Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API), a life sciences company based in Canada, will build a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility named the Critical Medicines Production Centre (CMPC) in Canada in collaboration with the University of Alberta’s Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute.
The CMPC is expected to produce more than 73.2 million doses of products annually, which together with a critical sprint capacity can meet Canada’s medical needs within 100 days. It will ensure Canadians have access to a reliable supply of essential, high-demand drugs during the most challenging times.
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As a facility certified for good manufacturing practices (GMP), the CPMC will support phase III and commercial-scale manufacturing, fostering innovation from researchers throughout Alberta and Canada.
The city of Edmonton approved the lease for the land required to develop the new facility in August 2023. The groundbreaking ceremony for the facility took place in June 2024.
Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation’s Critical Medicines Production Centre is expected to be completed in 2026.
Location
The facility will be situated on a seven-acre (2.8 hectare) plot within the Edmonton Research Park, a hub for diverse businesses and innovation centres in Alberta, western Canada.
Critical Medicines Production Centre development background
The CMPC is a part of the $145.5m (C$200m) Canadian Critical Drug Initiative (CCDI) scheme aimed at strengthening supply chain resilience and enhancing Alberta’s and Canada’s position in the pharmaceutical industry. CCDI is the first integrated research, commercialisation and manufacturing cluster in Canada led by API together with the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute.
The project has gained support from the local authorities, such as the government of Alberta and Edmonton City Council, as well as economic development entities including Edmonton Global and Invest Alberta, and academic institutions such as the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.
API is working with Alberta Health Services to identify up to four drugs that will be produced at the new facility.
Critical Medicines Production Centre details
Spanning approximately 83,431ft² (7,750m²), the CPMC is designed in a distinctive way enabling rapid mobilisation in case of any emergency.
It will focus on the production of small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, engage in the sterile, aseptic fill and finish processes for both traditional and biologic medicines and also anaesthetics manufacturing and the sterilisation process.
The CMPC will house a custom sterile filling line with the capacity to handle a broad range of volumes, from 1ml to 100ml, to satisfy a variety of requirements. The sterilisation process is designed to be versatile, accommodating both standard formats and emulsions and eliminating the need for expensive pre-sterilised vials.
The facility will incorporate modern robotic technology in its filling line for the rapid transition of the products. A cartoner system will automate the loading of vials or bottles into trays.
A state-of-the-art isolator will be constructed in compliance with the latest standards and will integrate with a system that ensures 100% on-site weighing for vials and bottles.
The inspection line at the facility will be equipped with cutting-edge vision inspection, leak detection and container closure integrity testing (CCIT) to maintain the highest standards of quality control.
The CMPC will also include a rotating sterilising autoclave, essential for producing emulsion products such as Propofol, an essential hospital drug.
CMPC construction and timeline details
The completion of the warm shell construction of the facility is expected in the last quarter of 2024, which will enable the start of interior work.
Specialised equipment for the facility is being manufactured across Europe and the US, with initial distribution projected for early 2025.
Financing details
The Alberta government granted $4.3m (C$5.6m) to API to establish the facility in December 2021.
Contractors involved
START Architecture and CRB Consulting Engineers are involved in the development of CMPC.
