Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility Pty Ltd (VVMF), Australia’s first commercial viral vector Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), has commenced a strategic collaboration with OXB (LSE: OXB), a global quality and innovation-led cell and gene therapy CDMO. Licensing of the OXB AAV and LV platforms is the first priority, with a non-binding term sheet agreed and planning for technology transfer underway.
This step marks the first phase of a broader strategic collaboration, with OXB expected to support VVMF in accelerating operational readiness (including cGMP licensing) and driving commercial success in the rapidly expanding cell and gene therapy market.
The collaboration will also seek to create future opportunities for mutual commercial benefit for both organisations and proposes that VVMF will license access to OXB’s proprietary inAAVate™ and LentiVector™ platforms and associated intellectual property, enabling deployment of advanced viral vector technologies in the APAC region.
Stephen Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of VVMF, said: “We are excited to be working with OXB – a globally recognised brand in viral vector manufacturing and innovation. The strategic collaboration will help us accelerate our operational and commercial readiness and further build our presence within the global cell & gene therapy marketplace. We look forward to working closely with the OXB team as we continue to build our capabilities as Australia’s first and only commercial scale GMP viral vector manufacturing facility.”
Dr Sébastien Ribault, Chief Business Officer of OXB, said: “We are delighted to be working with VVMF in this exciting new chapter for cell and gene therapy in the APAC region. This is a strong endorsement of OXB’s position as a global leader in viral vector development and manufacturing. By combining our proprietary platforms with VVMF’s regional capabilities, we aim to accelerate VVMF’s operational readiness and together expand access to advanced therapies across the region.”