U of S and Partners Celebrate Grand Opening of $17.8 M VIDO Expansion

Posted October 16, 2003


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 16, 2003 2003-10-14-VIDO

U of S and Partners Celebrate Grand Opening of $17.8 M VIDO Expansion

Canada's capacity to fight human and animal disease and address food safety
challenges received a boost today with the opening of a new $17.8-million
expansion of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the
University of Saskatchewan.

A global leader in vaccine and infectious disease research, VIDO has added
50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art lab space and equipment, as well as
new office space. Since the expansion was announced two years ago, VIDO has
recruited more than 50 research scientists and technicians, bringing its
staff to more than 135, and will continue to grow.

The new labs and world-class scientific staff will enable VIDO to probe the
molecular processes involved in infection and development of immunity,
ultimately leading to new vaccines that will protect the health of humans
and animals. The expansion will greatly extend VIDO's resources for genomics
and proteomics research, both areas with significant application to human
health. As well, VIDO's aggressive pursuit of new needle-free vaccine
delivery systems, such as oral and intra-nasal delivery, and its food safety
vaccine initiative best exemplified by an E. coli vaccine being developed
for cattle, will be bolstered by the expansion.

"This expansion of VIDO is concrete proof of why the Government of Canada is
committed to strengthening Western Canada's research capacity," Public Works
and Government Services Minister Ralph Goodale said on behalf of Stephen
Owen, Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Indian Affairs
and Northern Development). "VIDO and other pioneering centres of research
are attracting the best and brightest to our communities. They are helping
to reinvigorate the local economy and, ultimately, will improve our quality
of life in Saskatchewan."

"Western Economic Diversification Canada is working with VIDO and other
university, industry and private sector partners to build research centres
that will elevate the West to the pinnacle of Canadian and worldwide
innovation," said Stephen Owen, Secretary of State (Western Economic
Diversification) (Indian Affairs and Northern Development).

"The CFI's investment in VIDO will help to support the development of
world-class expertise in this community," said David Strangway, President
and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. "By supporting
state-of-the-art infrastructure projects like the one being announced today,
the CFI is helping to modernize the research landscape in Canada."

"This stunning expansion is a testament to the vision of VIDO director
Lorne Babiuk and our funding partners who have recognized the enormous value
of building research capacity on our campus," said U of S President Peter
MacKinnon. "The expansion of this internationally recognized institute will
attract more top minds in infectious disease research to the U of S and
build on our already impressive infrastructure for world-class research and
graduate training."

"With these new labs and an expanded scientific staff, we are well-equipped
to undertake ground-breaking research that will define the next generation
of products for both animal and human health," said VIDO director Lorne
Babiuk, a U of S Canada Research Chair in Vaccinology and Biotechnology. His
multidisciplinary team includes immunologists, epidemiologists, virologists,
veterinarians and clinicians, biochemists, molecular biologists, biomedical
engineers, and pharmacists.

Wholly owned by the U of S, VIDO operates with substantial support from the
governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta, as well as federal government and
industry competitive grants.

Construction of the expansion began in October 2001, and was initially
budgeted at $14.3-million. Funding was provided by the Government of
Saskatchewan ($5.15 million), the Canada Foundation for Innovation ($5.15
million), Western Economic Diversification (WD) ($2 million) and the
Government of Alberta ($2 million). VIDO's success in attracting a
$27-million Genome Canada investment allowed a third floor to be added.
Through the Genome Canada award, WD provided an additional $2.5 million and
the Province of Saskatchewan (Industry and Resources) $500,000. The U of S
contributed $500,000 for a fully equipped conference centre.

VIDO is renowned for the research, development and commercialization of
products used by producers in the food animal industry. It is credited with
five "world firsts" in animal vaccine research, including the world's first
genetically engineered vaccine to combat shipping fever in cattle. VIDO
currently holds more than 50 biotechnology patents and has 27 pending. It
collaborates with research institutes around the world and with more than 30
commercial companies.

With more space, equipment and staff, VIDO will also be able to take full
advantage of the research opportunities at the Canadian Light Source
(www.lightsource.ca) which opens next year on the U of S campus.

More information is available at http://www.vido.org.

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Contact information:

Kathryn Warden
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2506
www.usask.ca

Tess Laidlaw
Communications, VIDO
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2568
www.vido.org

Valérie Poulin
Coordinator - Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
www.innovation.ca
613) 996-3160

Joanne Mysak
Manager, Consultations, Marketing and Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
(306) 975-5942, 1-888-338-9378
www.wd.gc.ca

VIDO Backgrounder

The Organization
- The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) is located in
Saskatoon, Sask. on the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) campus
- VIDO was created in 1975 with a mandate to develop vaccines for the
protection of livestock against serious and economically devastating
diseases, and to ensure the technology reached the producer.
- VIDO has gone from a staff of five temporarily housed in trailers to a new
name, a brand-new state-of-the-art building, and more than 135 employees and
researchers occupying 80,000 square feet.
- VIDO's facilities include modern virology, immunology, bacteriology and
biochemistry labs and a 160-acre research station.
- VIDO is a not-for-profit research centre wholly owned by the U of S and
operates with substantial support from the governments of Alberta and
Saskatchewan, as well as the Government of Canada and industry competitive
grants. VIDO's annual research revenue exceeds $10 million.
- VIDO has recently applied to the Canada Foundation for Innovation to
create an international, Level 3 vaccine research and development centre.

The Research
- VIDO is internationally recognized for the design of many vaccines and
products increasing productivity and improving health and quality of life
for livestock.
- The national and international animal health industry has adopted VIDO
technology and products for use in disease prevention programs. For example,
the Organization created the first genetically engineered subunit animal
vaccine, and was the first to demonstrate that DNA immunization, known to
lead to a long-lasting and broad spectrum immune response, could be
effective in cattle.
- VIDO is known for its research into new vaccination strategies for
improving protection and ease of delivery of vaccines for both human and
animal diseases.
- The Organization hosts visiting scientists and also provides a challenging
and rewarding training environment for undergraduates, postgraduates, and
postdoctoral fellows.

The Director
VIDO director Lorne Babiuk, a professor of veterinary microbiology at the
University of Saskatchewan, holds a Canada Research Chair in Vaccinology and
Biotechnology. His many awards and honours also include a U of S
Distinguished Researcher Award, a Canadian Society of Microbiology Award, a
Rotarian Wheel Award in Science, the Emerging Science in Technology Award
for Innovation, and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.

Corporate success
- VIDO continues to be competitive nationally and internationally, with 52
awarded patents and 27 patents pending as of the fall of 2003.
- The Organization participates in collaborative agreements and research
contracts with a growing number of multinational animal health and
pharmaceutical companies, along with government and academic institutions.
- VIDO has recently teamed up with the University of British Columbia and
two corporate partners, Pyxis Genomics Canada Inc. and Inimex
Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Vancouver B.C., to lead a $27-million national
genomics project funded by Genome Canada through Genome Prairie. The project
will apply the science of genomics and proteomics to revealing mechanisms of
mucosal immune responses to infection.

Public visits are encouraged and welcomed, preferably by appointment.

Current VIDO Research Activities Include:

- Development of bovine mastitis vaccines
- Determination of pathogenesis and development of a vaccine against porcine
circovirus (swine)
- Development of vaccines for E. coli infection in poultry
- Creation of novel genetically engineered live viral and bacterial vaccines
- Studying mechanisms of mucosal immunity
- Developing new vaccine formulation and delivery systems including "needle
free"
- Developing food safety vaccines (E. coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter)

Successes in Vaccine Development:

- Pneumo-Star(tm), the world's first subunit genetically engineered
commercial veterinary vaccine against Pasteurella infection in cattle
- Somnu-Star Ph(tm) and Somnu-Star(tm) against H. somnus and Pasteurella
infection in cattle
- Vicogen(tm), world's first calf scours vaccine protecting against K-99 E.
coli enteritis
- Ecolan-RC(tm), vaccine for calf scours, protecting against K-99 E. coli,
rotavirus and coronavirus enteritis
- Hevlan-TC(tm), type II adenovirus vaccine against hemorrhagic enteritis in
turkeys and splenomegaly of chickens
- Pleuro-Star 4(tm), a recombinant subunit vaccine for Actinobacillus
pleuropneumoniae infection in swine