Construction problems prevented the National Research Council from opening the vaccine facility on schedule



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Pfizer’s two main candidates and Moderna both use another technology called mRNA for their vaccines. There is no capacity to produce such vaccines in Canada, and the National Research Council will not be able to produce them even after upgrades to the facility are completed.

Defalco said it continued to work on the temporary structure even after the CanSino deal went bankrupt as an insurance policy, but in October, after rising expenses came to light, the NRC felt it was better not to build a structure. temporary, but focus on the permanent.

“As the NRC was no longer participating in the planned clinical trials and as there was no product immediately available for production in the interim facility, the decision was made to direct all resources to the establishment of the facility for compliant clinical trial material. to permanent GMPs elsewhere in the existing building, “he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Minister of Economic Development Melanie Joly and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Navdeep Bains discuss COVID-19 vaccines during a visit to the National Research Council facility in Montreal, Aug.31. 2020. Photo by Christinne Muschi / Reuters / File

The NRC worked on a rabies vaccine that uses technology similar to some of the COVID vaccines in development, but Defalco said they couldn’t just flip a switch and start making vaccines for humans.

“That vaccine was only intended for veterinary use in animals. As such, the vaccine did not require Health Canada GMP compliance. “

John Power, a spokesman for Industry Minister Navdeep Bains, said the government is trying to find companies that may be interested in using the NRC’s facilities once they are completed, but there are no details yet.

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