Oxford BioMedica announces digital initiative for medicines

A leading gene and cell therapy group has announced a new digital framework initiative to help streamline the production of next-generation medicines.

Oxford BioMedica will invest £4 million into digital and robotics capabilities designed to drive improvements in analytical methodology, supply times and cost of goods. The company hopes that the investment will increase capacity, reduce the cost of manufacturing and reduce waste.  

The UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, is supporting Oxford BioMedica with a £2 million grant to help the initiative.

Oxford BioMedica recently announced the expansion of its manufacturing capacity, creating an additional facility near its headquarters in Oxford. The new facility will create up to 100 jobs over the next two years.

The initiative comes after the UK government announced a boost of £4.3 million to help streamline the production of medicines.

John Dawson, chief executive officer of Oxford BioMedica, said: “With demand for advanced therapy medicinal products expected to grow at unprecedented levels, underlined by the interest received from our current and future potential partners at OXB, it is imperative that we continue to invest in our technology, capacity and innovation.

“This new initiative will provide us with digital and robotic enhancements to maintain our global leading position in the development and manufacture of lentiviral vector products. This is important for our own R&D pipeline as well as for our blue-chip partners as we continue to support the delivery of life-altering gene therapies to patients around the world.”