26 Sep 2017 07:00
Arix Bioscience participates in $80 million Series C financing for Autolus
LONDON, 26 September 2017: Arix Bioscience plc (LSE: ARIX) ("Arix Bioscience" or "Arix"), a global healthcare and life science company supporting medical innovation, today announces that it has participated in an $80 million Series C financing round for Autolus Limited ("Autolus"), an Arix Bioscience Group Business. Autolus is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation engineered T-cell therapies.
Arix Bioscience invested £10m in the Series B financing of Autolus in March 2016, with Joe Anderson, Arix's CEO, joining the Autolus Board of Directors. Given the substantial progress at Autolus since then, Arix is pleased also to have participated in the Series C financing round announced today alongside new investors Cormorant Asset Management, Nextech Invest and others, as well as existing investors Syncona and Woodford Investment Management.
The funds raised will enable Autolus to establish clinical proof of concept for three novel haematological cancer programmes: AUTO2 in multiple myeloma, which recently completed the first-dose cohort of its Phase I/II study; AUTO3 which has initiated Phase I/II studies in diffuse large B cell lymphoma and paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; and AUTO4 in T-cell lymphoma which is ready for the clinic.
The Autolus Series C financing follows Series A and B financings totalling £70 million.
Joe Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Arix Bioscience, commented: "Our continuing support for Autolus, currently Arix's largest holding, underlines our belief in the significant potential of this company. CAR-T is a proven new approach and represents a substantial advance in the treatment of cancer. Autolus has the science and the team to develop the next generation of CAR-T therapies, with a differentiated technology and approach that has the potential to transform patients' lives. Arix is privileged to be part of this and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Autolus Board and our co-investors to help achieve these goals."
Dr Christian Itin, Chairman and CEO of Autolus, commented: "We welcome our new shareholders and the continued support of our existing investors, and are looking forward to delivering on the exciting promise of our growing pipeline of engineered T cell product candidates. Since our inception three years ago, Autolus has made substantial progress with two dual targeting programs in three clinical studies, a novel program for T-cell lymphoma's clinic ready and a unique suite of cell programming technologies established for use in haematological and solid cancers. With the new financing we are well on our way to building a premier fully integrated Oncology Company that harnesses the unique power of T cells to combat cancer."
For more information, please contact:
Arix Bioscience plc
Joe Anderson, CEO
+44 (0)20 7290 1052
Matthew Cole, Communications Director
+44 (0)20 7290 1065
Consilium Strategic Communications
Mary-Jane Elliott, Jessica Hodgson, Ivar Milligan
+44 (0)20 3709 5700
arix@consilium-comms.com
About Arix Bioscience plc
Arix Bioscience plc is a global healthcare and life science company supporting medical innovation. Headquartered in London and with an office in New York, Arix Bioscience sources, finances and builds world class healthcare and life science businesses addressing medical innovation at all stages of development. Operations are supported by privileged access to breakthrough academic science and strategic relationships with leading research accelerators and global pharmaceutical companies.
Arix Bioscience plc is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.
For further information, please visit www.arixbioscience.com
About Autolus
Autolus is a private, clinical-stage, biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development and commercialisation of engineered T-cell immunotherapy products to combat cancer. Utilising its advanced cell programming and manufacturing technologies, Autolus has a pipeline of products in development for the treatment of both haematological malignancies and solid tumours. For further information please visit the Company's website at: www.autolus.com