Massachusetts-based drug maker Moderna will build an mRNA vaccine manufacturing plant in Canada within the next two years, CEO Stephane Bancel said Tuesday.
The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the federal government that will result in Canada becoming the home of Moderna's first foreign operation. It's not clear yet how much money Canada has offered to Moderna for the project.
It will also include a research and development component not just for COVID-19, but for a host of other conditions, including the flu, heart disease, cancer and rare genetic disorders. Almost half of that targets companies that want to expand or set up vaccine and drug production in Canada. None of the COVID-19 vaccines to date have been made in Canada, leaving the country entirely reliant on imports to fill vaccine orders so far. As a result Canada was slower out of the gate on immunizations than some of its counterparts who had domestic production, and it appears likely had to pay more per dose for some vaccines as well.
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, one of two messenger RNA or mRNA vaccines currently authorized, is one of the most effective thus far against the virus that causes COVID-19, and Bancel said recent results showed it is almost as effective after six months as it was after two. Canada has also promised $126 million for a new National Research Council to build a biologics production plant in Montreal.
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