Montreal, October 4, 2006 – The Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, Raymond Bachand, accompanied by the CEO of FIER Partners, L.P., Sylvie Pinsonnault and Ken Pastor, Senior Partner and Associate Director with CTI Capital, has announced an investment of $25 million by FIER Partners in the new CTI Life Sciences Fund.

“With this new commitment, FIER Partners is making its first investment under the new technology company seed investment section that fills a substantial need in the venture capital market in Québec,” Mr. Bachand said. “I am particularly proud that this investment has contributed to setting up CTI Life Sciences Fund, a fund headed by a team of experienced experts that is backed by many other Québec investors,” Minister Bachand added.

CTI Life Sciences Fund has been formed to offer venture capital to first-generation companies in life sciences operating in biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals and medical devices. “The support of FIER Partners and other institutional investors in Québec was crucial in the creation of this fund in Québec, dedicated solely to supporting the creation and development of companies involved in life sciences,” Ken Pastor, Senior Partner of CTI Life Sciences Fund, said.

FIER Partners has invested $25 million in CTI Life Sciences Fund. The remaining capital of $75 million is being provided in particular by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the Fonds de Solidarité du Québec, the Régime de rentes du mouvement Desjardins and partners of the fund, Jean-François Leprince, Richard Meadows, Ken Pastor and CTI Capital.

“FIER Partners is very satisfied that it has contributed to the formation of this fund that aims to satisfy a substantial need for financing of companies in life sciences, particularly those at the seeding stage,” explained Sylvie Pinsonnault who added that the substantial capital of $100 million of CTI Life Sciences Fund will enable better development of companies that will receive investments throughout their growth phase.

FIER Partners is one of three components of the Regional Economic Intervention Fund (FIER) set up at the government’s initiative. It consists of a limited partnership whose initial capitalization of $180 million is provided by IQ-FIER, a subsidiary of Investissement Québec, for $90 million, and by three tax-advantaged funds: the Fonds de solidarité FTQ ($50 million), Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins ($25 million) and Fondaction, the CSN development fund for cooperation and employment ($15 million).

FIER Partners L.P. has $80 million available to support the creation of sector development funds that make equity or quasi-equity investments in start-up companies. The limited partnership contributes one dollar for every two dollars sourced from private investors, so that the total capitalization of the sector funds may ultimately reach $240 million. FIER Partners also has $60 million available to support funds that make technology company seed investments. Lastly, it has a $40-million envelope to support developmental projects, mainly in the regions.

Minister Bachand thanked the partners who participated in the creation of CTI Life Sciences Fund. “By making use of effective levers such as FIER Partners and with the contribution of our largest institutional investors, the government intends to support economic sectors that will help Québec to improve its position in relation to global competition. With the addition of the expertise and vitality of our businesspeople, we have the ingredients needed for new companies in the knowledge-based economy to flourish, here and internationally and thus contribute to Québec’s economic prosperity,” Mr. Bachand concluded.