Precision NanoSystems Inc. in Vancouver has received $25.1 million from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund to create the country’s first centre of manufacturing excellence of nanomedicine-based RNA vaccines, gene therapies and cell therapies.
The $50 million centre will support the Government of Canada’s national biomanufacturing strategy to expand production capacity of critical medicines for the prevention and treatment of diseases such as COVID-19.
“PNI’s centre of manufacturing excellence of nanomedicine will be a state-of-the-art facility for the development and manufacture of genetic therapeutics and vaccines,” said James Taylor, CEO, Precision NanoSystems.
“The centre will continue Canada’s leadership in the creation of innovative solutions for the development and production of new medicines for the benefit of patients in Canada and beyond. This support from the Government of Canada helps PNI to further achieve our mission of accelerating the creation of transformative medicines that significantly impact human well-being.”
Once the 40,000 square foot biomanufacturing centre is completed, targeted for March 2023, PNI will have the capacity to produce up to 240 million doses of its self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (RNA) COVID–19 vaccine every year.
On October 23, 2020, the government invested $18.2 million in PNI to support the development of its promising COVID-19 self-amplifying RNA vaccine candidate through clinical trials.
This project will help PNI establish a Biomanufacturing Centre that will expand Canada’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness capacity and will enable PNI to expand its development and manufacturing services to support the clinical development and supply of new medicines.
“Our government is bringing back the vaccine manufacturing capacity that Canadians expect and need. These investments will help to ensure that Canada has modern, flexible vaccine manufacturing capabilities now and in the future,” said François-Philippe Champagne, the federal Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry.
“Our government is helping Canadian companies advance made-in-Canada vaccines and therapies, while securing domestic manufacturing options for international vaccine candidates.”
In addition to the Vancouver centre, the federal government is funding new vaccine facilities in Saskatchewan and Quebec.
