Medipost's Canadian Affiliate Completes CGT CDMO Facility Construction

Medipost recently announced on the 21st that its affiliate, OmniaBio, a Canada-based cell and gene therapy (CGT) contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specialist, has completed construction of a new CGT CDMO facility and held an opening ceremony. The event was attended not only by Medipost officials but also by Michael May, Chairman of the Board of OmniaBio, and Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.

Aerial view of OmniaBio's CGT CDMO facility located in Ontario, Canada
[Photo by Medipost]

In 2022, Medipost made an investment in OmniaBio by acquiring existing shares and convertible bonds worth a total of 90 million Canadian dollars (approximately 90 billion KRW) to enter the North American market. Through the acquisition of existing shares, Medipost currently holds a 44.98% stake in OmniaBio, and upon the conversion of the convertible bonds into common stock in 2027, it will become the largest sole shareholder.

OmniaBio’s new production facility broke ground in October 2022 at McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The facility spans 7,500 square meters (approximately 2,300 pyeong), and combined with the existing 3,700 square meter production facility in Toronto, it now possesses a total production capacity of 11,200 square meters (approximately 3,400 pyeong). This is described as the largest CGT CDMO capacity in Canada.

OmniaBio plans to initiate commercialization at the new facility by developing and manufacturing Medipost’s Cartistem drug for the Phase 3 clinical trial in the United States. Subsequently, it will also produce Cartistem for supply to the North American market. Cartistem is an allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell product used to treat knee cartilage defects in patients with osteoarthritis caused by degenerative or repetitive trauma.

Michael May, Chairman of the Board of OmniaBio, stated, “With the opening of this new facility, OmniaBio has gained strong competitiveness in the field of regenerative medicine, including cell and gene therapies. Leveraging geographic advantages close to the U.S. border and Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest international airport, as well as the adoption of advanced technologies such as robotics, biosensors, and artificial intelligence (AI), we aim to grow OmniaBio into a global CDMO company capable of attracting global pharmaceutical and biotech companies as well as innovative Canadian enterprises.”

Lee Seung-jin, Head of Medipost’s Global Business Division (Executive Director), also said, “Medipost has a successful DNA of developing umbilical cord blood stem cell therapies from basic science to commercialization over the past 20 years. Through global market expansion, including the completion of patient enrollment for Cartistem’s Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan and plans for the U.S. Phase 3 clinical trial, we will grow Medipost into a global company.”