New GMP facility to complete eXmoor’s transition from consultancy to one-stop global cell and gene therapy partner
Bristol, UK | May 30, 2023 – eXmoor pharma, the end-to-end cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing partner, today announced the close of a $35 million Series A financing round, from new investor Kineticos Ventures and existing investor MVM Partners. The funding will help launch eXmoor’s Cell and Gene Therapy Centre, a 65,000 sq ft GMP manufacturing facility, purpose-built to develop and manufacture autologous and allogeneic cell therapies, as well as viral vectors. In doing so, eXmoor will leverage nearly two decades of in-house facilities design, strategic CGT process development and translation consultancy experience to officially complete its expansion into a full-service CGT contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), with a global reach.
“eXmoor’s stellar reputation and unique approach to partnership in the advanced therapies space drove client demand for this expansion,” said Thomas Casdagli, Partner, MVM Partners and eXmoor board member. “Developers of advanced therapies are eager to work with a team that can guide them start to finish through scale-up. We’re delighted to continue supporting eXmoor through this next phase of its evolution.”
“The tremendous potential of cell and gene therapies too often gets stymied by the complexity of manufacturing them at scale. We hear constantly from SME’s, especially in the U.S., about the growing need for experienced partners to help them reach patients, and eXmoor will be singularly suited to do so,” said Frank Lis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kineticos Ventures, who is joining eXmoor’s board in connection with the funding. “The team has already helped develop more than 50 clinical programs and designed 37 CGT facilities. We look forward to seeing their CDMO capacity extend into the U.S. and beyond.”
The new Cell and Gene Therapy Centre, opening in Bristol in July 2023, will feature a mixture of manufacturing cleanrooms, Process & Analytical Development and QC laboratories, and associated support spaces suitable for all types of CGTs.
“The team at Kineticos Ventures consists of global leaders in the CGT space, and we are excited to have their support in our expansion, extending our reach from Europe to the US,” said Angela Osborne, Chief Executive Officer of eXmoor. “Clients have sought us out for years because the biggest bottleneck in manufacturing isn’t just capacity, but capability. Through this investment, we can offer both, moving closer to delivering our vision of a trusted, one-stop cell and gene therapy partner, accelerating the manufacturing journey from research to patients.”
About eXmoor pharma
eXmoor pharma is a one-stop cell and gene therapy partner accelerating the manufacturing journey from research to patients. Founded in 2004, eXmoor has specialized in the CGT sector since 2007 helping organizations to understand, plan and implement the appropriate CMC strategy. eXmoor does this via its translation and capital consulting groups, process and analytical development labs and now GMP manufacturing capability. eXmoor has completed over 500 projects for 150 organisations and is headquartered in Bristol, UK, with 80 current employees, growing to 200 by 2027.
About MVM Partners
MVM has invested in high growth healthcare businesses since 1997. The firm has a broad, global investment outlook spanning medical technology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, digital health, and other sectors of healthcare.
About Kineticos
Kineticos, through its Kineticos Disruptor Fund Series, is a US-based life sciences venture and growth investor. Kineticos’ portfolio of investments is made up of life science companies striving to disrupt how drugs are developed, diseases are diagnosed, and patients are treated. Kineticos focuses on significant, unmet medical needs in oncology, neurosciences, and rare diseases.
In addition to targeting these disease states with patients in need, we look for life science companies utilizing disruptive technologies such as cell and gene therapy, gene editing, and mRNA/RNAi, all technologies dramatically changing how medicine is practiced.