CIRION and Providence Therapeutics Collaborate to Support COVID-19 Clinical Research

Canada NewsWire

LAVAL, QC,Feb. 17, 2021/CNW/ – CIRION BioPharma Research Inc. (“CIRION”) a leading Contract Research Organization (CRO), and Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (“Providence”) a Canadian clinical stage company, alsoCanada’sleading mRNA vaccine company, have entered into a collaboration in which CIRION will provide Bioanalytical and Central Laboratory services for Providence PTX-COVID-19-B vaccine.

CIRION BioPharma Research Inc. Logo (CNW Group/CIRION BioPharma Research Inc.)

The CIRION and Providence collaboration will help accelerate development of a potential new Canadian Covid-19 vaccine, PTX-COVID-19-B.Providence has announced on January 26ththat the 1stsubject has been already dosed in the COVID-19 vaccine trial.

CIRION Biopharma will provide key laboratory testing and assay development work in the trial including safety testing, PCR testing, PBMC analysis, develop and validate GLP assays to be used to test the applicable samples collected throughout the trial.

Providence will draw on CIRION’s scientific, operational and drug development expertise throughout the program.

Providence PTX-COVID19-B is a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine and is the first fully made-in Canada COVID vaccine to reach this stage of development and Health Canada’s approval to research. For more information related to this trial please see the Open Letter posted on Providences website: https://www.providencetherapeutics.com/an-open-letter-to-the-government-of-canada

About Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc.

Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc., a clinical stage company located at 335, 25 Street S.E.Calgary, AB, T2A 7H8, isCanada’sleading mRNA vaccine company. In response to a worldwide need for a COVID-19 vaccine,Providence has expanded its focus beyond oncology and devoted its energy and resources to develop a world-class mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. Providence Therapeutics is focused on serving the needs of Canada, and other countries that may be underserved by large pharmaceutical programs.

For more information, please visit www.ProvidenceTherapeutics.com.

About CIRION BioPharma Research

CIRION BioPharma Research Inc. is a knowledge-based CRO specializing in both GLP-certified Large Molecule Bioanalytical and Global Central Laboratory services. CIRION provides PK, Immunogenicity, Cell-based and Biomarker assays to the biopharmaceutical industry worldwide to support their development of biologics, biosimilars and vaccines products. This includes assay development and validation, and sample analysis (under GLP conditions) for all phases of drug development. CIRION’s Bioanalytical development capabilities are supported by its equally well established Global Central Laboratory services, providing global management of multinational and multi trial clinical research projects, including kit production and management as well as logistical, clinical laboratory testing and specimen storage services worldwide through its network of CAP–accredited central laboratories. Certified by the Standards Council ofCanada(SCC) as a GLP facility, CIRION is also accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), being able to provide clinical laboratory services throughoutthe United Statesand other countries.For more information, please visit www.Cirion.com.Current Pandemic Update:Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020 CIRION BioPharma Research Inc., has offered testing services for the screening and clinical diagnosis of COVID–19.

The detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA is a prerequisite for the diagnosis of an acute infection with this new coronavirus (COVID-19). CIRION implemented the TaqPath™ COVID-19 Combo multiplex rt-PCR assay for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in upper respiratory tract specimens. In addition, CIRION also offers the Roche Diagnostics Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay for the qualitative detection of antibodies (including IgG) to SARS-CoV-2 in human serum and plasma. This assay is intended as an aid in the determination of the immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2 infection. These assays are approved as in-vitro diagnostic kit by the FDA and Health Canada authorities and are CE–marked.

These testing services are offered to support patients from public and private health organizations, for research, for corporations interested in identifying infected employees to mitigate the business risk related to an outbreak of COVID–19, and for international travelers to countries requiring certification of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test.Visit www.cirion.com

SOURCE CIRION BioPharma Research Inc.CisionView original content to download multimedia:http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2021/17/c8918.html