Omniactive Health Technologies Officially Opens Doors
June 27th, 2012
OMNIACTIVE HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES OFFICIALLY OPENS DOORS AT PEI BIOCOMMONS FACILITY THANKS TO SUPPORT FROM FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS
CHARLOTTETOWN (PE) – June 27, 2012 – The opening of OmniActive Health Technologies’ new research and development facilities in Charlottetown marks the foundation of further growth in Prince Edward Island’s bioscience industry, the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and La Francophonie, and the Honourable Allen Roach, P.E.I. Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, said at the facility’s grand opening today.
“Our Government understands the key role innovative companies, like OmniActive Health Technologies, play in the growth of our economy,” said Minister Shea. “This new facility will stimulate further job creation in our region and ensure Atlantic Canada’s global competiveness.”
Minister Roach said the new facility will give OmniActive a base of operations for development, expansion and growth in North America. “OmniActive has been an important partner in our plans for development of the Island bioscience sector. The Government of Prince Edward Island has worked with this company as they establish an Island research presence at the National Research Council Charlottetown and now move to expand that presence into space within the Biocommons Manufacturing Centre,” said Minister Roach.
Jayant Deshpande, President of OmniActive Health Technologies (Canada) Limited, said the company currently employs a senior research scientist and a nutritional biochemist as well as three undergraduate students from UPEI’s science faculty. The number of full-time employees is expected to grow to five in the next three years.
The Government of Canada, through ACOA, has invested $124,268 to help with the purchase of new equipment at the new facility. The Government of Prince Edward Island, through Innovation and Advanced Learning, has invested $100,000 to support the relocation into the new BioCommons Research Park.
OmniActive Health Technologies’ new research and development facility in Prince Edward Island will serve as a basis for a North American innovation and discovery-based platform. The main objective of OmniActive Health Technologies (Canada) Limited is to discover new dietary ingredients to provide therapies for preventative personal health and wellness solutions. Their areas of disease focus are eye health, obesity, and joint and brain health. OmniActive has significant market presence in these niche segments.
“From our first meeting standing looking at snow covered ground until today, we have had tremendous support and encouragement from both levels of government and the people at the NRC,” said President Deshpande. “We are extremely pleased with the progress and very excited to be welcoming you in our own facility. The potential for future growth here in P.E.I. is very high, and we look forward to continued good relations with our business development partners.”
“Prince Edward Island being the hub for research on nutrition in Canada, offers excellent infrastructure facilities and skilled scientists. OmniActive’s quest for innovations in nutrition health science is greatly supported by Provincial and Federal government agencies.
P.E.I. provides a supportive business environment with an excellent base for innovative and collaborative research. Therefore it was a good fit for our first overseas R&D centre, with close proximity to North America and European markets. We are confident this partnership will help us achieve our broader corporate objective of delivering innovative products based on solid scientific research to our customers.”
About Omniactive
OmniActive Health Technologies (Canada) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of OmniActive Health Technologies, an India based company with manufacturing, R&D and corporate facilities in Pune, Mumbai, Thane and Cochin, India. OmniActive supplies a range of innovative, scientifically validated, active natural ingredients for healthcare, food and personal care applications.
For more information:
Ron Ryder
PEI Dept of Innovation and Advanced Learning
902-620-3774
Katie MacNevin
ACOA PEI & Tourism
902-626-2878