Medicago Inc., a developer of plant-based flu vaccines, said Tuesday it will build a new $245-million production unit in Quebec City with start-up due in 2019.
The project, backed by the federal and Quebec governments and by Medicago’s international partners, will create about 200 permanent skilled jobs, in addition to the present payroll of 180 people working at its Quebec City offices and laboratories.
“We chose Quebec City for this landmark project because of the access it provides to an experienced workforce and a world-class research infrastructure,” chief executive officer Andy Sheldon said in a statement.
The project will consolidate Medicago’s headquarters, research activities and commercial operations in the new location. It has $8 million in federal support along with $66.5 million from the province and municipality. It will be able to produce 40 to 60 million doses of seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines annually.
In September, 2013, Japan’s Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. acquired all the company’s shares except a 40 per cent block held by the U.S.-based Philip Morris Investments Inc.
