Government of Canada continues to strengthen Canada's biomanufacturing sector

Announcement of investment in Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. will improve Canada's future pandemic preparedness

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 18, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada recognized early in the pandemic that increasing domestic biomanufacturing capabilities was critical. That is why it has been making major investments to rebuild Canada's biomanufacturing capacity. These investments contribute to breakthrough technology efforts to develop made-in-Canada solutions such as vaccines and treatments for future pandemics and to commercialize made-in-Canada solutions to COVID-19.

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced an investment of $199.16 million in Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. 

This investment will support a $401.52-million project that will help develop Canada's medical countermeasures to COVID-19 and strengthen Canada's emergency preparedness for future pandemics.

This investment will help Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. increase its manufacturing and fill-finish capacity for a number of vaccines and therapeutics, including for those that use novel technology such as mRNA and that are now being deployed to fight COVID-19. Once completed, the company's Mississauga facility is expected to allow for the manufacturing of approximately 112 million to 640 million doses of mRNA vaccines per year.

This expansion will further expand Resilience Biotechnologies Inc.'s presence in Canada, with clinical and commercial manufacturing and aseptic fill-finish capabilities for critical vaccines and therapeutics. With this investment, Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. will create and maintain 500 full-time jobs in Canada and create 50 co-op positions.

The government has prioritized growing a vibrant Canadian biomanufacturing and life sciences sector, which is why Budget 2021 proposes a total of $2.2 billion to build on the progress already made toward this goal.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada's top priority is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. Today's contribution to Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. is another important step to support Canada's leadership in the life sciences sector and to build its pandemic preparedness. These investments are also creating well-paying jobs and helping to grow Canada's life sciences ecosystem as an engine for our economic recovery."
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"Resilience is honoured to partner with the ISED Strategic Innovation Fund to expand our infrastructure, talent and overall capacity, allowing us to improve Canada's pandemic preparedness and further strengthen the Canadian biopharmaceutical ecosystem."
– Rahul Singhvi, Chief Executive Officer, National Resilience, Inc.

Quick facts

• National Resilience Inc. is a manufacturing and technology company dedicated to broadening access to complex medicines and protecting biopharmaceutical supply chains against disruption.
• Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Resilience Inc. located in Mississauga, Ontario, specializing in the development and manufacture of clinical and commercial complex biologics, vaccines and aseptic fill-finish as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO).
• There is currently no CDMO in Canada that is able to produce sufficient vaccines for national and international demands. Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. will meet these needs with this project.
• This investment was informed by the recommendations of the Joint Biomanufacturing Subcommittee of the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and the COVID-19 Therapeutics Task Force.
• Resilience Biotechnologies Inc.'s project will include two components to expand its capacity: modernizing existing space at the site (approximately 10,000 square feet) and building an extension to the site (approximately 45,000 square feet). In addition, this project will increase capacity to manufacture and fill-finish vaccines and therapeutics on a commercial scale, including mRNA vaccines and other biologics.
• Investments in this project will contribute to the development of Canadian medical countermeasures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen Canada's emergency preparedness for future pandemics by increasing capacity to produce and fill-finish vaccines and therapeutics.
• The Government of Canada funding announced today comes from the Strategic Innovation Fund.
• The government has invested in research projects across Canada through the National Research Council Canada's Challenge programs, the Industrial Research Assistance Program, the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster, regional development agencies and granting partners like the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. For the complete list of investments, including those into research, please consult the Government of Canada investments in biomanufacturing, development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, and research backgrounder.

Related products

• Reporters can contact Resilience Biotechnologies Inc. representative, Ryan Flinn, at [email protected], to receive the video presented at the announcement.

Associated links

• National Resilience Inc.
• Biomanufacturing: Advancing health sciences industry in Canada
• COVID-19 related vaccines, therapies and biomanufacturing projects
• Strategic Innovation Fund

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Contacts: John Power, A/Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, [email protected] ; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]