Bringing Innovative Therapies to Patients in Canada
Our story is unfolding. Stay tuned for what’s next!
CELYSTRA Pharma is a Quebec-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in the introduction of innovative treatments to Canada.
Founded by three pharmaceutical industry veterans, the company identifies and acquires innovative therapies developed internationally and brings them to underserved patient populations in Canada.
Based in Montreal and active within Quebec’s life sciences ecosystem, CELYSTRA works with global partners to help bring new treatments to patients who need them.
“In rare and specialty diseases, unmet need isn’t just a gap in treatment — it’s families waiting, patients hoping, and time we cannot afford to lose. We built this company to ensure that innovative science reaches the people whose lives depend on it.”
— Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer
Our Approach
Innovation
Identifying and acquiring innovative therapies developed internationally.
Partnerships
Working with global partners to help bring new treatments to patients.
Access
Facilitating access in Canada to medicines that address unmet medical needs.
Our Focus
CELYSTRA begins its activities with a treatment recently approved by Health Canada for familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS), a rare genetic disease characterized by severely elevated triglyceride levels in the blood.
Although the disease affects only an estimated 2 to 10 people per million worldwide, its prevalence is significantly higher in certain founder populations, including French Canadians, particularly in eastern Quebec.
Leadership
CELYSTRA Pharma was founded by three executives with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in commercialization, business development and financing.
Paul Lévesque
President and Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder
More than 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Theratechnologies from 2020 to 2025. Earlier in his career, he held several senior leadership positions at Pfizer, including President of Pfizer Canada and Global President of Pfizer’s Rare Disease Unit in New York.
Philippe Dubuc
Co-Founder
Former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Theratechnologies. More than 35 years of experience in financial services and healthcare, including investment banking and corporate financing.
John Leasure
Co-Founder
Former Global Commercial Officer at Theratechnologies following nearly three decades at Pfizer in the United States and Canada, including Head of the Oncology Business Unit at Pfizer Canada.
Our story is unfolding.
Stay tuned for what’s next!