'This is beyond my expectations,' Champagne says of Canadian biomanufacturer rebound
Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says Canada's biomanufacturing sector has rebounded beyond his initial expectations in the last several months, as a Canadian drug maker stands poised to bring positive results from the first plant-based COVID-19 vaccine to Health Canada.
At the outset of the pandemic, Canada's lack of biomanufacturing capability came into sharp focus, and the incapacity to produce COVID-19 vaccines domestically caused some major initial stumbles in the country's early vaccine rollout.
Champagne says his vision was to rebuild the sector based on the different families of vaccines, as well as improve the capacity for contract manufacturers in Canada.
"This is beyond my expectations," Champagne said in an interview Monday.
The government spent billions of dollars in an attempt to rebuild Canada's flagging biomanufacturing capabilities as quickly as possible, after decades of decline.
Canadian company Medicago benefited from its largest investment, $173 million, to support the development of a plant-based COVID-19 vaccine and establish a large-scale manufacturing plant.
Now, Medigaco is churning out doses of its made-in-Canada vaccine in anticipation of its application to Health Canada, after trials showed the drug is 75.3 per cent effective against the Delta variant of COVID-19.
The company announced its trial results Tuesday, citing 88.6 per cent efficacy against the Gamma variant of COVID-19, and 75.3 per cent efficacy against Delta.
Medicago plans to take those results to Health Canada before the end of the year, as well as regulators in the United Kingdom, the United States, the World Health Organization and eventually Japan.
It has already started building inventory, 75 million doses of which have been promised to Canada.
Champagne's plan to have several types of COVID-19 vaccine produced in Canada appears to be coming together.
Moderna and BioVectra are set to manufacture mRNA technology in Canada. If Medicago gets a green light from Health Canada, it will produce its plant-based vaccines. Novavax has already filed for regulator approval of its protein based vaccine, which will be manufactured in the National Research Council's Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Montreal. Sonofi will spend $925 million to build a new vaccine facility in Toronto to bolster manufacturing capacity.
And just yesterday Merck Canada announced it inked a deal with Thermo Fisher Scientific to manufacture the oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment, molnupiravir, at its facility in Whitby, Ont. with a mandate to supply the product domestically, as well as to the United Kingdom, European Union, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
It's a sign more companies see Canada as a stable place to set up shop, he said.
"I think what … attracts them most is really the talent pool we have, the open and stable environment to produce, the fact that we kept our supply chain open," Champagne said.
To build on the progress, Champagne said Canada will need to focus on research and innovation to attract investment. The goal is for local manufacturers to provide drugs not only to Canada, but the world.
Medicago, which benefited from a large government investment, said Canada should also look to foster new start ups.
The homegrown company got a large cash injection from the government, but it still would not have made it without large private investment in the early days of its inception, said president Takashi Nagao.
"Canada compared with the U.S. still has what I see as a younger or less mature capital market to promote emerging licensed companies. So, these companies tend to go to U.S. NASDAQ and others for the funding," said Nagao.
"I think the government can play a vital role to help the funding during the early stage of the company to grow and be ready in the situation like this."
That is what Canada's official Opposition would like to see as well.
"Most of the government's recent investments have been made into foreign companies," said Ed Fast, Conservative critic for science, innovation and industry.
"Where are the substantive investments in Canadian startups that will ensure that we develop a homegrown ecosystem that encourages Canadian companies to conduct research, manufacture and commercialize here?"
He said his party wants to see policies that ensure policies for Canadian innovators and startups.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said it's encouraging to see Canadian private production on the rise, but his party wants to see a Crown corporation responsible for producing vaccines and critical drugs.
"We've seen the lack of that capacity and the impact it's had on Canadians and how important it is to be able to produce locally," Singh said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2021.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Local Spotlight
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
'I'm committed': Oilers fan won't cut hair until Stanley Cup comes to Edmonton
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
'It's not my father's body!' Wrong man sent home after death on family vacation in Cuba
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
'Once is too many times': Education assistants facing rising violence in classrooms
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
What is capital gains tax? How is it going to affect the economy and the younger generations?
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Cat found at Pearson airport 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.