AstraZeneca has announced plans to expand its research operations in Canada by bringing 500 highly skilled scientific and high-tech jobs to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The investment will support AstraZeneca's Research & Development Hub (R&D) in Mississauga, which focuses on global clinical studies in areas including breast, lung, and prostate cancer, COVID-19, and chronic kidney disease. The expansion also includes the establishment of a new Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease Development Hub, which will focus on rare disease research.
The decision to invest in Canada, and Ontario in particular, is a result of the network of world-class universities, hospitals, and research centers in the GTA and southern Ontario, as well as the diverse scientific talent pool available in the region. AstraZeneca values the Ontario government's recent introduction of the province's first-ever life sciences strategy, as well as its commitment to grow the biomanufacturing footprint and foster local innovation to improve healthcare. Additionally, the Federal government's Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy strengthens Canada's position as a globally competitive player with an integrated research ecosystem focused on delivering the best of science and innovation.
The expansion of the Mississauga-based R&D Hub, which has doubled in size since 2019, is currently leading over 120 global clinical studies involving patients in more than 50 countries. The new jobs, spanning a range of roles from digital health specialists to clinical scientists, will help to advance the understanding of investigational compounds that may one day become life-changing medicines for some of the most devastating conditions.
The announcement has been met with support from various government officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who sees the investment as positioning Canada as a world leader in the sector and delivering better health outcomes for Canadians while creating good jobs. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada, emphasized the results of Canada's Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, which has attracted major new investments from innovative global health leaders like AstraZeneca. Ontario Premier Doug Ford praised the investment as a game-changer for the life sciences industry, while Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga, expressed her gratitude for the investment, which will create highly-skilled jobs, strengthen innovation and R&D, and save lives through global research and the development of cutting-edge treatments for rare diseases.
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