Autolus files for proposed IPO in the US

Syncona Limited

Autolus files for proposed initial public offering in the United States

8 May 2018

Syncona Ltd, a leading healthcare company focused on investing in and building global leaders in life science, today notes that its portfolio company Autolus Therapeutics Limited (to be reorganised as Autolus Therapeutics plc) (“Autolus”) has filed a registration statement on Form F-1 (“Registration Statement”) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) relating to a proposed initial public offering (“IPO”) in the United States of its American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each representing one ordinary share. All ADSs to be sold in the proposed IPO will be offered by Autolus. Autolus intends to apply to list its ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “AUTL”. The number of ADSs to be sold and the pricing terms for the proposed IPO have not yet been determined.

The Registration Statement relating to the ADSs has been filed with the SEC but has not yet become effective. The ADSs may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes effective.

The Registration Statement can be accessed through the SEC’s EDGAR Database.  Syncona notes that the Registration Statement contains further information relating to Autolus, and further notes that the information includes previously unpublished information relating to Autolus’ current clinical trials.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.

The securities referred to in this announcement are to be offered only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus can be obtained from either of the joint book-running managers for the offering, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, or by telephone at [phone] or by email at [e-mail]; or Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, or by telephone at + 1 877 547 6340, or by email at [e-mail].

[ENDS]

Enquiries

Syncona Ltd
Siobhan Weaver
Tel: [phone]

Tulchan Communications
Martin Robinson
Lisa Jarrett-Kerr
Tel: [phone]

Forward-looking statements – this announcement contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the portfolio of investments of Syncona Ltd. These statements and forecasts involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements and forecasts. Nothing in this announcement should be construed as a profit forecast.

About Syncona

Syncona is a leading FTSE250 healthcare company focused on investing in and building global leaders in life science. Our vision is to deliver transformational treatments to patients in truly innovative areas of healthcare while generating superior returns for shareholders. Our current investment portfolio consists of seven high quality companies in life science and a leading range of fund investments.

We seek to partner with the best, brightest and most ambitious minds in science to build globally competitive businesses. We are established leaders in gene therapy, cell therapy and advanced diagnostics, and focus on delivering dramatic efficacy for patients in areas of high unmet need.

Our fund investments represent a productively deployed evergreen funding base which enables us to take a long term approach to investing in life sciences as we target the best new opportunities and support our existing portfolio companies to grow and succeed.

Syncona is aligned with two of the premium charitable funders in UK science, the Wellcome Trust, original founder of Syncona, and Cancer Research UK, both of which are significant shareholders in our business.  We make a donation of 0.3% of Net Asset Value to a range of charities each year.

About Autolus

Autolus is a biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation programmed T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer.