Health Canada approves Vexos Inc. for the MVM ventilator

Health Canada has authorized Vexos Inc., a Canadian electronics manufacturing and custom materials solutions company, for the Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM) ventilator. This approval means that Vexos Inc. can manufacture and supply ventilators as part of a national, made-in-Canada, effort to treat patients most severely affected by the COVID-19 virus.

“This achievement originated with particle physicists who in a matter of days shifted their research from dark matter to inventing a new ventilator, a leap which demonstrates the flexibility and ingenuity of dedicated people who reacted in a crisis to apply their skills to saving lives.” says Dr. Art McDonald. McDonald is the lead for the Canadian arm of the MVM Consortium, Queen’s University Professor Emeritus, Director of SNO, and co-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics. “We worked cooperatively with physicists, engineers, and health care professionals around the world to develop this life-saving device, and I am happy that Canada has now given Vexos approval to allow these ventilators to be sent where they are needed,” explained Dr. McDonald.

The MVM initiative began in Italy by the international collaboration, Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration (GADM), which supports researchers looking for dark matter. The large-scale experiments that these teams construct use precise gas handling systems and complex control systems – the same capabilities required in hospital ventilators. The MVM collaboration has since grown to include physicists, engineers, and business leaders from around the world, including SNOLAB, TRIUMF, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, McDonald Institute, Vexos and JMP Solutions in Canada. SNOLAB Engineers have supported the oxygen and air delivery systems and SNOLAB scientists analyzed data from lung simulator devices to ensure the proper functioning of the ventilator controls for air pressure and gas flow.

This decision by Health Canada acknowledges the ingenuity and tireless efforts of the Canadian MVM team, Vexos and the entire MVM consortium. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, Vexos was one of the first manufacturing companies to offer expertise in global supply chain management and manufacturing expertise with a state-of-the-art facility in Markham to support the build and distribution of the MVM ventilator.” said Paul Jona, President and CEO for Vexos. “We are extremely proud to be collaborating with a diverse group of international innovators, Canadian governmental, institutional, and business entities who are all focused on delivering the MVM ventilator which will help save lives in the fight against COVID-19.” Jona continued.

This Health Canada approval will allow Vexos to manufacture and supply 10,000 ventilators as part of the national mobilization to manage the effects of the pandemic and expand the Canadian capability for ventilator production in the future. Read the original release HERE.

About SNOLAB:  

SNOLAB is an underground science laboratory specializing in neutrino and dark matter physics. Located 2 km below the surface in the Vale Creighton Mine located near Sudbury Ontario Canada. One of the deepest, cleanest underground laboratories in the world, with an experienced and skilled support staff, SNOLAB is an expansion of the existing facilities constructed for the Nobel Prize-winning Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) solar neutrino experiment. While particle astrophysics is the principle focus for SNOLAB, there is a growing interest in other scientific fields to exploit the deep underground space and associated infrastructure. The facility is operated by the SNOLAB Institute whose member institutions are Carleton University, Laurentian University, Queen’s University, University of Alberta and Université de Montréal. For more information on SNOLAB visit the website at www.snolab.ca and follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @SNOLABscience.

Media Contact:

Blaire Flynn
Education and Outreach Officer
SNOLAB
Blaire.Flynn@snolab.ca