£3 million Innovate UK grant

RNS Number : 6474C

Oxford Biomedica PLC

23 January 2018

 

Oxford BioMedica announces £3 million grant awarded by Innovate UK

London, UK - 23 January 2018: Oxford BioMedica plc ("Oxford BioMedica" or "the Group") (LSE:OXB), a leading gene and cell therapy group, has announced it that has been awarded a £3 million grant by the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK, to support the UK's efforts to produce viral vectors and ensure adequate supply to meet future demand. Reference: corresponding Innovate UK announcement here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/improved-healthcare-for-all-pioneering-projects-get-funding

The aims of this grant are closely aligned with the current government national priorities to make the UK a global hub for manufacturing advanced therapies, which will benefit economic growth and create and retain more highly skilled employment.

The grant will be used to support investment in equipment for vector development, vector manufacture, storage and analytical equipment, as well as other items that are key for the operation of vector GMP facilities. In addition, a small part of the grant will be used to support the planning for the transition of GMP suites from the use of adherent to suspension cultures.

John Dawson, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford BioMedica, commented: "We are delighted that the Innovate UK grant will to keep the UK at the forefront of innovation in industrial viral vector manufacturing. Viral vectors are a crucial component of cell and gene therapies, which offer unprecedented promise for the treatment, long-term management or cure of disease. We are pleased that Oxford BioMedica has been selected to contribute our expertise to ensure continued and uninterrupted supply to meet future viral vector demand."

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For further information, please contact:
Oxford BioMedica plc: John Dawson,  Chief Executive Officer Stuart Paynter, Chief Financial Officer	Tel: [phone]
Consilium Strategic Communications Mary-Jane Elliott/Matthew Neal/Philippa Gardner/Laura Thornton	Tel: [phone]

Notes for editors

About Oxford BioMedica

Oxford BioMedica (LSE:OXB) is a leading gene and cell therapy group focused on developing life changing treatments for serious diseases.  Oxford BioMedica and its subsidiaries (the "Group") have built a sector leading lentiviral vector delivery platform (LentiVector^®), which the Group leverages to develop in vivo and ex vivo products both in-house and with partners. The Group has created a valuable proprietary portfolio of gene and cell therapy product candidates in the areas of oncology, ophthalmology and CNS disorders. The Group has also entered into a number of partnerships, including with Novartis, Sanofi, GSK, Orchard Therapeutics and Immune Design, through which it has long-term economic interests in other potential gene and cell therapy products. Oxford BioMedica is based across several locations in Oxfordshire, UK and employs more than 300 people. Further information is available at www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk.

About Innovate UK

Innovate UK is the UK's innovation agency. It works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy. For further information visit: www.innovateuk.gov.uk.

 

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