March 31, 2006
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Researchers in Prince Edward Island will be exploring ways
to improve the quality of milk for use as a diagnostic
tool, protect fish from disease, and use nutriscience to
create new food and skin-care products thanks to major
investments from the Government of Canada.The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(ACOA), today announced that the Government of Canada will
invest in five projects in Prince Edward Island through
ACOA's Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF).At a news conference held in Charlottetown this morning,
Minister MacKay announced that up to
$11.4 million will be awarded to the five projects that
support Prince Edward Island's growing expertise in
bioscience, nutriscience and health research. The selected
projects involve partnerships with private sector companies
and with the University of Prince Edward Island, and have a
total value of $22.4 million. More than half of the
projects have been generated from private business. The announcement comes as part of a series of announcements
today to release details on the 29 highly innovative
research and development projects throughout Atlantic
Canada receiving funding from the AIF."ACOA is making key investments in research and
development - investments that support the economic future
and competitiveness of Atlantic Canada," said Minister
MacKay. "It's about finding new ways of doing things,
creating new approaches, new products and services and
bringing them to markets around the world. The Government
of Canada is committed to supporting these kinds of
projects that bring new knowledge, new jobs and new
business opportunities to the Atlantic region."Minister MacKay also announced the process for accepting
proposals for the next round of projects to be funded under
the Atlantic Innovation Fund. Mandatory letters of intent
must be submitted to ACOA by May 10, 2006, and complete
project proposals must be submitted by June 28, 2006.
Detailed information is available on the ACOA website at:
www.acoa-apeca.gc.caACOA's Atlantic Innovation Fund is a Government of Canada
initiative designed to build the economy of Atlantic Canada
by increasing the region's capacity to carry out leading-
edge R&D that contributes directly to the development of
new technology-based economic activity. The objective of
the Fund is to increase R&D carried out in Atlantic
Canadian research facilities, which will lead to the launch
of new ideas, products, processes and services. The AIF projects announced today in Prince Edward Island
include:Chemaphor Inc.Carotenoid Oxidation Compounds: Nutriscience OpportunitiesNew compounds for skin care and food productsChemaphor Inc. uses its core expertise in organic chemistry
to develop premium products for the animal health,
cosmetics, pharmaceutical and specialty chemical markets.
The company is establishing a new facility on Prince Edward
Island for its research in carotenoid oxidation compounds.
Chemaphor's proprietary technology will be used to develop
a range of products with strong commercial potential
including pet products, livestock feed additives and anti-
aging skin creams. With total estimated project costs of
almost $3.1 million, this project will receive up to $2.1
million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a four-year
period.Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc.Research and Development of a Koi Herpesvirus VaccineDevelopment of immunizations to protect fish from diseaseNovartis Animal Health Canada Inc. (Novartis) is the world
leader in the research, development, licensing, and
manufacturing of vaccines for the aquaculture industry.
Novartis is developing an immunization strategy for the
prevention of koi herpesvirus, as well as technology for
the rapid identification of antigens in other target
diseases. While preventing KHV in koi carp is a priority
for hobbyists and sellers to protect the breeding, export,
wholesale and retail markets, the control of the disease
will reduce the risk of infection in the food carp industry
which is of great importance in developing nations. This
project, with total estimated costs of $2.5 million, will
receive up to $1.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation
Fund over a five-year period.PhycoBiologics Canada Inc.Development of Health Products for Humans and AnimalsImmunizations to improve productivity in the aquaculture
industryPhycoBiologics Canada Inc. is developing new and cost
effective technology to better deliver vaccines and
nutrients to animals. One of the company's applications is
an immunization protocol to optimize the efficiency of
vaccines, antimicrobial and growth peptides for farmed
salmonids. Globally, 10 to 30 per cent of farmed fish,
equivalent to US $2 billion, is lost annually due to
disease. The project, with total costs estimated at $2.2
million, will receive up to $1.5 million over the next
three years from the Atlantic Innovation Fund.University of Prince Edward Island - Atlantic Veterinary
CollegeAtlantic Centre for Bioproducts Valuation (ACBV)Development of new tools for pharmaceutical and molecular
researchThe creation of the Atlantic Centre for Bioproducts
Valuation (ACBV) will contribute to the growth of Prince
Edward Island's evolving bioscience cluster. ACBV will
operate in the niche area of preclinical studies and
provide researchers and companies with new tools to screen
compounds using animal models. This work will be used to
develop treatments for strokes (neurodegeneration),
neuroinflammation and metabolic disorders. The ACBV will
fill the critical gap between pre-clinical laboratory
studies and local phase one clinical testing. The project,
with total costs estimated at $9.7 million, will receive up
to $3 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over the
next five years.University of Prince Edward Island - Atlantic Veterinary
CollegeMaritime Quality MilkBetter testing to improve productivity and quality of milk
productsThe Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) is one of only four
veterinary colleges in the country. Since its
establishment in 1986, the AVC has earned an international
reputation for its ability to provide exceptional learning
opportunities, conduct varied, leading edge research and
offer expert veterinary service. The AVC's Maritime
Quality Milk (MQM) project is designed to provide an
integrated approach for development and marketing of milk-
based diagnostics for disease surveillance and indicators
of dairy productivity. This project, with total costs
estimated at $4.9 million, will receive up to $3 million
from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a five-year period.
- 30 -Comprehensive backgrounders on the Prince Edward Island
projects announced today are attached and will be available
on ACOA's website at 12:00 p.m. (AST): www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Krista Kelly
A/Director of Communications
ACOA Prince Edward Island
(902) 566-7569
Liette Lavallée
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Office: (506) 851-3142
Cell: (506) 874-6994
