University College London cancer treatment spinout Autolus licences additional technology from the university as it raises $57m in its series B round.
Autolus, a biopharmaceutical spinout from University College London (UCL), has raised £40m ($57m) in its series B round and licenced more technology from UCL Business, the university’s technology transfer company.
Investors in the series B round include Woodford Investment Management and Perceptive Bioscience Investments.
Founded in 2014, Autolus is developing engineered T-cell therapies for haematological and solid tumours. T-cells are a part of the body’s own immune system. The technology can target and destroy malignant cells without harming the cells around them.
Autolus will use the investment to develop its platform of T-cell programming technologies. It will also rely on the newly gained licences to enhance the platform.
In January 2015, Autolus raised £30m in its series A round from investment firm Syncona.
Cengiz Tarhan, managing director of UCL Business, said: “The licence and the commitment from Syncona, Woodford and Perceptive Bioscience provide a solid foundation to translate the licensed UCL technologies into healthcare benefits for patients.”
Christian Itin, chairman of Autolus, said: “We have expanded the scope of our licence with UCL Business to bring additional inventions from founder Martin Pule’s group into the company adding to the suite of Autolus’ T-cell programming technologies.”
