Jobs and Economic Growth
Summary:
- Government provides $33 million to support research infrastructure at Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub at the University of British Columbia
- Aims to establish 100-day start-to-finish drug development for future pandemics, other urgent health challenges
- Strengthens B.C.’s life-sciences sector through skills training, research and innovation, as part of B.C.’s Look West economic and jobs plan
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As part of Look West’s goal to boost B.C.’s life-sciences and biomanufacturing capabilities and economic potential, the Province is enhancing B.C.’s and Canada’s readiness for future pandemics and ability to develop and manufacture treatments domestically, while creating new jobs.
“B.C. is home to the fastest-growing life-sciences sector in Canada, thanks to our world-class work force and business leaders,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “With unprecedented uncertainty and disregard for science and scientific expertise from our neighbours in the United States, it’s vital that we double down on investing in Canadian research and infrastructure that allow us to develop, test and commercialize life-saving technologies right here in B.C. It’s part of our Look West economic plan to drive growth and deliver innovative solutions at home and around the world.”
The Government of B.C. is providing $33 million for research equipment and facilities for Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), a national initiative led by the University of British Columbia that aims to establish 100-day, start-to-finish drug development in B.C. for Canada. The investment supports three projects led by UBC researchers, and one led by researchers at Simon Fraser University (SFU).
Building on B.C.’s Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy, this investment will bring cutting-edge research infrastructure for drug-development capabilities and training to British Columbia, which is critical to creating the next generation of B.C. life-sciences entrepreneurs and companies. The hub is expected to attract and train top talent and provide local businesses with more opportunities to collaborate with academia, expand their operations, innovate and compete on a global scale.
The announcement was made as UBC broke ground on a new building, The Edge, that will house the advanced therapeutics manufacturing facility (ATMF), one of four funded projects. Researchers and biotech start-ups will use the facility to develop, manufacture and commercialize treatments for a range of health conditions, from infectious diseases to cancer and autoimmune disorders.
“The ATMF will provide UBC students like me the unique opportunity to see our research through, from the first findings all the way to clinical-grade manufacturing, ensuring our ideas can grow right here in B.C. and help people in local communities,” said Dana Lao, a master’s student at the UBC faculty of medicine who is developing cell therapies that could improve bone-marrow-transplant outcomes and treat conditions like type-1 diabetes. “This hands-on training in biomanufacturing will prepare us to lead the future of B.C.’s life-sciences sector and to develop cutting-edge therapies for people here at home and across the globe.”
CIEBH is a consortium of more than 50 academic, industry, not-for-profit and health-system partners that aims to accelerate drug development through advanced research, talent development, biomanufacturing for clinical trials, and commercialization of treatments in Canada.
Supporting innovation
The Province’s $33-million investment leverages $140 million from the federal government and more than $22 million from other sources, bringing total funding for CIEBH projects to $195 million.
The provincial investment includes more than $22 million to help build the ATMF, the first of its kind in Western Canada. The 2,300-square-metre facility fills a critical gap in Canada’s ability to develop, test and manufacture life-saving medicines here at home.
The ATMF project is co-led by Megan Levings, professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at UBC, and Robert Holt, professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at SFU, and professor of medical genetics at UBC.
“The ATMF will give researchers and biotech startups the ability to manufacture advanced, clinical-grade therapies right here in B.C., instead of sending promising discoveries out of the province,” Levings said. “That means keeping more Canadian science in Canada, powering up B.C.’s life-sciences sector with discoveries, skilled talent, new companies and jobs, while also accelerating translation from the lab to clinic so patients have access to life-saving treatments.”
Additional CIEBH projects
The remaining provincial funding for CIEBH projects includes:
- $3.45 million to equip the facilities of AVENGER project, helping researchers at UBC and SFU develop a flexible vaccine library that can be adapted to fight future pandemics and diseases. The lead researchers are Pieter Cullis and Anna Blakney.
- $6.87 million to equip the facilities for the PROGENITER project and support teams at UBC and SFU to use advanced imaging and AI to create ready-to-use antibody treatments for viruses like COVID-19 and bird flu. The lead researcher is Sriram Subramaniam.
- $423,000 for SFU’s Bridge Research Consortium, which brings together experts from across Canada to study how to build public trust in vaccines and immune-supporting innovations.
Each of the projects include skills-training components that will help strengthen B.C.’s life-sciences and biomanufacturing workforce.
“Health care is expected to create nearly 200,000 job openings over the next decade, and this investment helps make sure people in B.C. are ready to fill them,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “By developing and producing new medicines right here at home, we can get treatments to patients faster, be better prepared for future health emergencies and create good jobs for people in our communities. This is about building a stronger, safer and healthier future for everyone in British Columbia.”
More funding for research projects
Funding for the CIEBH projects is part of the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF), the Province’s primary source for capital investment in research infrastructure.
The Province is also providing an additional $15.4 million to support 71 other research projects at UBC and UBC Okanagan in areas including life sciences, clean tech, natural resources and agrifoods.
This work is part of the Province’s Look West plan for jobs and industry, which outlines B.C.’s vision to deliver jobs and opportunities by strengthening the workforce to develop a more independent economy. This includes delivering major projects quicker, diversifying markets and growing targeted sectors, such as technology, aerospace, marine, AI and quantum, life sciences, agriculture and construction innovation.
Quick Facts:
- The BCKDF, established in 1998, is the B.C. government’s primary investment in research infrastructure in the province.
- Since 2017, the BCKDF has awarded almost $300 million for 541 projects.
- Funding is available for research equipment and facilities at public post-secondary institutions and their affiliated research hospitals and non-profit organizations.
Learn More:
- To learn more about the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/technology-innovation/bckdf
- To learn more about B.C.’s Life Science and Biomanufacturing Strategy visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/initiatives-plans-strategies/technology-industry/life-sciences-biomanufacturing/bc_life_sciences_biomanufacturing_strategy_final_april_2023.pdf
- To read more about the Look West: Jobs and Prosperity for a Stronger B.C. and Canada strategy, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/LookWest
- Learn about the other ways the Province is building a stronger B.C. economy here: https://gov.bc.ca/StrongEconomy
- Learn about the historic investment in skills training: https://news.gov.bc.ca/33029
- To learn more about the CIEBH, visit: https://immunoengineeringhub.ca/
- To learn more about UBC research, visit: https://research.ubc.ca
- To learn more about SFU research, visit: https://www.sfu.ca/research
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