Groundbreaking celebrated for new $100M centre for vaccine research

Toronto, ON – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis Group, broke ground this month on a new, $100 million state-of-the-art vaccine research facility at the company’s historic Connaught Campus in Toronto. The total includes $80 million for construction of the facility, plus the purchase of specialized research and development equipment, and the support of high-value R&D jobs over the next five years. The company says the centre is expected to attract 30 new R&D jobs.

For the project, the company is partnering with Ontario’s provincial government, which is contributing $13.9 million dollars through its Biopharmaceutical Investment Program.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty thanked all staff present for the important work they do in vaccine development. He added, “this new research in Ontario will not only create jobs, it will bring hope to people affected by disease.”

Construction of the 15,000 sq-m facility will begin shortly and is projected to be ready for occupancy in 2010.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates Sanofi Pasteur’s commitment to growing research and development capabilities in Canada for new and innovative vaccines that will help protect the health of people worldwide,” said Wayne Pisano, the company’s president and CEO. “The Connaught Campus is already recognized globally for the research, development and manufacture of the five-component acellular pertussis vaccine. Global demand for new and existing vaccines is anticipated to double by the year 2016, reinforcing the importance of continued investment in research and development.”

Research conducted at the new facility will target pediatric combination vaccines, pneumococcal protein vaccines, and cancer vaccines. The new facility is part of an ongoing commitment to research and development in the area of immunology.