Prime Minister announces $24 million for International Vaccine Centre

March 16/2005 (Saskatoon) - Today the University of Saskatchewan's unique cluster of life science research facilities received a $24-million boost from the Government of Canada.

Prime Minister Paul Martin made the announcement at a news conference at the U of S's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). The funding will support the development of a $61.8-million International Vaccine Centre (InterVac), which will be one of the largest vaccine research laboratories in North America when it is completed in 2009. The new facility will improve the capacity to develop vaccines to combat current and emerging diseases such as SARS, West Nile virus and avian influenza.

"We are a University that has charted a deliberate course to develop our research and teaching capacity in science, technology and society," said Peter MacKinnon.

Photo courtesy Western Economic Diversification Canada

"We thank the Government of Canada for their faith in our vision. This centre is a critically important addition to the outstanding life sciences research capacity on our campus that includes the Canadian Light Source synchrotron, a full range of health science colleges, and a renowned biotechnology community."

VIDO director Lorne Babiuk, lead champion of the InterVac project and a U of S Canada Research Chair in Vaccinology and Biotechnology, said InterVac will save lives and strengthen Canada's leadership in infectious disease research, prevention and emergency response, as well as advance commercialization of research activities.

"It will vastly increase the breadth of research that we can do," he said. "This new facility will build on VIDO's world-class successes, leading to healthier animals and healthier humans on an even greater scale."

InterVac, U of S-owned and operated, represents an international collaboration that includes VIDO, the U of S College of Medicine, and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, as well as academic, research and government institutions in Canada and abroad. Researchers will develop and test new vaccines and methods of delivering vaccines.

The new research centre will be the first "biosafety Level 3 facility" in Western Canada dealing with both human and large animal diseases. Diseases are classified internationally on a scale of one to four. Level 3 diseases include tuberculosis and hepatitis C. Such facilities are federally regulated and built to exceed international biocontainment safety standards to protect workers, the environment, and society.

In March of 2004, the project was awarded $19.2 million by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the largest CFI award in animal and human vaccine research. In addition, the U of S has contributed $300,000 to date to cover preliminary design and other initial project support costs, and the City of Saskatoon agreed last November to contribute $250,000 over five years. Other sources of public and private funding are in various stages of negotiation.

Operating costs will be covered by user fees, the U of S, and for the first five years, the CFI.

InterVac has attracted various partners and users, including the Canadian Public Health Agency, Health Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the International Vaccine Institute in Korea, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

The state-of-the-art laboratory will attract skilled medical researchers, graduate students, and research dollars, while contributing greatly to the student learning experience.

As well, InterVac will attract companies in the human and animal health sectors and bring many economic benefits to the city, the province and the region. It's anticipated that more than $60 million in construction, engineering fees and other goods and services would be spent and/or delivered to the Saskatoon region over a four-year building period.

Downloadable images related to VIDO and InterVac are available at:
http://www.vido.org/news/resources.php

For more information, contact:

Tess Laidlaw
Communications Officer
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1506
(306) 966.7478 (fax)
www.vido.org

Ghislaine McLeod
Communications Director
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6614
www.usask.ca

Read the Government of Canada release