moe said splitting the bill on the facility is a positive example of the three levels of government working together.
“there are many issues where we fully disagree with the direction of the federal government,” he said. “this is not one of them.”
roughly a dozen people will be charged with specifically working in the vaccine development centre in collaboration with other staff, gerdts said.
the facility’s capabilities range from rna vaccines like those used to fight covid-19 to those combating african swine virus, a threat that could decimate canada’s pig population.
“(there are) many other examples that we see around the world … (and that there’s) a risk that are coming to north america,” he said.
“this facility will enable us to rapidly respond, develop platforms that are ready to be utilized, and hopefully have a vaccine within less than 100 days.”
the facility’s first animal vaccine could be produced by the end of the year; it’s expected to make human vaccines in 2023, he said.
grad student and phd candidate kezia fourie works in the vaccine and infectious disease organization’s (vido) new manufacturing facility, the vaccine development centre, on the university of saskatchewan campus in saskatoon on june 28, 2022.
matt smith
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saskatoon starphoenix
gerdts said the covid-19 vaccine vido has been developing is being tested in uganda, and a clinical trial is planned in canada.
the new facility could make up to 40 million doses in a single year; that amount may vary for other vaccines, gerdts said.