Malvern-based Ocugen, which is working to bring the Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine to the U.S., has entered into a deal to buy a manufacturing plant in Canada. John George expanded the report of the additional location for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Ocugen has signed a nonbinding letter of intent to acquire a dormant manufacturing site in Belleville, Ontario, from Liminal BioSciences for an undisclosed amount. This site would make it possible for Ocugen to expand its manufacturing and research and development activities that support its pipeline. This now includes making Covaxin, as well as gene therapy candidates that target retinal diseases.

“We believe establishing a manufacturing and R&D hub for our biotechnology platform is the right investment and next evolution of our business,” said Dr. Shankar Musunuri, CEO and co-founder of Ocugen. “This site, after transformation into a state-of-the-art hub, with the support of the regional talent pool can help bring our products — from vaccines to our modifier gene therapy assets — to the patients we will serve globally.”

If the deal closes and the vaccine receives the necessary regulatory approval in Canada, the first product manufactured in the upgraded facility will be Covaxin.

Read more about Ocugen in the Philadelphia Business Journal.