On Apr. 29, 2022, Moderna announced its plan to build a state-of-the-art mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Quebec that will support a long-term strategic partnership with the Government of Canada to enhance pandemic preparedness.

This milestone followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Moderna and the Government of Canada in August 2021. Once the facility was certified by Health Canada, it was expected to provide onshore respiratory vaccine manufacturing capabilities and support future pandemic readiness.

Once operational, the facility is expected to provide access to a domestically manufactured portfolio of mRNA vaccines against respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, seasonal inuenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other potential respiratory viruses, contingent on approval by Health Canada. In the event of a future pandemic, it is also expected that the facility could be activated on an urgent basis to support Canada with direct access to rapid pandemic response capabilities with the capacity to adapt and adjust manufacturing to address novel or emerging viruses.

As part of the ten-year partnership, Moderna is also expected to support research and development and other commercial collaborations in the country. The project is expected to create hundreds of jobs during construction and operation. Construction is expected to commence in 2022, with the facility expected to become operational by the end of 2024, subject to planning and regulatory approvals.

Moderna’s mRNA pipeline includes 31 vaccine programs and 15 therapeutic programs, including vaccines against respiratory viruses, vaccines against latent viruses, and vaccines against threats to global public health.