How much funding can be received?

There is no informations about how much funding can be received.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant?

NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant is funded by National Research Council Canada (NRC), Government of Canada

What are NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant's eligibility criterias?

The applicant must be involved in biotechnology, focusing on the production and purification of biologics or vaccines. The project should require access to advanced bioprocessing services and equipment for cell culture scale-up. The applicant must seek to optimize or mimic existing cGMP-compatible bioprocesses for potential transition to a contract manufacturing organization.

NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant

Last Update: July 22, 2025

QC, Canada

Biologics and vaccine production facility in Montreal

NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant at a glance

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Timeline

Open Date : November 14, 2019

Financing Type

Researchers And Facilities

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Professional, scientific and technical services
Health care and social assistance

Grant Providers

National Research Council Canada (NRC)
Government of Canada

Program status

Open

Overview of the NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant program

Fee-for-service cell culture pilot plant offering development and scale-up for the production of biologics and vaccines using CHO, HEK 293 and other animal cell expression systems.

Eligible projects & activities

This grant facilitates the development and optimization of bioprocesses for biologics and vaccines, focusing on leveraging advanced cell culture systems. Eligible projects aim to enhance scale-up, purification, and production capabilities.

Development and scale-up of batch, fed-batch, or perfusion cell culture processes up to 500 L scale for biologics production.
Scale-up of viral production and purification processes.
Scale-up of transient transfection processes.
Development of cell culture media and feeding strategies for process optimization.
In-process assay development to ensure robust production outcomes.
Customized, hands-on training on bioreactor operation up to 500 L scale for technology transfer and workforce development.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 220,000

Development of custom cell culture media for the optimization of an antibody production process

$ 200,000

Conducting hands-on training for bioreactor operation up to 500 L scale

$ 250,000

Developing a 500 L scale bioreactor process for vaccine production using CHO cells

$ 270,000

Development and scale-up of a perfusion cell culture process for biologics production

$ 280,000

Optimization of transient transfection processes for the production of therapeutic proteins

$ 300,000

Scale-up of viral production processes for gene therapy applications

Eligibility criteria of the NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant program

Eligibility criteria:

Canadian biotechnology companies
Businesses involved in pilot-scale production and purification of biologics, viral vectors, and vaccines

Who is eligible?

This program is ideal for biotechnology companies involved in the pilot-scale production and purification of recombinant proteins, viral vectors, and vaccines. It is particularly suited for those aiming to optimize cGMP-compatible bioprocesses and work towards a robust Canadian biomanufacturing sector. The program supports the scale-up process using advanced bioprocessing services and equipment.

Eligible expenses

The grant supports projects focused on advancing bioprocessing services and equipment for the production of biologics and vaccines. It emphasizes process development and scale-up for various cell culture systems and optimization strategies.

Development and scale-up of batch, fed-batch, or perfusion cell culture processes up to 500 L scale for biologics production.
Scale-up of viral production and purification processes.
Scale-up of transient transfection processes.
Development of cell culture media and feeding strategies for process optimization.
In-process assay development.
Customized, hands-on training on bioreactor operation up to 500 L scale.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is aimed at fostering the Canadian biomanufacturing sector, suggesting a focus on companies within Canada. The explicit geographical eligibility details are not provided in the available text.

Eligibility criteria of the NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant program

Grant applications will be assessed based on key criteria including scientific excellence, feasibility, impact, and alignment with the objectives of the Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre.

Scientific excellence
Feasibility of the proposed project
Potential impact of the project
Alignment with the objectives of the Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre

How to apply to the NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant program

Of course! Please provide the French text you'd like me to translate into English.

Understand the eligibility criteria for the grant
Consult the specific requirements related to research and development projects
Check if your company meets the funding criteria

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Prepare the required documentation for the grant application
Gather information on the project, objectives, proposed budgets, etc.
Check the submission deadlines for applications and the procedures to follow

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Write the project proposal, highlighting the strengths and innovation
Present a detailed work plan and a marketing strategy if necessary
Adjust the proposal according to the specific expectations of the grant

Of course! Please provide the French text you'd like translated into English.

Submit the grant application within the designated deadlines
Ensure that all required documents are included and complete
Be prepared to answer any questions from the evaluators if needed

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

The NRC’s Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre offers specific expertise in developing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and cell-based assays.
The facility enables the transition from bench-scale process optimization to up to 500 L scale production.
The team provides customized, hands-on training on bioreactor operation up to a 500 L scale.
The cell culture pilot plant functions as an ideal facility for emerging technologies and facilitates transfer of optimized bioprocesses to a CMO.
The NRC owns proprietary versions of the HEK293 cell line, namely HEK293SF-3F6 and HEK293-6E.

Documents and links

NRC — Cell Culture Pilot Plant

Apply to this program

Tax deduction for manufacturing SMEs' transportation costs in remote areas