Bristol-based eXmoor pharma and Ottawa-based Virica have received funding from a Canada-U.K. government biomanufacturing collaboration to enhance the development of adeno-associated vectors, or AAVs, which are a key element for gene therapies. The funding is part of an initiative to make gene therapy production more efficient and cost-effective.
eXmoor specializes in accelerating the manufacturing journey, from research to patient access, within the cell-and-gene-therapy sector. Through the project, eXmoor and Virica develop and validate the abilities of Virica’s viral sensitizer enhancers, small molecules designed to boost AAV productivity. Leveraging eXmoor’s scaling process expertise, the companies will work to deploy the top candidates at a commercial scale upon completing the project in 2025.
The companies previously applied to the Canada-U.K. Biomanufacturing of Biologics and Advanced Therapies collaborative R&D competition. As a result, eXmoor will receive support through Innovate UK for the project, while Virica will receive advisory services and funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program.
