Biomira Inc. announced on Monday a three-year project totalingabout $15 million (C$17 million), supported by the Canadiangovernment, to develop radiolabeled monoclonal antibody-based agents for the detection and potential therapy of cancer.

The technology will use Biomira's monoclonal antibodiesconjugated with radioisotopes developed by NordionInternational Inc. to target cancer tissue either for diagnosticimaging or therapeutic attack.

"Canadian industry must be competitive, and this alliance is anexample of how we can work together to gain that competitiveedge," said Michael H. Wilson, minister of Industry, Science andTechnology Canada and minister of international trade.

The Canadian government has agreed to provide two grants fora total of about $5.3 million to support the project. Some $4.9million will come as the first grant under a Canadian programto fund development of strategic technologies, according toIndustry, Science & Technology spokeswoman Lynn Reaney.Another Canadian government agency, the National ResearchCouncil, will contribute about $444,000.

The Alberta Ministry of Technology, Research andTelecommunications has committed about $930,000 towardfunding clinical trials of the technology.

Biomira has established a partnership with Altamira CapitalCorp. of Montreal for additional funding. Altamira and Biomirawill each contribute about $3.2 million, and each will have a50 percent stake in the partnership, Rich Pyteleweski, vicepresident of operations at Biomira told BioWorld.

Nordion, located in Kanata, Ontario, has agreed to invest about$1.8 million to develop the radioisotopes, according to RussRedshaw, manager of business development at Nordion.

Biomira of Edmonton, Alberta (TSE:BRA) currently markets fourin vitro diagnostic kits for gastrointestinal, ovarian andbreast cancer.

-- Steve Usdin BioWorld Washington Bureau

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