The complex Medicago late

Courtesy Of Medicago
The biotech Medicago regrowth 2020 the entry into service of its new complex .

Pierre Couture

Thursday, 1 February 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Thursday, 1 February 2018 00:00

Look at this article

The biotech Medicago regrowth 2020 the entry into service of its new complex of research and production of vaccines of $ 245 million in the D’estimauville district. The construction works have not started.

“There have been several delays due to many improvements. But the project is not compromised, ” said the Newspaper, the vice-president of business development of Medicago, Jean-Luc Martre.

According to the latter, if all goes as planned, the construction works of the new headquarters of the Company and of its vaccine production facility is expected to begin in the spring or later this summer, he said.

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés

The construction work of the plant Medicago have still not started on the grounds of the old farm, ADM, in the D’estimauville district.

Announced with great fanfare in may 2015, the project had yet to progress rapidly and see the light of day in 2019 on the grounds of the old farm, ADM, located at two steps of the old hospital Robert-Giffard in the Space of innovation D’estimauville.

“We recruited “

The complex Medicago 475,000 square feet shall include administrative offices, research laboratories, plant production and greenhouses.

“Since the announcement in 2015, we have grown from 185 employees to more than 240 today in Quebec city. It recruits, ” said the spokesman for Medicago, whose current offices are located in the technology Park.

Second line of production

The initial draft of the Medicago conjured a single line of production of vaccines. However, according to Mr. Martens, the biotech would consider the creation of a second production line at its complex in D’estimauville.

The future vaccine plant Medicago is expected to produce up to 50 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccines.

From a technology using plants instead of eggs, Medicago said to be able to produce experimental vaccines against the flu in just 19 days.

In the event of a pandemic, Medicago said that she would be able to quickly provide vaccines on a large scale, and this, in a much shorter time (5 to 6 weeks) than the other drug (5-to 6-month) currently.

The governments of Quebec and Canada have agreed, respectively, loans of $ 60 million and $ 8 million for the construction of the plant Medicago. The City has extended an assistance of $ 6.5 million for the plot of the future complex of the biotech.

The Complex Medicago

• Construction costs: $245 Million
• Production : up to 50 million doses of vaccine
• Number of jobs : nearly 400 jobs
• Opening Date: 2020
• Shareholders: Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma and Philip Morris