PEI Biotechnology Company Will Soon Expand
Somru Bioscience Inc. is an emerging biotechnology company dedicated to developing antibody and immunoassay solutions for research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The technology developed by Somru helps its clients bring affordable life-saving bio-therapeutics to the market sooner. Since 2012, the company has continued to expand the products and services it provides and is now ready to grow again.
Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development, and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA); and the Honourable Heath MacDonald, PEI Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, joined officials from Somru BioScience Inc. to announce federal and provincial support for the company’s expansion.
Through its Business Development Program, ACOA will provide a repayable contribution of $500,000 to Somru BioScience Inc., to assist with the construction of a new 5,000 square foot facility in the BioCommons Research Park. Through the construction and operation of a new facility, the company will achieve increased efficiencies enabling it to deliver quality products that respond to customer needs in a timely manner. The Government of Prince Edward Island will provide a repayable contribution of $350,000 to assist with the construction of the facility and $100,000 in non-repayable support to assist with the purchase of the land.
Somru BioScience Inc. was originally located at the National Research Centre of Canada (NRC) Industrial Partnership Facility at the University of Prince Edward Island. The company’s first expansion enabled it to relocate to a new business location in Charlottetown’s West Royalty Business Park. Through a user agreement with the Atlantic Veterinary College, Somru uses the College’s animal facilities to house the chickens it requires for antibody generation. The current expansion will enable the company to consolidate its animal holding and antibody production facilities. Somru BioScience Inc. plans to create 12 to 15 new positions in the next 12 to 18 months.
Quotes
“We continue to celebrate internationally recognized companies in the PEI bioscience sector which highlights the fact that big things come out of our small Island. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting companies like Somru BioScience that are developing breakthrough technologies and playing a positive role in our economy.”
- Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown
“Somru Bioscience Inc. is on the cutting edge of the bio-medical field and a major contributor to the province’s bio-science industry. The construction of this new facility will allow the company to grow, to develop new products and to double its workforce. It’s another potent example of the hard work and determination of our province’s entrepreneurs.”
- The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism
“The ground breaking of new laboratory facility sparks the global success and expanding demands for our product and technologies. We plan to aggressively grow the company and the technologies so we can continue to help our clients bring affordable biotherapeutics to the market sooner. For us, this is just the beginning.”
- Mohammed Moin, Co-founder & Vice President, Business Development, Somru BioScience Inc.
Media contact:
Andrew Sprague
Senior Communications Officer
Department of Economic Development and Tourism
asgsprague@gov.pe.ca
902-368-5535