eXmoor, the expert cell and gene therapy (CGT) services company (Bristol, England), has announced an initial investment of £12m ($17m) from specialist healthcare investment firm MVM Partners (“MVM”), to enable eXmoor’s ambitious expansion plans. This will create a new dedicated 50,000 ft2 CGT process development and clinical manufacturing facility in Bristol (UK).

eXmoor has expanded rapidly over the last 5 years, developing a portfolio of clients across the UK and internationally, completing over 400 projects across 15 countries to date.

In 2017, eXmoor added process development laboratories to its consultancy base, with world leading expertise in viral vector process development. Today, eXmoor’s globally recognised team of scientists, consultants and engineers delivers end-to-end CGT biomanufacturing projects, supporting businesses in commercialising research processes and developing fully licensed facilities.

The investment from MVM denotes a key milestone in eXmoor’s international growth strategy. The deal will facilitate expansion plans to create the new, dedicated CGT facility which will be designed in-house by eXmoor’s highly experienced, Capital Projects team led by Director Gavin Sutton. The new facility will increase capacity for process development and add early phase clinical GMP (good manufacturing practice) for cell therapies, gene therapies and viral vectors. The business will also grow and develop its Translation Consultancy and Capital Project teams. The growth plans will see significant job creation with staff headcount projected to increase from 40 to 200, within 5 years.

Based in Boston and London, MVM focusses on investing in high growth healthcare businesses.  MVM will bring CGT and associated services experience and strategic insight to the business, with MVM partner Thomas Casdagli joining the eXmoor board of directors and Jack Tanaka joining as board observer.

Thomas and Jack bring a wealth of experience having been part of major healthcare and pharmaceutical businesses at board level in several international healthcare companies. MVM will hold a significant minority stake in eXmoor as part of the deal.

The longer-term impact of the investment and eXmoor’s planned expansion will support CGT process development at a critical time. The UK is a world leader in CGT research; eXmoor will help organisations commercialise this huge research base as well as providing additional manufacturing capacity particularly in the viral vector area, acknowledged as lacking global capacity.

In readiness for the expansion, eXmoor has formed a new senior leadership team and welcomes former CEO of McLaren Applied Technologies, Ian Rhodes, into the business as Director of Consulting and Finance. Ian has extensive experience in leading high growth businesses through their scale-up phases.

Angela Osborne, founder and chief executive officer of eXmoor said: “MVM has a proven track-record working with healthcare and pharmaceutical organisations globally. This deal gives us a strong foundation for our future growth, not just in the UK and Europe but further into other international markets, particularly North America. CGT is such an important area in biomedical research and one that has the ability to treat, prevent and potentially cure diseases that affect people all over the world.

“The Bristol area is a great place to build on our highly skilled and knowledgeable consultancy and process development teams, attracting talent from the excellent local universities in Bristol, Bath and Cardiff.

“We have been fortunate to be able to continue and expand our operations at the University of the West of England in the Future Space innovation centre operated by Oxford Innovation and we would like to thank them for their continued support.”

Thomas Casdagli, partner at MVM, commented: “eXmoor is a pioneer in cell and gene therapy manufacturing and has one of the most experienced teams in all elements of translating CGT innovation into scalable and robust manufacturing processes. With this investment eXmoor now has the broadest and most flexible range of CGT services in the market. eXmoor can support its clients from PD, to GMP and commercial stage manufacturing either in a dedicated facility specified and supported by eXmoor or in a facility run by eXmoor. I am thrilled to support the company at this pivotal time and look forward to working with the wider team in the months to come.”

eXmoor’s advisors to the transaction were Foot Anstey (legal) and PKF Francis Clark (financial).

ENDS

For further information please contact: Lisa.davey@purplefish.agency / james.grice@purplefish.agency / Joanna.randall@purplefish.agency

Tel: +44 (0)117 925 1358 / +44 (0)7538 914018

 

About eXmoor

eXmoor has gone from strength to strength in the last few years and has experienced a fantastic period of fast growth. In 2017, eXmoor added process development laboratories to its consultancy base with world leading expertise in viral vector process development.

With a 40-strong staff team they have been involved in more than 400 contracts for over 125 organisations across the globe.

The company was founded in 2004 and has since grown into a globally recognised leader in its field. The team works closely with clients to help them commercialise their research processes, improve their established biomanufacturing and develop their fully licensed facilities. eXmoor has won repeat business from nearly two thirds of its clients since its launch. eXmoor’s offices and process development laboratories are based in Bristol, UK.

Latest news

Optinose’s XHANCE® Approved by FDA for Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Nasal Polyps
March 15, 2024

Full release here: Optinose’s XHANCE® Approved by FDA for Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Nasal Polyps

GT Medical Technologies Names Per Langoe As CEO
February 20, 2024

Full release here: GT Medical Technologies, Inc. Names Per Langoe As CEO

MVM invests in icotec
January 24, 2024

ALTSTAETTEN, Switzerland and EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 24, 2024 /PR Newswire/ — icotec ag, the leading company in the field of innovative spinal […]

MVM invests in Gynesonics
November 1, 2023

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gynesonics® Inc., a women’s healthcare company focused on the development of […]

SkyCell Featured in TechCrunch
October 31, 2023

Full release here: SkyCell raises $57M at a $600M valuation to build smart containers for pharmaceutical transport | TechCrunch

MVM invests in BioProtect
September 27, 2023

TZUR IGAL, Israel, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — BioProtect Ltd, a private Med Tech company focused on providing innovative, biodegradable spacing solutions, announced today the […]

VitalConnect Secures over $30 Million in Oversubscribed Series F Financing
July 18, 2023

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–VitalConnect®, Inc., a leader in remote and in-hospital wearable biosensor technology, today announced closing on an oversubscribed […]

MVM invests in CurvaFix
July 14, 2023

BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CurvaFix, Inc., a developer of medical devices to repair fractures in curved bones, today announced the close of […]

Vertos Medical Secures $26 Million to Expand Commercialization Efforts and Develop Breakthrough Treatments for Chronic Low Back Pain
June 7, 2023

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., June 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Vertos Medical Inc., a leader in the development of innovative, minimally invasive treatments for […]

eXmoor pharma completes $35 million Series A to expand cell and gene therapy manufacturing capabilities
May 30, 2023

New GMP facility to complete eXmoor’s transition from consultancy to one-stop global cell and gene therapy partner Bristol, UK, May […]