On Oct. 17, OmniaBio Inc. announced the opening of a new North American cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) centre of excellence. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, the facility is a development for both the Canadian biotech industry and the broader global market.This commercial-ready facility will enhance the manufacturing of these therapies, further establishing Canada as a hub for innovation, while increasing access and affordability to advanced medical treatments across North America. Initially founded by Canada’s Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) and later joined, in partnership, by MEDIPOST, Co., Ltd., OmniaBio deploys manufacturing and analytical technology experience, developed through Canadian, U.S. and international partnerships.OmniaBio will collaborate with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and academic centres to deliver comprehensive services from process, analytical and associated AI development to commercial manufacturing.The new facility’s first commercial-stage customer, MEDIPOST, is involved in stem cell therapeutics and has plans to manufacture CARTISTEM® at OmniaBio’s Hamilton site for North American patients. CARTISTEM is an allogeneic (sourced from donor cells) umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell product used to treat knee cartilage defects in patients with osteoarthritis caused by degeneration.The new 120,000 sq. ft. site, located at McMaster Innovation Park and in close proximity to the U.S. border, is designed to meet specialized needs such as critical cold chain logistics, dedicated staff training infrastructure, intelligently designed production flows, and a multi-modality layout facilitating both cell and vector-focused manufacturing. OmniaBio says that their AI-enabled manufacturing will first focus on cellular immunotherapies and iPSC-based therapies.“I’m thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of OmniaBio’s new centre of excellence in Hamilton, which will help create good-paying jobs for Ontario workers and cement our province’s role as a world leader in life sciences. This new centre, which our government was proud to support through Invest Ontario, highlights the substantial increase in jobs and investment we’ve seen in Ontario’s life sciences sector and points to the incredible opportunity this sector holds for our province’s long-term prosperity,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.“With a highly-skilled workforce and competitive business environment, Ontario is a prime location for businesses in the life sciences sector to invest and grow. We congratulate OmniaBio on this exciting milestone and look forward to seeing their facility drive further advancements across the province’s life sciences ecosystem,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. (ICE TORONTO)

Fonte notizia: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/