurent - Historical Co-founder / Shareholder; Vice-President listed in 2025 legal documentation
Scientific Founders:François Arcand, Hugo St-Laurent / SiliCycle
LINKS
Website:pharma-insilica.com
LinkedIn:LinkedIn Profile
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