Roger-Ketcha Ngassam joins Moderna to lead Canadian mRNA vaccine manufacturing

eAwazMedicine

TORONTO – Moderna Canada announces the appointment of Roger-Ketcha
Ngassam as the Manufacturing Site Head for its mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility. A seasoned leader with local roots and extensive international experience, Roger will oversee the planning, construction, and execution at Moderna’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) site, currently under construction in Laval, Quebec. He will also lead the local team recruitment as Moderna advances towards domestic commercial operations by 2025. Patricia Gauthier, President and General Manager of Moderna Canada, said, “Roger’s experience and commitment to excellence will be essential in ensuring the successful completion and operation of our Canadian facility as well as navigating the dynamic landscape of biomanufacturing. This newly created role signifies Moderna’s local growth and more importantly is crucial in our mission to bring domestically made mRNA vaccines and increased pandemic resilience to Canada.”

Moderna’s investment in Canada and commitment to supporting pandemic preparedness extends beyond building state-of-the-art mRNA manufacturing capabilities to include strategic partnerships with academia and industry as well as fostering a robust ecosystem via clinical trials and other initiatives. Together, these
efforts will help position Canada as a centre of excellence in mRNA technology. A proud Quebecois, Roger will help increase Canada’s leadership in mRNA science and manufacturing. Over his career, he has held senior positions at leading pharmaceutical organizations including Novartis in Canada and Europe, where he successfully implemented major strategic initiatives in Switzerland and Bulgaria.
Roger began his career at Wyeth (Pfizer). He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from École Polytechnique, Montréal, and an Executive MBA from McGill University. Roger is committed to giving back to the community and serves on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, which focuses on Advanced Neurofibromatosis Research. In Roger’s words, “Joining Moderna is more than a professional opportunity; it’s an honor to contribute to a company revolutionizing the industry with transformative medicines. I’m excited to help bring domestic mRNA vaccines to Canadians and to build a strong talent pipeline in biomanufacturing.”