Virica Biotech Announces R&D Partnership With Oxford Biomedica to Improve the Manufacturing of Lentiviral Vector Gene Therapies Using Viral Sensitizers

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Virica Biotech Inc., a leading developer of solutions for scaling of viral medicines, today announced it will collaborate with Oxford Biomedica plc (LSE:OXB), a leading gene and cell therapy company, to improve the yield and production efficiency of Oxford Biomedica’s next generation lentiviral vector gene therapies using Virica’s Viral Sensitizers (VSEs™).

Ella Korets-Smith, Chief Business Officer of Virica Biotech, said: “There is growing demand from major industry players to use leading lentivirus technologies, like Oxford Biomedica’s LentiVector^® platform, to develop cell and gene therapies. We envision our VSEs™ as an ideal solution in their quest to pursue new ways to increase commercial yields in order to support the use of life-saving cell and gene therapies globally.”

Oxford Biomedica is a world-leading pioneer of cell and gene therapies. Its LentiVector^® platform enables the successful development of breakthrough gene and cell-based medicines, and through collaborations with pharmaceutical partners, has delivered the first FDA and EMA approved CAR-T cell therapy.

Photos available upon request.

About Oxford Biomedica
Oxford Biomedica (LSE:OXB) is a leading, fully integrated, 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, CNS disorders and liver diseases. The Group has also entered into a number of partnerships, including with Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sio Gene Therapies, Orchard Therapeutics, Santen, Beam Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, Arcellx and Cabaletta Bio through which it has long-term economic interests in other potential gene and cell therapy products. Additionally, the Group has signed a 3-year master supply and development agreement with AstraZeneca for large-scale manufacturing of the adenoviral based COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222. Oxford Biomedica is based across several locations in Oxfordshire, UK and employs more than 740 people. Further information is available at www.oxb.com.

About Virica Biotech
Virica optimizes the manufacturing of viral medicines which allows developers to economically deploy their products at scale. Virica’s Viral Sensitizer (VSE™) platform reduces production inefficiencies caused by innate anti-viral defenses in manufacturing cells. Customizable VSE cocktails substantially increase manufacturing yields and reduce the cost of goods for a range of products, including vaccines, cell and gene therapies, and anti-cancer therapies. Visit viricabiotech.com for more information.

^{This news release contains “forward-looking statements,” which reflect the current expectations of the Company’s management for future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions.}