The pharmaceutical company Moderna would set up a brand new biomanufacturing plant in the Montreal region. An announcement must be made to this effect on Friday in the presence of Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and François Legault.
The news was revealed by Radio-Canada and The PressWednesday.
In August 2021, Moderna executives attended a press conference in Montreal alongside federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne and unveiled an agreement that the company will have to produce a minimum of 30 million doses. of vaccine per year by “promoting the supply chain from home”, said the minister.
In return, the federal government has agreed to purchase an undisclosed amount of doses each year.
At the same press conference, Moderna Chairman and CEO Stéphane Bancel announced that the facilities should be operational by 2024 and employ between 200 and 300 people.
Mr. Bancel had justified his decision to establish Moderna’s first plant outside the United States in Canada by the quality of education, which will allow the company to rely on a qualified workforce. He also praised the speed with which the Canadian government closed the deal.
The boss of Moderna had also mentioned the company’s desire to develop a range of new messenger RNA vaccines to combat influenza, respiratory viruses, cytomegalovirus, Zika or even HIV. Mr. Bancel also said he was interested in cancer and cystic fibrosis.
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