NGen announces $4.3M cell and gene therapy Supercluster project
By PLANT STAFF
Industry Manufacturing GE healthcare manufacturing NGenInvestment in consortium will accelerate development of an advanced manufacturing platform.
TORONTO — Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) has announced the first Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster project with its conditional support for a consortium that will develop gene-editing reagents.
The consortium led by iVexSol Canada will develop an advanced manufacturing process for lentiviral vectors (LVVs). These gene-editing reagents are critical components in the manufacturing of cell and gene therapies (CGTs) that fight cancer and repair a variety of rare and inherited genetic disorders in both children and adults.
iVexSol (intelligent Vector Solutions) Canada, based at the MarS Centre in Toronto, is a newly formed vector manufacturing company with an advanced technology that transforms the way lentiviral vectors (LVVs) are produced.
The almost $4.3 million project, with $1.89 million in supercluster funding, is expected to lead to the creation of approximately 470 jobs.
The project includes three other collaborators: CCRM Enterprises Inc. in Toronto, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM), will provide the supporting manufacturing infrastructure and downstream processing capabilities; GE Healthcare, a GE company in Chicago, will provide manufacturing process expertise, along with access and the use of specialized tools and technology; and STEMCELL Technologies, a biotech company in Vancouver, will provide advanced reagents.
“Advanced technologies are not just leading to the development of new life-saving therapeutics; they’re opening up new ways to manufacture biomedical products. This project shows how advanced manufacturing leads to more investment and high value jobs in Canada,” said Jayson Myers, CEO of NGen Canada.
The conditional NGen support is subject to the partners entering into a final agreement and obtaining internal approval by the relevant stakeholders.
Industry-focused, not-for-profit Next Generation Manufacturing (NGen) Canada in Hamilton is leading the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster with up to $230 million government funding for projects that is to be matched dollar for dollar by the private sector.
Supercluster projects are expected to create 13,500 jobs over 10 years and add $13.5 billion to the Canadian economy.
