University Health Network has long been a leader in regenerative medicine. In 2016, armed with one of the largest seed investments in biotechnology history, renowned UHN researchers Drs. Gordon Keller and Michael Laflamme, one a world leader in stem cell biology and the other a cardiac cell therapy pioneer, channelled their pioneering stem cell research into the creation of BlueRock Therapeutics, aiming to bring the incredible potential of stem cell therapies from the research lab to the clinic. In 2019, the thriving company was acquired by German pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG for a total company valuation of approximately $1.3 billion – enabling UHN’s stem cell discoveries to translate into commercialized solutions, manufactured at scale for maximum global impact.

Understanding what gives dangerous cancer cells the power to hide and avoid destruction has taken decades of research. Groundbreaking collaborative work between UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) resulted in the discovery of a molecule that can shut down the protective mechanism used by cancer cells to evade destruction. The discovery became a key technology foundational to UHN start-up Trillium Therapeutics, created in the early 2000s. In 2022, decades of this work culminated in Trillium Therapeutics’ acquisition by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in a US$2.22 billion deal.

Incubated at UHN, Treadwell Therapeutics and subsidiary TCRyption are successfully translating cancer research into groundbreaking immunotherapy treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers. Treadwell is a clinical stage, multi-modality company focused on commercializing oncology research. To date, Treadwell has secured US$91 million in series B financing, built a 9,000-square-foot state-of-the-art lab in Toronto, and established a licensing agreement with UHN to create a pipeline of pre-clinical biologics and small molecule assets. In 2021 Treadwell acquired TCRyption – a UHN incubated biotech company focused on broadening cancer treatment options via T-cell receptor (TCR) technologies developed at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.