New multidisciplinary projects across the country will prepare
Canada for future health
emergencies and build capacity
MONTRÉAL, May 6, 2024
/CNW/ - Growing a robust, competitive, domestic biomanufacturing
and life sciences sector ensures that Canada has access to critical vaccines,
therapeutics and other life-saving medicines. The Government of
Canada has been doing just that
since the launch of Canada's
Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy in 2021 with a
$2.2 billion commitment to develop
cutting-edge biomanufacturing capabilities.
Today, the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada Minister of
Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development
Agency of Canada for the Regions
of Quebec on behalf of the
Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and
the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced nearly
$574 million in funding for 19
projects at 14 research institutions across Canada, through Stage 2 of the integrated
Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and Biosciences Research
Infrastructure Fund (BRIF) competition.
Through these investments in research, talent and infrastructure
projects, Canadians will have access to made-in-Canada vaccines, therapeutics and other
life-saving medicines and innovations. This will help strengthen
the resilience of Canada's life
sciences sector by supporting leading Canadian research in
innovative technologies that keep us safe and boost our
economy.
Projects receiving funding aim at:
- enhancing antibody discovery and therapeutics production;
- developing and optimizing self-amplifying RNA vaccines;
- establishing better rapid diagnostic tools that can identify
emerging pathogens;
- leveraging artificial intelligence and other technologies to
study how bacteria react to chemicals, with the goal of developing
new antibiotics; and
- establishing a leading, national maternal-child health resource
for disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
Each of the 19 projects is endorsed by one of the five research
hubs that were established in Stage 1 of the CBRF-BRIF competition.
These hubs combine the strengths of Canada's postsecondary institutions and
research hospitals, industry and the not-for-profit sector to
jointly improve health emergency preparedness and the overall
health and well-being of Canadians. In addition, the hubs will help
accelerate the translation of promising research into commercially
viable products and processes. By strengthening research capacity
and leveraging collaborations across the entire biomanufacturing
ecosystem, Canada will be better
prepared to face future pandemics.
Quotes
"With world-leading scientists and researchers established
across Canadian leading research institutions, Canada is home to a competitive and robust
biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. We made a promise to
Canadians that we would rebuild the domestic sector. With this
investment, our government is delivering on this promise by
supporting the excellent innovations, collaborations and
infrastructures necessary to rapidly respond to future public
health threats and keep Canadians safe."
–The Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"Today's announcement marks another important milestone in our
work to improve health outcomes for Canadians and strengthen our
domestic biomanufacturing capacity. This investment will support
innovative and world-leading research and science in the areas of
vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and surveillance to help
prepare Canada for future health
emergencies."
—The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health
"The projects that we're supporting today will strengthen
our ability to supply medicines, vaccines and therapeutics for the
benefit of Canadians. These collaborations between research hubs,
postsecondary institutions and research hospitals will foster
innovation across the country. Thanks to the work of experienced
scientists in institutions at the cutting edge of innovation,
Canada will be ready to respond to
future health priorities."
—The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and
Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of
Canada for the Regions of
Quebec
"The research funded through the CBRF will position Canada as a global leader in the
biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. Most importantly,
today's investment will ensure that our nation's brightest
researchers and scientists are at the forefront of vaccine and
therapeutic discoveries that will drive Canadian industry and equip
Canada with the capacity to
respond quickly and effectively to future pandemics."
—Ted Hewitt, Chair, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat;
President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of
Canada
"Having access to state-of-the-art research facilities is
critical for Canadians to respond to public health emergencies.
Investments through the Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund
are helping equip researchers with the tools they need to speed the
discovery and development of new vaccines and antibiotics,
innovative diagnostics, and work with the country's
biomanufacturing sector."
—Roseann O'Reilly Runte, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for
Innovation
Quick Facts
- This investment builds on the crucial support provided through
the first stages of CBRF and BRIF that enabled the creation of five
new research hubs, as well as upgrades to Canada's biocontainment facilities.
- Each of the 19 projects awarded funding includes one or more of
these components: research, talent development and research
infrastructure. As a result, a project may receive funding from
CBRF, BRIF or both.
- The CBRF-BRIF competition followed a two-step competitive
review process that evaluated the scientific merit and strategic
alignment of the project proposals with the objectives of the
funding opportunity and the priorities of the Biomanufacturing and
Life Sciences Strategy.
- Canada's Biomanufacturing and
Life Sciences Strategy includes major investments to help build
Canada's talent pipeline and
research capacity. Investments include:
- CBRF: $250 million to create a program to support
high-risk, applied research, training and talent development
partnership projects. The program is administered by the Tri-agency
Institutional Programs Secretariat, housed at the Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), on
behalf of the three federal research funding agencies: SSHRC, the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
- BRIF: $500 million to
support the biosciences infrastructure needs of postsecondary
institutions and affiliated research hospitals. This fund is
administered by the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
- Clinical Trials Fund: Led by CIHR, the Clinical Trials
Fund has supported the establishment of a clinical trial
consortium, training platforms and clinical trials to support
health emergency preparedness and boost the life sciences sector,
aligned with the priorities of the Government of Canada's Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences
Strategy.
- The government is also providing targeted support to scale up
Canadian biomanufacturing companies and attract investment from
leading multinational firms.
- Since the onset of the pandemic, the Government has invested
more than $2.2 billion in 38
different projects in the biomanufacturing ecosystem. Through the
Strategic Innovation Fund, specifically, the government has
invested in more than 16 projects since the beginning of the
pandemic and the launch of the strategy.
Associated links
- Stage 2 integrated CBRF-BRIF competition results
- Government of Canada
establishes new research hubs to accelerate Canada's vaccine and therapeutics
production
- The Government of Canada
announces biomanufacturing and life sciences strategy
- Canada's biomanufacturing
ecosystem gets major boost with new funding
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François-Philippe Champagne
SOURCE Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat