Canada is up to the challenge of Omicron

For many, the COVID-19 pandemic brought tragedy and challenge. Yet, through all the hardships, governments and citizens bet on science to defeat COVID-19. That hope paid off and countries around the world are witnessing the miracles of science through COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines remain crucial in our fight against COVID, but new therapeutic treatments are also emerging as a vital tool in saving lives and returning the most vulnerable to their health and normality. Canada’s commitment to support the research and development of COVID-19 “rescue therapies” places “Made-in-Canada” front and center in finding solutions to our ongoing battle against the virus. As a physician and pharmaceutical entrepreneur, I’ve witnessed first-hand how the scientific community supported by governments willing to think big and long term can come together to help Canadian companies like ours develop treatments for those facing the worst effects of COVID-19. Edesa Biotech, a company which I founded, is a partner with the Canadian federal government in fighting COVID-19, here at home and globally. Par Nijhawan is a physician and pharmaceutical entrepreneur who founded Edesa Biotech. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Nijhawan In February 2021, the Canadian government announced financial support to develop experimental treatments for critically ill COVID-19 patients who were running out of drug treatment options because traditional approaches had failed. This support, through the government’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), allowed companies like Edesa to research new scientific discoveries. We are working to develop a monoclonal antibody therapy (EB05) as a treatment for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, the leading cause of death among COVID-19 patients. Importantly, this approach is not impacted by changes to the structure of the COVID-19 virus and the rise of new variants of concern, like Delta and Omicron. Thus far, our preliminary clinical trial results demonstrate that our scientific ingenuity, paired with government support, is already saving lives. Backed by the results of our clinical trials so far, as of fall 2021, EB05 has racked up some impressive results, including a nearly 70 per cent reduction in mortality in critically ill, hospitalized patients. With such strong data, this COVID treatment will be able to assist Canadians and the rest of the world to move past acute illness into the recovery phase. Federal funding enabled Edesa Biotech to rapidly ramp up the research and manufacturing of our therapeutic candidate. Canada offered the necessary infrastructure and services for the rollout of our clinical study, such as the availability of local research hospitals, research organizations, and pharmaceutical distribution channels. We were able to access a Level 3 biosafety lab at the University of Toronto, engage over twenty hospitals across Canada to participate in clinical research and application, manufacture thousands of doses and enroll more than 600 hospitalized patients for clinical studies in Canada and around the world. Of course, the success of this homegrown development program did not happen overnight. Canada’s accessible and diverse research talent pool and its world-class academic institutions made it possible to establish Edesa in Canada rather than in the traditional biotech hubs in the United States. In Edesa’s case, more than 75 per cent of our team trained at Canadian universities, and our employees reflect the widespread diversity and acceptance unique to Canada. Approximately 70 per cent of our Canadian employees are foreign-born, including myself. Canada’s proven ability to attract, develop, and train diverse scientific talent is a great start, but it is not enough. While there is much to praise about the Canadian commitment to science and innovation, this country still faces many challenges to becoming a leader in homegrown, innovative medicine. At the forefront of these challenges is Canada’s preparedness to address future pandemics or collaboratively manage our response over the long term now that the virus is endemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of domestic capacity to develop and produce therapeutics and vaccines, and the federal government has responded with its Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, a more robust Public Health Agency and the creation of a stand-alone Emergency Preparedness capability housed within the Privy Council Office. As we have been reminded with the continued emergence of new variants, including the Omicron variant, continuous scientific adaptation and coordination, including deploying our Canadian intellectual capital, is necessary to respond to these challenges. A pandemic preparedness plan for the 21st century must take into consideration this diversity of response as well as security of domestic supply. I remain optimistic about the great progress we can make as a country. When confronted with the tragedy of this pandemic, our government, businesses, universities and scientific community stepped up to the challenge. Importantly, this innovative therapy, along with other COVID-19 treatments, is providing hope to the world that the virus can soon be managed similar to other endemic diseases, regardless of new variants that may emerge. Par Nijhawan is a physician and pharmaceutical entrepreneur. Dr. Nijhawan is the founder and CEO, Edesa Biotech. Prior to Edesa, Dr. Nijhawan founded Medical Futures Inc., Digestive Health Clinic, and Exzell Pharma. He received his MD from the University of Ottawa and completed his internship at Yale University, and his internal medicine residency and fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. The Hill Times