Ottawa Hospital to Build World-Class Biomanufacturing Facility at New Campus
The Ottawa Hospital to Become Hub for Vaccine and Gene Therapy Manufacturing
The Ottawa Hospital is set to become a world-class biomanufacturing facility, as the largest hospital in Ottawa will soon be a hub for the research and manufacturing of vaccines, gene therapies, and cell therapies in Canada. The federal government has announced $59 million in funding for the Ottawa Hospital to develop and manufacture lifesaving biotherapeutics, with the majority of the funding going towards the construction and operation of a new facility at the hospital’s new campus on Carling Avenue.
Dr. Duncan Stewart, executive vice-president of research at the Ottawa Hospital, expressed excitement about the funding, stating that it will ensure the hospital continues to be a leader in developing and manufacturing life-saving biotherapeutics. He emphasized the importance of biotherapeutics in responding to future pandemics and health threats.
The Ottawa Hospital has a strong track record in research, with researchers leading more than 20 world-first clinical trials in the past 15 years using biotherapeutics such as stem cells and cancer-fighting viruses. The hospital’s Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre has played a crucial role in enabling these trials, providing a specialized clean-room facility for developing and manufacturing novel therapeutic products.
The new biomanufacturing facility at the Ottawa Hospital will receive $47 million of the funding, with the remaining amount supporting collaboration across six Canadian biomanufacturing facilities. The expanded Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre will be part of a larger ambulatory care and research building at the new Ottawa Hospital campus, set to open in 2028.
Dr. John Bell, senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital, highlighted the significance of the investment, stating that it will enable the expansion of the Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre and the creation of a biomanufacturing collective with partners across the country. Currently, more than 40 full-time staff are based at the Ottawa Hospital’s Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre, which is located at the General Campus.
The development of this world-class biomanufacturing facility at the Ottawa Hospital marks a significant step forward in advancing research and manufacturing capabilities for biotherapeutics in Canada. With a focus on vaccines, gene therapies, and cell therapies, the Ottawa Hospital is poised to play a key role in shaping the future of medicine and responding to health challenges.