London, UK – 23 January 2018: Oxford BioMedica plc (“Oxford BioMedica” or “the Group”) (LSE:Oxford Biomedica), 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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