If you are a researcher in Canada and you think you have a candidate for a corona virus drug,
Darwyn Kobasa is
the guy you need to test it for you at
the only Containment Level 4 Lab in Canada, in Winnipeg Manitoba.
" the entire lab is built within extra walls to prevent a potential breach. Imagine it like a box-within-a-box. Scientists work with a dedicated breathing air supply and take chemical showers to decontaminate their suits. There are also layers of negative pressure zones – making sure the air always flows back into the lab when any doors are opened. When Canada must prepare for deadly global outbreaks of pathogens like Ebola, Lassa fever, and Nipah virus, CL4 labs are where the research is done...."
Dr. Kobasa is the head of the
High Containment Respiratory Virus Group, Special Pathogens, Public Health Agency of Canada National Microbiology Laboratory and was a major player in the development of the Ebola virus vaccine
A University of Ottawa led 3 lab team is screening potential Covid-19 drugs. When they find a drug that seems functional, they will send it to
Dr. Kobasa for testing, in the only place it is safe to test it - the level 4 containment lab in Winnipeg. If
Dr. Kobasa and his team can replicate their data they will test it on an adapted mouse model.
University of Guelph researchers are working on Covid-19 vaccines and when they have 2 candidates they are confident of they will send them to
Dr. Kobasa and his team for testing.
And now
Dr, Kobasa will be testing the Theralase's anti-viral vaccine in the containment level 4 lab on a mouse model.
This is Dr Kobasa's team: Allen Grolla (2020) Diagnostics Lead
Anders Leung Technician
Charlene Ranadheera Biologist
Courtney Meilleur Postdoctoral Associate
Derek Stein (2020) Post-Doctoral Fellow
Jim Strong Medical Officer
Jonathan Audet Biologist
Karla Emeterio Master Student
Marc-Antoine de la Vega (2017) Master's Student 204-789-7030
Nikesh Tailor
Rose Chan Student Researcher
Sebastian Dowhanik
Shane Jones (2018) Technician
Shihua He RA
Trina Racine (2018) Research Fellow Study Coordinator
Wenjun Zhu (2021) NSERC Research Fellow
Xiangguo Qiu Biologist
From yesterday's news release:
"
Darwyn Kobasa, Ph.D., Head, High Containment Respiratory Virus Group, Special Pathogens, PHAC/NML, stated "
Our research expertise will help assist Theralase® to research and develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine that is robust enough to vaccinate against the main phenotype of the disease and its emerging variants. NML has unique capacity to conduct preclinical research in animal models, that must occur in high containment laboratory space, which is essential to the development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine. I am delighted for having the opportunity of testing the Theralase® anti-viral platform technology at PHAC. The in-vitro data I have reviewed demonstrates that Theralase®'s PDCs have a very high log kill of various Biological Safety Laboratory ("BSL")-2 viruses at nanomolar concentrations. The focus of our CRA is to demonstrate these same results using the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is a BSL-3 virus. The tested efficacy in BSL-2 virus destruction, reported by Dr. Kevin Coombs of the University of Manitoba, shows that the
Theralase® PDC is comparable to, or better than, many other anti-virals that my lab has tested. I look forward to working with Dr. Arkady Mandel and the Theralase® team in the development of this exciting technology."
Another quote from Dr. Kobasa:
"In our conventional vaccine program we are developing methods and reagents required for rapid vaccine development that would be used in the event of a sudden appearance of new pandemic influenza virus. Our other interests include the development of novel vaccine strategies and vectors for vaccine delivery and approaches to optimize immunological responses to vaccination."