The Government of Canada today announced an investment of $199.16 million in Resilience Biotechnologies, which is creating a network of high-tech, manufacturing solutions.
Resilience Biotechnologies is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Resilience Inc., which is located in Mississauga, Ontario and specializes in the development and manufacturing of biologics, vaccines and aseptic fill-finish (the area where a sterile drug is transferred from a filling needle to a sterile container). Resilience Biotechnologies itself is a California-based company.
“[This is] another important step to support Canada’s leadership in the life sciences sector and to build its pandemic preparedness.”
This investment is set to support a $401.52 million project and will help Resilience Biotechnologies increase its manufacturing and fill-finish capacity for a number of vaccines and therapeutics, including for those that use mRNA and are part of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The company is the in process of expanding a Mississauga facility that is expected to allow for the manufacturing of approximately 112 million to 640 million doses of mRNA vaccines per year.
François-Philippe Champagne, the minister of innovation, science and industry, announced the investment Tuesday, calling it “another important step to support Canada’s leadership in the life sciences sector and to build its pandemic preparedness.”
The government noted the investment is mean to support current Canadian capability to commercialize COVID-19 solutions as well as contribute to breakthrough technology efforts to develop made-in-Canada solutions for future pandemics.
The funding committed is being made through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
Resilience Biotechnologies, founded in 2020, offers customized manufacturing and development capabilities for biopharmaceutical companies as well as a tech platform that standardizes processes, provides quality and regulatory support, smart informatics, and supply chain management.
With the federal government investment, Resilience Biotechnologies has promised to expand its Canadian presence, and create and maintain 500 full-time jobs and 50 co-op positions.
“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,” said Rahul Singhvi, CEO of National Resilience.
Resilience Biotechnologies’ project will increase its capacity to manufacture and fill-finish vaccines and therapeutics on a commercial scale. It will also include two components to expand its capacity: modernizing existing space at the Missisiagua site by approximately 10,000 square feet and building an extension to the site of approximately 45,000 square feet.