Moderna Plans to Build mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in Canada

On Aug. 10, 2021, Moderna announced that it plans to build a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing facility in Canada that will include access to the company’s mRNA development technology. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Canada for the facility.

Under the MoU, Moderna and Canada aim to build a foundation on which Canada can have direct access to pandemic response capabilities as well as access to vaccines Moderna is developing against respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and potential other vaccines, pending licensure. Moderna is also in discussion with other governments for potential collaborations built on a similar model, the company stated in a press release.

“I would like to thank the Government of Canada for the partnership they have built with us and for their faith in our data, science, and early confidence in our mRNA platform in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. We recently announced data from the final analysis of the Phase [III] COVE study demonstrating that vaccination with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine showed 93% efficacy, with this efficacy remaining durable six months after administration of the second dose,” said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, in the press release. “As a company, we are committed to global public health. While we are still responding to this pandemic, we also want to ensure we and society learn from it. As Moderna expands internationally, we are delighted to bring mRNA manufacturing to Canada. We believe that this innovative business model will have global impact and implications.”

“We are excited to expand our presence and continue our long-term collaboration with Canada,” said Patricia Gauthier, Moderna’s Canadian general manager, in the press release. “With our industry-leading mRNA technology platform and rapid drug development capabilities, we look forward to being an active participant in Canada’s robust life sciences ecosystem.”

Source: Moderna