AEgera Therapeutics (Montreal, PQ)
CMDF Investment: $5,573,000 
Private Company
Focus:Cancer  Central Nervous System Disorders  Cardiovascular Diseases & Blood Products  Parkinson's Disease  
Company Website

CMDF was instrumental in the creation of Aegera Therapeutics Inc. in May 2000 through the merger of two CMDF portfolio companies - Apoptogen Inc.; (Ottawa) and Exogen Neurosciences Inc.; (Montreal). Aegera brings together exciting technologies involved in identifying and manipulating cellular pathways implicated in the survival; growth and death of nerve cells. Several neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are believed to result from genetic alterations within nerve cells that lead to abnormal; premature cell death. From its unique knowledge of the genetic processes involved in these diseases; Aegera is developing novel therapies to extend and enhance the lives of people suffering from acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions and nerve injuries. In addition a proprietary therapeutic approach to cancer; is also under development in the company's wholly owned subsidiary; Aegera Oncology; based upon the restoration of normal cell death mechanisms to cancer cells.