OmniaBio Inc. officially opened the doors to its new North American cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) centre of excellence. This state-of-the-art facility in Hamilton is currently the largest of its kind in Canada, marking a significant milestone for the Canadian biotech industry and the global market.
Located at McMaster Innovation Park, the 120,000 sq. ft. facility is designed to meet the specialized needs of CGT manufacturing. It features advanced technologies, such as robotics, biosensors, and machine learning, making OmniaBio one of the first contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) globally to integrate these capabilities. This integration aims to reduce costs, improve product quality, and increase production rates compared to conventional approaches.
“The opening of OmniaBio’s facility in Hamilton is an exciting milestone in CCRM’s efforts to build a strong industry in Canada around its strengths in regenerative medicine, including cell and gene therapy,” said Michael May, President and CEO of Canada’s Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) and Chair of OmniaBio’s Board. “This facility is a game-changer as it will keep revolutionary companies in Canada and attract global leaders to our ecosystem. With manufacturing, we have the ingredients to see the ecosystem thrive.”
OmniaBio’s new facility will enhance the manufacturing of transformative therapies, positioning Canada as a hub for biotech innovation. The facility’s strategic location near the U.S. border and Canada’s largest international airport ensures efficient logistics and accessibility.
“I’m thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of OmniaBio’s new centre of excellence in Hamilton, which will help create good-paying jobs for Ontario workers and cement our province’s role as a world leader in life sciences,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford. “This new centre, which our government was proud to support through Invest Ontario, highlights the substantial increase in jobs and investment we’ve seen in Ontario’s life sciences sector and points to the incredible opportunity this sector holds for our province’s long-term prosperity.”
Founded by CRM) and later joined by Medipost, Co., Ltd., OmniaBio leverages over a decade of manufacturing and analytical technology expertise. The company collaborates with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and academic centres to provide comprehensive services from process development to commercial manufacturing.
Medipost, a leader in stem cell therapeutics, is the facility’s first commercial-stage customer. They plan to manufacture Cartistem at OmniaBio’s Hamilton site for North American patients. Cartistem is an allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell product used to treat knee cartilage defects in osteoarthritis patients.
The facility is equipped to handle critical cold chain logistics, dedicated staff training, and intelligently designed production flows. Its multimodality layout supports both cell and vector-focused manufacturing. OmniaBio says its AI-enabled manufacturing will initially focus on cellular immunotherapies and iPSC-based therapies, setting a new standard in the industry.
The opening of OmniaBio’s new facility is a groundbreaking development for Hamilton and the broader biotech community. It promises to increase access to advanced medical treatments, drive innovation, and solidify Canada’s position as a leader in the biotech sector.