March 13, 2025
Lipids are essential to life, and Alberta's expertise in producing them is driving advancements in the life sciences sector and boosting our domestic vaccine manufacturing capabilities.
Medical supply shortages are a growing global concern, leaving Canada exposed to health and economic risks associated with reliance on the global manufacturing of vaccines and other therapeutic applications.
Lipids, a form of fat, are a core component of RNA vaccine production in that they encapsulate RNA molecules. These fats assemble into nanoparticles that are less than 100 nanometres in size (about 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair).
Currently, the large-scale production of lipids and lipid nanoparticles (LNP) is sparse in Canada, and shortages in lipid production is causing wait times of 12 to 18 months to secure a supply.
Northern RNA Inc.’s (NRNA) Next Generation Lipids Manufacturing Project, funded by Alberta Innovates’ AICE-Validate program, aims to build a lipid manufacturing facility, establishing Canada’s first commercial-scale lipid production facility.
The facility will support the production of novel lipids at scales from pre-clinical to commercial, with GMP-grade cleanrooms and capabilities for LNP formulation.
This project is set to create significant direct and indirect employment opportunities, contributing to both economic and scientific growth; and reduce dependency on foreign suppliers which, in turn, will also reduce supplier wait times on lipid supplies, RNA vaccines, and other therapeutic applications.
The early commercial success of NRNA’s lipid manufacturing capability is expected to establish the company and province as a global market leader in current and next generation lipid production.