Univercells' €50M investment to speed delivery of manufacturing tech
The investment will support continued expansion into the fast-growing gene therapy segment, including new developments that will enable a range of best-in-class solutions for viral manufacturing.
Univercells has announced up to EUR 50M financing from Gamma Biosciences, a new investment platform supported by leading global investment firm KKR, that is focused on next-generation bioprocessing technologies for the production of advanced biologic therapies including gene- and cell-based therapies.
The investment will be deployed in a newly created subsidiary of Univercells focused on accelerating the industrialization and commercialization of Univercells’ manufacturing technologies, including the NevoLine biomanufacturing platform and the scale-X bioreactor portfolio.
With the new financing, Univercells will focus on scaling the NevoLine platform and the scale-X portfolio with a comprehensive approach to streamline production, fund innovation, enable new product and application development and drive commercial acceleration. Specifically, the investment is intended to support continued expansion into the fast-growing gene therapy segment, including new developments that will enable a range of best-in-class solutions for viral manufacturing.
“KKR and Gamma will open access to an unparalleled global network, enabling accelerated production and delivery of the NevoLine and scale-X technologies and driving commercialization,” said Hugues Bultot, CEO of Univercells. “Aligning with high-end sponsors such as KKR that back our mission to have a positive impact on global health is a true honor for our team. This investment builds on existing grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Health Investment Fund and European Investment Bank and secures our ability to create value for the market with speed, efficacy and reliability.”
Both the scale-X bioreactor portfolio and the NevoLine biomanufacturing platform have been designed and commercially validated to reduce dramatically the footprint, capital and operational expenditures required to produce a variety of biologic and viral products. The investment is driven by a shared desire to make these breakthrough technologies more readily accessible and positively impact global health via effective, cost-controlled production solutions.
“KKR, though Gamma Biosciences, seeks to back innovative and impactful next-generation bioprocessing technologies, which is why we are excited to be investing in Univercells and its mission to deliver affordable biologics and gene therapies globally. Furthermore, we are excited to be working with Hugues and his team, who have a fantastic track record of building innovating biomanufacturing companies,” said Kugan Sathiyanandarajah, Director at KKR and head of Europe for KKR’s Health Care Strategic Growth investing efforts, and Anuv Ratan, Principal at KKR.
Related News
-
News AstraZeneca invests in AI collaboration for cancer drug trials
The British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant is partnering with biotechnology firm Immunai Inc to increase the efficiency of some cancer drug trials. -
News Ozempic and Wegovy prices questioned as Novo Nordisk faces US Senate hearing
The CEO of Novo Nordisk was grilled during a US Senate committee hearing on September 24, 2024, in which the exorbitant prices of the Danish company’s blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy were called into question. -
News The BIOSECURE Act: implications for the pharma supply chain
On September 9, 2024, the US House of Representatives voted to pass the bill titled the BIOSECURE Act (the Act), which lists several Chinese companies in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The Act will prohibit American companies from contracting or doin... -
News On Track at CPHI Milan: Thermo Fisher Scientific Track Sponsor interview
With CPHI Milan just around the corner, we sat down with some of the sponsors for this year’s conference tracks to discuss the most pressing topics in pharma. -
News CPHI Milan Speaker Spotlight: Pharma Manufacturing and Localisation in Africa
In the run-up to CPHI Milan, we sit down with some of the experts and thought-leaders speaking at this year’s conferences. -
News US BIOSECURE Act passed by US House of Representatives
The controversial act, which has already impacted several foreign companies operating in the US, was passed by the House of Representatives on September 9, 2024. It is now headed for the US Senate before it can be signed into law by President Joe Biden... -
News Eli Lilly licenses rheumatoid arthritis manufacturing in Africa
American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has signed a partnership with Egyptian organisation Eva Pharma to localise manufacturing of rheumatoid arthritis treatments in Africa. -
Sponsored Content CPHI Online Trend Report: How can flow chemistry help businesses achieve their sustainability goals?
In our latest CPHI Online Trend Report, we partner with Asymchem to understand the innovative potential of flow chemistry for API manufacturing, especially in regards to meeting sustainability goals.
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance