From: Businesswire.com

News release

Published Jun 03, 2024 

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation, a leading innovator in scientific research and development, is thrilled to announce that it has secured a lease agreement to construct and operate a shared, multi-tenant wet lab facility at 2599 Speakman Drive in Mississauga, Ontario. This facility marks a significant milestone in advancing collaborative research and fostering innovation within the Ontario scientific community. 

The Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), is investing $5 million in SPEC Labs to support the not-for-profit corporation’s efforts in creating this new wet lab facility. Located strategically in Mississauga, the facility will offer a cutting-edge environment for researchers, graduating startups, and established companies to conduct experiments and pursue groundbreaking discoveries.

“The Hamilton-Toronto corridor contains the largest life sciences community in Canada and has one of the largest clusters of life sciences companies in North America,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “With this investment, SPEC Labs is helping to address a critical gap in this ecosystem by creating a dedicated wet lab space where companies can collaborate, grow their products, and thrive here in southern Ontario.”

SPEC Labs envisions this facility as a hub for cross-disciplinary collaboration, where scientists from various fields can converge to accelerate scientific innovation.

“We are excited to embark on this venture, creating a collaborative space that will fuel scientific discovery and technological advancements,” said Doris Qamar, CEO of SPEC Labs. “This facility will not only serve as a state-of-the-art research and development centre but also as a catalyst for fostering partnerships and knowledge exchange among the scientific community.”

Leading Ontario life sciences organizations celebrated the addition of much needed shared wet labs facilities for the sector.

“I applaud SPEC Labs’ commitment to increasing the inventory of wet lab space in Ontario,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO® and SPEC Labs Board member. “Our province is home to a burgeoning life sciences and biomanufacturing sector, but too many growing companies are forced to leave Ontario due to lack of lab space. Developments like the facility at Speakman Drive will enable our region to realize its potential as a hub for commercialization of the groundbreaking IP coming out of our universities and hospitals.”

“The establishment of this facility by SPEC Labs is a significant investment for Ontario’s life sciences ecosystem,” said Jason Field, President and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario. “The need for wet-lab space to enable innovative companies to grow and scale here in the GTA is acute. This investment will be a key catalyst as Ontario looks to solidify its position as a global leader in life sciences.”

Mississauga’s Director of Economic Development also expressed support for SPEC Labs and the establishment of the wet lab facility in the city. “We are delighted to welcome SPEC Labs to Mississauga. This investment will provide the essential resources and infrastructure needed by our scale-up and expanding life sciences businesses,” said Christina Kakaflikas. “By offering access to such specialized spaces, these businesses can continue to innovate and grow while taking full advantage of Mississauga’s skilled talent and connected ecosystem.”

The lease was also met with enthusiasm from the commercial real estate community who see SPEC Labs as a valuable addition to the local business landscape.

“We are pleased to welcome SPEC Labs to Slate Office REIT’s property at Speakman Drive, which offers a central and strategic location in Mississauga’s research and innovation hub,” said Andrew Broad, Vice President at Slate Asset Management. “Life sciences is a rapidly growing sector with strong tailwinds, and Slate Office REIT looks forward to providing SPEC Labs with high-quality space that will enable them to contribute to the growth and vibrancy of the scientific and business communities in Mississauga.”

Scott Mulligan, Broker of Record with CDNGlobal Toronto added, “The SPEC Labs model is greatly needed in the Canadian life sciences landscape. It fills a void for this sector and will be an integral part of growing the life sciences sector in the Canadian economy. It is a pleasure working with the very experienced executive team at SPEC Labs, and we are also proud to be a supporter.”

The construction and development of the wet lab facility have commenced, with an anticipated completion date in Q2 2025. SPEC Labs invites the scientific community, local businesses, and stakeholders to join them in celebrating this exciting development that promises to shape the future of scientific research and discovery.

About SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation:

SPEC Labs is a pioneering company at the forefront of scientific research and development. Committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation, SPEC Labs focuses on creating collaborative spaces and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to drive advancements in various scientific disciplines.

About FedDev Ontario:

For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our investment profiles, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240603433574/en/

Contacts

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sam Ricchezza
Chief Alliance Officer
sam@speclabs.ca

Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

From: Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

News release

FedDev Ontario invests $5 million in SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement in Biomedical Innovation to support a new 20,000-square-foot dedicated wet lab space in Mississauga for innovative life science companies

May 31, 2024 – Mississauga, Ontario              

The Toronto-Hamilton corridor has gained international recognition as a powerhouse for generating cutting-edge life sciences start-up companies, owing to its robust research and development ecosystem, highly skilled workforce and renowned academic institutions. The Government of Canada is committed to fostering innovation and driving growth within the life sciences sector through strategic investments and collaborative initiatives.

Today, Charles Sousa, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Member of Parliament for Mississauga–Lakeshore, on behalf of the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced an investment of $5 million for SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation (SPEC Labs). SPEC Labs, is a not-for-profit corporation that provides ready-to-use lab facilities and access to world-class equipment and expertise to assist life science companies poised for scaling up and expanding.

Through this investment, SPEC Labs will address a critical need for lab space in southern Ontario’s life sciences sector by establishing a new 20,000-square-foot dedicated wet lab that meets the needs of companies specializing in biotechnology, health technology, medical technology, therapeutics, and cell and gene therapies. The new space will provide needed state-of-the-art equipment to support these companies as they advance from an initial incubator or accelerator stage to the next stage of growth where they can conduct clinical trials and initiate sales. This will help keep these innovative companies in Canada and help Canadians live longer and healthier lives. 

The Government of Canada is committed to fostering inclusive environments for Canadian companies by equipping them with the necessary tools to innovate, grow, improve the lives of Canadians, and compete on the global stage.

Quotes

“The Hamilton-Toronto corridor contains the largest life sciences community in Canada and has one of the largest clusters of life sciences companies in North America. With this investment, SPEC Labs is helping to address a critical gap in this ecosystem by creating a dedicated wet lab space where companies can collaborate, grow their products, and thrive right here in southern Ontario.”
– The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

“Mississauga is more than a city; it’s a dynamic hub that contributes significantly to southern Ontario's prosperity. This strategic investment made today by the Government of Canada for SPEC Labs demonstrates our continued support for the growing life sciences sector and its critical importance to our local economy, driving innovation, and improving Canadians’ health.”
– Charles Sousa, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Member of Parliament for Mississauga–Lakeshore

“The investment from FedDev Ontario to support life science companies in commercializing their technologies provides essential infrastructure to bolster Canada's world-class life science organizations. This space will become the central hub for partnerships and knowledge exchange within the scientific community.”
– Doris Qamar, Chief Executive Officer, SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation

Quick facts

• Incorporated in 2023, Mississauga-based SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation (SPEC Labs) is Canada’s space for scaling life science companies. 

• Since 2015, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has invested nearly $130 million in more than 160 projects in Mississauga (Census Subdivision), creating over 2,000 jobs and maintaining over 11,800 jobs.

• Since November 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested nearly $230 million in over 55 projects in the life sciences sector, creating nearly 3,800 jobs and maintaining over 2,500 jobs.

Associated links

• SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation

• FedDev Ontario

Contacts

Edward Hutchinson                                                                                              
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

Media Relations
FedDev Ontario
feddevontariomediarelations-relationsmedias@feddevontario.gc.ca

The SPEC Labs Centre for Biomedical Innovation is pleased to announce today the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors.  Joining the SPEC Labs Board are:

Dr. Maura Campbell is the President and CEO of the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®), a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization. Dr. Campbell has more than 30 years of experience in all key areas of biotech, including private and public companies, universities and research institutes, and government-funded public sector research organizations (National Centre of Excellence [NCE]). Based on intellectual property (IP) developed at three Ontario academic institutes, Dr. Campbell helped spin out Turnstone Biologics, which recently went public on the NASDAQ. Previously, Dr. Campbell served as Director, Intellectual Property at VBI Vaccines. Before that, she worked at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) as a Senior Research Program Manager, where she oversaw the oncolytic vaccine project commercialization. Earlier in her career, Dr. Campbell was the Director of Intellectual Property for PainCeptor Pharma Corporation, the Manager of Technology Transfer & Commercialization for the OHRI, and the Manager of Technology Transfer at the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems NCE. She has also served as an IP consultant to a number of Canadian start-ups including Neurochem, Conjuchem, Aonix, AMRIC and Sussex Research Labs. Dr. Campbell received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, and an M.Sc. and a B.Sc. in biochemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston. Most recently, Dr. Campbell accepted an appointment to the Ontario Life Sciences Council, joining eleven other industry experts to support a plan to make Ontario a top hub for innovation growth and life sciences investment.

“The availability of web lab space is absolutely essential for innovative start-ups and scaling biotech companies to stay and thrive in Ontario, “ said Dr. Maura Campell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “I am thrilled to join SPEC Labs as a board member and look forward to bringing my expertise in the management of early-stage companies to grow the Ontario life sciences sector.”

Dr. Pamela Plant, is a Genomics Specialist and Adjunct Scientist and at the Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Science at Unity Health Toronto (St Michael’s Hospital) and experienced in the ecosystem of basic science to clinical translation. She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in the Department of Biochemistry followed by fellowships at the CHUV, University of Lausanne and the Lunenfeld Institute at Mt Sinai Hospital. Dr. Plant has been with St. Michael’s for over 10 years where she has developed her interest in molecular diagnostics research and has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles. As an application scientist in the area of molecular biology and biochemistry she provides support to the research community with experimental design, data acquisition, analysis and representation. She has helped to bring in millions of dollars of vital new infrastructure to the Institute and is dedicated to integrating these innovative technologies in the KRCBS. She has sat on numerous committees such as the Research Training Center and Biosafety Committee. Dr. Plant is passionate about trainee education and began the Research Core Facilities “Core Clinics” educational program, where specialists run dozens of unique courses for trainees in a broad range of basic science techniques. She has been dedicated to promoting scientific literacy in the community through her involvement in scientific outreach programs for high school students, in Pathways to Education and Women in STEM programs through the public library system. Dr. Plant lectures at the University of Toronto Institute for Medical Science with a focus on graduate professional development.

Dr. Plant is thrilled to be included on the SPEC board, along with the other highly qualified and committed members, to help guide the company in fulfilling the space needs of start-ups in Ontario’s burgeoning Biomedical Industry. She will bring her depth of experience in Core Facilities management and her expertise in the ecosystem of basic science to clinical translation to the team.

Dr. Leyla Soleymani is a Professor at the Department of Engineering Physics at McMaster University and the Associate Vice President Research, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship. Her research is focused on developing new medical devices for point-of-care diagnostics and infection prevention. Dr. Soleymani has experience in translating research-based discoveries to the market.

“We are honored that we have the support of life science and biotechnology trailblazers on our newly formed board of directors, Drs Campbell, Plant and Soleymani offer comprehensive and varied experiences in the world of research commercialization,” said Doris Qamar, Executive Director. “We welcome them and are excited to work under their guidance.”

About SPEC Labs Centre for Advancement of Biomedical Innovation.

 SPEC Labs is Canada’s premier shared wet lab space for scaling life science companies, including those graduating from university incubators and accelerators.

 SPEC Labs is dedicated to providing companies with turn-key facilities and access to world-class equipment and expertise. Its spaces are located strategically, in the heart of Canada’s largest life science sectors alongside leading teaching hospitals, research universities, and scientific boards.

 SPEC Labs also supports online and international companies who want to access North American markets. It provides all tenants advice on compliance, procurement, health and safety, and other essential business and operational topics.

SPEC Labs announced today the signing of a term sheet to create a Mississauga-Lifescience Campus. The term sheet discusses ~20,000sqft premises to be converted to a co-working wet lab facility for scaling biotechnology companies. This facility will be the first of its kind in Canada.

 The GTA is a premier hub for the biopharmaceutical industry, it houses Canada’s largest hospital networks,  leading medical research centers and the Canadian headquarters for some of the world’s pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. There is a large unmet need for wet lab space in Mississauga, the GTA and across the country.  In Canada, there is a 13 million square foot unmet need for wet lab space. Scientific discovery and development is at a critical point where innovation is halted because of the lack of available physical space to carry out the required testing and evaluation. 

In Mississauga, as in other locations across Canada, life science companies start in academic institutions and hospital laboratories. When a successful life science company reaches a critical mass and needs to move to a larger space to accommodate their increasing size, they are unable to find space. These companies are then forced to move abroad taking valuable people, jobs and knowledge with them. SPEC Labs is building shared wet lab facilities to support scaling companies, starting in Mississauga.

SPEC Labs turn-key lab facilities provide access to equipment and expertise in close proximity to members of scientific advisory boards, teaching hospitals, academic institutions, and other researchers and experts in the life sciences sector. SPEC Labs provides office and lab space for companies graduating from academic incubators or accelerators, as well as scaling life science, biotechnology, and medtech companies. We also provide support for virtual companies and international companies wishing to access North American markets. For all tenants and members of SPEC Lab facilities, we also provide additional lab operations, health and safety, compliance, procurement, security, and legal support.