TCR, a joint venture involving Imperial Innovations and UCL Business, has been acquired by Cell Medica, itself backed by Touchstone Innovations.
Immunotherapy producer Cell Medica today acquired UK-based cell therapy developer Catapult Therapy TCR for an undisclosed sum.
TCR is a joint venture of Imperial Innovations and UCL Business, the respective tech transfer offices of Imperial College London (ICL) and University College London (UCL), and the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, one of several R&D centres established by state-owned innovation agency Innovate UK.
TCR focuses on treatments for acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. The approach also has the potential to have therapeutic applications for some solid tumours.
The technology is based on research initially conducted at ICL and then UCL, thanks to funding provided by charity Bloodwise.
The acquisition will allow TCR to drive further development and commercialisation of its treatment, with the activities now to be conducted by Cell Medica at CGT Catapult’s large-scale cell and gene therapy manufacturing centre.
Cell Medica is itself a portfolio company of Touchstone Innovations, a sister company of Imperial Innovations. Cell Medica most recently raised $73m in March 2017 from investors including Touchstone.
Tony Hickson, managing director of Imperial Innovations, said: “This project provides a case study for two leading UK universities working together alongside a Catapult to translate their high quality research outputs into clinical stage advanced therapeutics.
“The fact that this joint venture has now been sold to one of the UK’s leading cell therapy companies, and that further government funding and investment in new facilities will be leveraged to continue development demonstrates the best of the UK’s excellent bioscience ecosystem.”
