Ottawa Partnership Aims to Establish National Hub for Biotherapeutics and Biodefence
A significant new partnership between The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa is poised to transform Canada's medical research landscape and enhance national self-reliance in critical healthcare sectors. This collaboration will relocate and substantially expand biotherapeutics manufacturing capabilities while establishing Ottawa as a central hub for advanced medical research and biodefence initiatives.
Strategic Relocation and Expansion
Under this groundbreaking partnership, The Ottawa Hospital's Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC) will move to the Advanced Medical Research Centre currently under construction at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine campus. This strategic relocation will enable the manufacturing centre to more than double its current size, creating significantly expanded capacity for producing innovative medical treatments.
Julie St-Pierre, University of Ottawa vice-president for research and innovation, emphasized the partnership's importance, stating that it "will play a critical role in advancing Canada's biomanufacturing capabilities." The collaboration arrives during what hospital officials describe as "a transformative period of growth in these critical sectors."
Two Decades of Innovation
The Ottawa Hospital's Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre has operated at its current location for the past twenty years, during which time it has manufactured more than twenty different therapies. These treatments utilize biological materials including cells, genes, and viruses to combat and prevent various diseases. The products developed at this facility have been employed in clinical trials conducted worldwide.
Dr. John Bell, a senior researcher at The Ottawa Hospital who has been instrumental in developing cancer-fighting viruses with his team, played a crucial role in establishing the original manufacturing centre. His vision centered on creating a mechanism to translate innovative research discoveries into practical treatments for patients.
Enhanced Capabilities and National Security
Dr. Rebecca Auer, executive vice-president of research and innovation at The Ottawa Hospital, explained that the partnership will enable production of more products and treatment of more patients. "This has allowed us to increase the types of biotherapeutics we can manufacture, including starting to think about biodefence and making sure that we have the capacity to innovate quickly and effectively," Auer stated.
The biotherapeutics produced through this expanded facility include:
- Car T therapy, which engineers immune cells to fight cancer
- Treatments targeting immune disorders
- Therapies for genetic conditions
- Various cancer treatments and vaccines
Auer emphasized the growing importance of strengthening Canada's ability to produce biotherapeutics and vaccines, particularly given current geopolitical challenges. She noted that $78 million in grants recently awarded to both institutions for the BMC expansion will fund essential equipment purchases needed to expand manufacturing capacity for new therapeutics, including mRNA technologies.
Closing the Innovation Gap
According to Auer, Canada has historically excelled in research and discovery but has faced challenges in translating those discoveries into manufactured treatments. "Canada had historically punched above its weight when it came to research and discovery, but not to bio-manufacturing or to translating those discoveries into treatments," she observed. "The new partnership will change that."
This strategic collaboration represents a significant step toward establishing domestic manufacturing capabilities for critical medical treatments, reducing reliance on international suppliers, and positioning Ottawa as a national leader in both biotherapeutics production and biodefence preparedness.
