Advanced Cell Therapy Manufacturing Initiative to be established in Brisbane

2 Aug

27 July 2023

CCRM Australia, with its Canadian partners OmniaBio Inc. and Toronto-based CCRM, has signed a Letter of Intent with The University of Queensland to establish the Advanced Cell Therapy Manufacturing Initiative (ACTMI) at the St Lucia (Brisbane, Queensland) campus of the University.

Through this partnership, the CCRM group will work with The University of Queensland to establish ACTMI as a prominent centre for advancing cell therapy process development, ultimately benefiting patients and contributing to the overall progress of the regenerative medicine sector.

According to Silvio Tiziani, CEO of CCRM Australia, "We are incredibly enthusiastic about this project and its potential to drive advancements in the regenerative medicine sector. This initiative aligns perfectly with CCRM Australia's objectives of forging partnerships with key Australian organisations to enhance and strengthen the regenerative medicine landscape in Australia. By partnering with The University of Queensland and combining the expertise in process development of cell therapy manufacturing of CCRM and OmniaBio, we can create a transformative facility that will propel the growth and innovation of regenerative medicine in Australia."

This collaboration exemplifies the CCRM group’s commitment to fostering strategic alliances and leveraging global expertise to accelerate the development and commercialisation of regenerative medicine technologies.

“CCRM Australia is the first CCRM hub located outside of Canada,” explains Michael May, President and CEO of CCRM, “and this plan to build cell therapy process development capabilities is a significant milestone for the organisation and for enhancing cell therapy manufacturing in Australia. Eventually, we want to see harmonised biomanufacturing happening across the CCRM hubs to support the global regenerative medicine community.” CCRM is a leader in developing and commercialising regenerative medicine-based technologies and cell and gene therapies (CGTs).

OmniaBio, a subsidiary of Toronto-based CCRM, is a contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) that will offer commercial-stage manufacturing for cell and gene therapy developers once its facility at McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, Ontario, is built.

“OmniaBio is evaluating the benefits of expanding into the Asia Pacific region, and Australia is an obvious fit, given our relationship with CCRM Australia and the progress happening in

Victoria and Queensland,” says Mitchel Sivilotti, CEO of OmniaBio Inc. “We view the partnership with The University of Queensland as an important stepping stone for expanding our technology development network and offering CGT CDMO services to this part of the world.”

About CCRM Australia

CCRM Australia is an Australian not-for-profit organisation supporting the development of foundational technologies to accelerate the commercialisation of regenerative medicine products and therapies. CCRM Australia's focus is to bridge the commercialisation gap through a network of scientists, entrepreneurs, academic institutions and industry partners and address bottlenecks in the industry. CCRM Australia is modelled on the highly successful CCRM in Canada and is legally separate from CCRM. As a member of the Global CCRM network, CCRM Australia is a partner to a leading-edge industry consortium.

About OmniaBio Inc.

OmniaBio Inc. is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focused on cell and gene therapies from pre-clinical through to commercialization, and a subsidiary of CCRM. Benefitting from CCRM’s existing expertise, OmniaBio provides a continuum of advanced process and analytical development, and manufacturing capabilities, by enabling focused support for clients from early clinical phase to commercial supply needs. OmniaBio is built upon leadership in iPSCs, immunotherapy and LVVs. To be located at McMaster Innovation Park, less than one hour from the U.S. border, OmniaBio’s new commercial manufacturing site will anchor a biomanufacturing centre of excellence and will open with late clinical phase and commercial capacity in 2024 in a site totalling approximately 100,000 square feet. OmniaBio is supported by the Government of Ontario, via the Invest Ontario Fund. Please visit us at omniabio.com.

About the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine

CCRM is a global, public-private partnership headquartered in Canada, established with seed funding from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and leading academic and industry partners. CCRM supports the development of regenerative medicines and associated enabling technologies, with a specific focus on cell and gene therapy. A network of researchers, leading companies, investors and entrepreneurs, CCRM accelerates the translation of scientific discovery into new companies and marketable products for patients, with specialised teams, dedicated funding, and unique infrastructure. CCRM is hosted by the University of Toronto. In 2022, CCRM established OmniaBio Inc., a pre-clinical to commercial-stage CDMO for manufacturing gene-modified cells and viral vectors for cell and gene therapies. Visit us at ccrm.ca.