Canada grants AbCellera $124m for research on Covid-19

The Government of Canada has granted the funds under Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s (ISED) Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to support the discovery of antibodies for use in drugs to treat the novel coronavirus disease.

AbCellera will also use the funds for the development of a technology and manufacturing infrastructure for antibody therapies against future pandemic threats.

The company’s antibody discovery platform is being applied to explore blood samples of patients who have recovered from Covid-19 to assist in the discovery of antibodies, which can be used to treat and prevent the disease.

Canada Innovation, Science and Industry minister Navdeep Bains said: “Our government is mobilizing its resources to confront Covid-19, supporting the researchers and businesses that are working hard to develop medical countermeasures to beat this pandemic.”

Since receiving one of the first North American samples from a recovered patient on 25 February, AbCellera has detected more than 500 unique human anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by working with the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health.

AbCellera’s discovered antibodies are also expected to be supported for the creation of new diagnostic tests to support the medical community in monitoring the spread of Covid-19.

AbCellera’ phase I of the project will use the company’s antibody discovery platform to detect fully human antibodies to prevent and treat Covid-19 and future pandemics.

As part of the phase 2 project, the company will construct a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Earlier, AbCellera collaborated with Eli Lilly for the development of a treatment for Covid-19 and aims to begin clinical studies in July 2020.

Lilly will independently provide funds, as well as take the responsibility for the clinical development and testing of antibody therapeutics discovered via the partnership.

AbCellera is also securing the support from the City of Vancouver, in addition to the support from the Government of Canada.

The company has advanced its technology to quickly respond to pandemics by involving in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Pandemic Prevention Platform (P3).

AbCellera CEO Carl Hansen said: “We are proud to have the support of the Government of Canada to quickly find solutions to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

In June 2017, AbCellera collaborated with Sanofi Pasteur to advance the research and development of next-generation influenza vaccines.