Cell Medica opens commercial facility in Germany

26 September 2013

Imperial Innovations Group plc

Cell Medica opens commercial manufacturing facility in Germany

Imperial Innovations Group plc (AIM: IVO, 'Innovations', the 'Group'), a leading technology commercialisation and investment group, announces that Cell Medica, a leading T cell therapeutics company, has opened a European manufacturing facility in Berlin-Buch, Germany.

T cell immunotherapy involves harnessing the human immune system to treat diseases and Cell Medica is using the approach to develop, manufacture and market treatments of infections and cancers related to oncogenic (cancer-causing) viruses.

Cell Medica's commercial manufacturing facility at the Max-Delbrück-Center of Molecular Medicine within the biotechnology area of Campus Berlin-Buch includes approximately 350 m2 clean room space, and will initially focus on manufacturing the company's Cytovir™ CMV. The innovative Cytovir CMV treatment uses immune cells of a healthy donor to restore immunity to Cytomegalovirus infections in patients who have lost their immunity following a bone marrow transplant. The commercial launch of Cytovir CMV is planned for early 2014, following the completion of two randomised controlled studies currently ongoing in the UK.

The financing of Cell Medica's investment in the Berlin-Buch facility is supported in part by the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), the business development and promotion bank of the Federal Land of Berlin.

The facility will also be important in providing investigational medicine products for Cell Medica's planned CITADEL study to investigate a T cell therapy for the treatment of EBV-associated lymphomas, which will be undertaken following the required regulatory approvals.

Cell Medica is one of Innovations' leading portfolio companies and represents the strength in depth of the Group's top ten assets. In July 2012, Innovations committed £3 million as part of a £17 million funding round for Cell Medica. Innovations holds a 30% stake in the business.

Russ Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, Imperial Innovations, said:

"The opening of a European manufacturing facility is a significant step towards Cell Medica bringing its lead product, Cytovir CMV, to market. We have been able to scale-up our investment over time to help Cell Medica's excellent team maintain its industry-leading position and grow the value of the company."

Dr Rainer Knaus, Managing Director of Cell Medica GmbH, said:

"This facility has been designed and equipped to provide high quality Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant production of patient-specific cell and gene therapies for distribution across Europe. We are also very fortunate to have attracted highly educated and well-trained personnel who are keen to help shape this new era of cell-based therapeutics. These manufacturing specialists are preparing the facility for the supply of Cytovir CMV in early 2014."

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Imperial Innovations - www.imperialinnovations.co.uk 

Innovations creates, builds and invests in pioneering university technologies addressing global problems in healthcare, energy, engineering and the environment. It combines deep understanding of science and technology with commercial acumen and strong investment expertise. Innovations acts as the Technology Transfer office for Imperial College, providing IP protection, licensing and business-building services, giving it very early access to research outputs from this leading research university. 

Innovations invests in companies based on technologies from or associated with four universities: Imperial College London, Cambridge University, Oxford University, and UCL, supported by collaborations with Cambridge Enterprise, OSEM and UCL Business. These are the UK's leading research intensive universities, measured by research income.

Innovations supports scientist-entrepreneurs in the commercialisation of their ideas by:

· leading the formation of new companies and providing facilities in the early stages

· providing significant investment and encouraging co-investment to accelerate the transition from R&D to products

· providing operational expertise

· helping to recruit high-calibre industry figures and experienced entrepreneurs as executive management and Board members

Innovations raised £140 million in January 2011. In the year to 31 July 2012, it invested £37.9 million (2011: £35.1 million) in 29 ventures, and made 11 investments in new companies. In July 2013, Innovations obtained a £30m, 12-year loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to invest in the biotech and therapeutics sectors.

In its current portfolio of around 80 companies, Innovations' most advanced assets include Circassia, which develops innovative treatments for a wide range of allergies, and Veryan, a medical devices business developing improved stent technologies.

Cell Medica - www.cellmedica.co.uk 

Cell Medica is a cellular therapeutics company engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of T cell immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of infections and cancers related to oncogenic viruses. The Company's lead cell product, Cytovir™ CMV, for the treatment and prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in patients following allogeneic bone marrow transplant, is available in the UK and is under development in other territories. Cytovir ADV is being developed for the treatment of adenovirus infections in paediatric patients following bone marrow transplantation. Cell Medica is also working with the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, to develop Cytorex™ EBV for the treatment of malignancies associated with the oncogenic Epstein Barr Virus.