Saskatoon's vaccine development cluster enhanced with new commercialization arm

A new consortium created to bring critical yet commercially promising vaccines to market is bolstering Saskatoon's growing reputation as a global powerhouse for human and animal vaccine development. Supported by the federal Centres of Excellence in Commercialization and Research (CECR) program, the Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise (PREVENT) intends to draw on vaccine research strengths from at least three organizations

In-kind support of $10.5 million from PREVENT's three founding members — the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Organization (VIDO), the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the Halifax-based Canadian Centre for Vaccinology (VCC) — will augment $15-million over five years from CECR, which is administered by the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) secretariat.

The consortium will be headquartered at VIDO, which will contribute laboratory and office space. BCCDC will provide public health expertise in areas such as vaccine antigen discovery methods and patents for respiratory viral diseases and sexually transmitted pathogens, while CCV brings expertise in running clinical trials. (CCV is a partnership between Dalhousie Univ, the IWK Health Centre and Capital Health).

"PREVENT will be the vehicle and the pipeline to the marketplace ... It will reduce the risk to industry but also address public health needs," says PREVENT CEO Dr Andrew Potter. "This will be a lean organization relying on existing infrastructure at universities and its partner organizations. Initially we will likely be going the licensing route ... We want to enhance the product profile of existing companies."

Potter, who is also CEO of VIDO and the forthcoming InterVac Containment Level 3 vaccine R&D facility, says the addition of PREVENT gives the Saskatoon region a commercialization component that is lacking in other vaccine clusters internationally. The consortium will consider vaccine candidates from organizations across Canada including the private sector.

"VIDO already does lots of commercialization (and) we would swamp PREVENT if we flowed everything through it," he says. "PREVENT will undertake four-to-six projects depending upon timing. We will be extremely selective, taking only the most commercially promising projects that are relevant to public health and too risky for the private sector to take on."

Once InterVac — a $140-million, 14,500-sq-m facility funded in part by the Canada Foundation for Innovation — is up and running in 2010, it will merge with VIDO and give researchers the ability to develop vaccines for both humans and animals. The latter includes large mammals such as cows.

reduce time to market

With a multitude of resources at its disposal, PREVENT will aim at reducing the lengthy development cycle for vaccines — an objective that could gain momentum if other vaccine research centres join the consortium. Vaccine targets identified as early candidates for further development include influenza, whooping cough, Chlamydia, E. Coli and prion diseases.

"The typical vaccine development cycle is 10 to 25 years. When you're dealing with emerging infectious disease this timeframe does not fit. We want to accelerate that process by doing various activities in parallel," says Potter. "We will take vaccines through proof-of-concept first, then through the manufacturing process and toxicity studies and into Phase I and even Phase II trials. This is our space and it also fits industry needs."

A novel element of PREVENT's proposal to CECR is the development of animal vaccines for diseases of humans. Potter says R&D in this area does not require Phase I, II or III trials, dramatically reducing the cost and development cycle.

"We can generate a significant revenue stream for PREVENT and we will propose this area of commercialization to the board when it meets," he says. "Animal vaccine development is faster and cheaper and Canada is already a leader in the field. This will contribute to sustainability beyond CECR funding."

PREVENT was one of 11 centres selected through a competitive process announced earlier this year (R$, February 25/08). Each centre was funded at the same level ($15 million) and had to demonstrate sustainability beyond the five-year funding period. Potter says the CECR program is properly focused on a critical gap in the R&D cycle between basic science and the market. He praised the selection process and the flexibility demonstrated by both the expert panel review committee and the NCE secretariat. He notes, however, that CECR funding is just one part of the equation.

"It's great seed money but you won't develop any vaccines for $15 million,'" he says. "It will allow us to go out and find more funding."

In the coming months Potter and his colleagues will visit large and small vaccine companies that could result in cash contributions for specific projects for which there is particular interest. PREVENT has not receive commitments of any industry funding to date which Potter says is understandable as the the consortium has only been incorporated as a not-for-profit company for less than two months.

PREVENT will also meet with potential collaborative partners such as the National Research Council's Institute for Biological Sciences (IBS). IBS is home to Dr Harold Jennings who has been honoured for his work in developing the NeisVAc-C vaccine to protect infants and adults against meningococcal meningitis.

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