Research commercialization centres receive $29M in funding

Charlottetown, PEI – A total of $29 million in funding is being provided by the federal government to support research commercialization in cancer immunotherapies and natural products.

In Montréal, the Centre for Commercialization of Cancer Immunotherapy (C3i) will receive funding of $15 million over five years to develop, translate and commercialize cancer immunotherapy.

In Charlottetown, the Natural Products Canada (NPC) will receive $14 million over five years, in support of its work in developing and marketing natural products.

C3i will accelerate access to innovative cancer immunotherapies. Operating out of the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont’s Research Centre, it will be a one-stop shop for the development, translation and commercialization of ground-breaking cancer treatments.

“By harnessing the power of the immune system, we have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment. These are game-changing therapies, and with this support C3i can work to ensure a brighter future for cancer patients,” said Lambert Busque, chief medical officer, C3i. “At the same time, Canada has the expertise in this area to become a world leader and take advantage of the tremendous business opportunity presented by immunotherapy. C3i will act as a catalyst to support this development.”

The NPC will capitalize on ongoing research that has demonstrated numerous applications for natural products in promoting good human and animal health. They will also work to develop green alternatives to agricultural products and industrial chemicals. The centre will evaluate, scientifically validate and invest in products and technologies.

“This funding will enable us to link Canada’s natural products assets, strengthen the sector’s position within the global market and realize positive outcomes for Canadians,” said Shelley R. King, chief executive officer of Natural Products Canada. “Together with our founding partners, we can connect existing research, infrastructure and expertise from regions across Canada, and we are pleased to lead the first national CECR hosted in the Maritimes.”

The funding is drawn from the most recent competition in the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) program. The CECRs match clusters of research expertise with the business community, facilitating the development of products and technologies at a stage in the commercialization process where it is otherwise difficult to attract private-sector investment.