Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub (CP2H) - The Global Nexus for Pandemics & Biological Threats

Overview

The CP₂H, co-led by uOttawa (in partnership with The Ottawa Hospital) and McMaster University, is one of five federally funded research hubs selected via the Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and the Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (BRIF). The hub is a strategic opportunity for Canada to become internationally competitive in the translation of novel biotherapeutic discoveries from academic laboratories and industry settings into clinical testing and commercialization. This unique collaboration between industry, academia, government, and healthcare institutions is allowing Canada to pivot quickly and protect the health of Canadians from future infectious disease outbreaks.

Objective

To ensure that Canadian discoveries are turned into the medicines of tomorrow in a cost-effective, timely fashion. The new hub brings together highly collaborative investigators from across Canada with complementary research interests and a demonstrated track record of working together.

Our Partners

CP₂H links the private sector with intellectual capital, physical infrastructure, experiential training programs, GMP facilities, and manufacturing capacity across five leading Canadian universities and their affiliated research centres:

- University of Ottawa
- The Ottawa Hospital
- McMaster University
- Dalhousie University
- Canadian Center for Vaccinology
- University of Saskatchewan
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization
- Alberta Cell Therapy Manufacturing

Action Plan

Expand existing research, GMP manufacturing infrastructure and talent investments to develop therapeutic and diagnostic platforms and technologies including viral vectors, vaccines (protein subunit, mucosal, VLP), small molecules, antivirals and antimicrobials, antibodies, and immunomodulators.
Accelerate the translation of our novel platforms and technologies into commercially viable products, and partner to rapidly conduct early phase clinical trials.
Coordinate, develop and support experiential training programs to address biomanufacturing talent gaps in good laboratory, manufacturing, clinical, regulatory practices, bioprocessing and facilities management.
Support small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) by providing access to research expertise, collaborative research spaces, product development, GMP manufacturing and clinical development networks.
Embed equity, diversity, and inclusion best practices throughout our program