HAMILTON, CANADA – Invest Ontario is
supporting OmniaBio Inc. in launching a new
biomanufacturing facility that will catalyze Ontario life sciences jobs and
innovation while advancing pioneering medicine with the potential to cure, not just
treat, many forms of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson’s and diabetes.
OmniaBio, a Canadian cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing
organization (CDMO), will be the anchor tenant in a new
biomanufacturing campus being built in Hamilton’s McMaster Innovation Park.
Subject to reaching a definitive agreement, Invest Ontario will provide a loan of
up to $40 million, contributing to an overall project investment of over $580
million, creating 250 jobs by 2031. Invest Ontario will also be providing
non-financial support to OmniaBio, including helping the company meet its future
talent needs and promoting opportunities to enhance local skills development
partnerships.
As a contract manufacturer, OmniaBio will support a broad range of cell and gene
therapy companies – both homegrown and international – by providing process
development and clinical/commercial production services in compliance with
global health standards.
The OmniaBio investment supports Ontario’s new Life Sciences Strategy that will
advance the province’s leadership as a North American life sciences hub offering
a collaborative ecosystem for the development, commercialization and adoption of
innovative health products and services.
OmniaBio is being spun out of the Toronto-based Centre for Commercialization of
Regenerative Medicine (CCRM), a leader in developing and
commercializing regenerative medicine-based technologies and cell and gene
therapies. OmniaBio will build on CCRM’s existing global client
base, with the project ultimately creating a six-fold increase in
biomanufacturing capacity.
Ontario’s life sciences sector is the largest in Canada (representing more than
50 per cent of related economic activity) and comprises about 1,900 firms
employing around 66,000 people.
Quotes
OmniaBio Inc. will be a game-changer for Ontario and Canada. It will provide
missing infrastructure to allow Ontario and Canadian cell and gene companies to
remain here, while also attracting foreign companies. Cell and gene therapy is
Canada’s opportunity to be global leaders in life sciences. Investing in
manufacturing is a key driver, and we’re grateful to Invest Ontario for its
leadership and foresight.
— Michael May, Chair, OmniaBio Inc.
As the first facility of its kind to provide commercial-scale cell and gene
therapy manufacturing in Canada, OmniaBio will support our pipeline of homegrown
life sciences companies, while boosting Ontario’s presence in the global biotech
industry. This is the kind of value-added, strategic investment that our
government is proud to champion – creating skilled jobs, advancing our
healthcare and driving innovation.
— Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job
Creation and Trade
Invest Ontario welcomes the opportunity to partner with OmniaBio Inc. in this
transformative project that will boost life sciences talent, innovation and
supply chain capacity. Our team looks forward to building on today’s
announcement as we pursue strategic investments with homegrown champions and
global leaders to drive Ontario growth and innovation.
— Trevor Dauphinee, CEO, Invest Ontario
Background
Established in 2020, Invest Ontario is a board-led provincial agency chaired by
Elyse Allan, C.M. Its mandate is to attract and secure business investments that
create jobs, generate returns to the province and support the sustainable growth
and competitiveness of Ontario’s life sciences, advanced manufacturing and
technology sectors.
Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative
Medicine (CCRM)
For further information
Neil Trotter
Invest Ontario
neil.trotter@ontario.ca
