eXmoor Pharma Forms Strategic Partnerships to Strengthen UK Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Pipeline
Key Insights
eXmoor Pharma (search) has established two strategic partnerships to create integrated pathways for cell and gene therapy (search) development and manufacturing in the UK.
The collaboration with Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust connects early-phase GMP capabilities with later-stage clinical manufacturing expertise to accelerate therapy development timelines.
A separate partnership with Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy & Laboratory Services (search) provides end-to-end services from donor sourcing through clinical supply, leveraging a donor register of over 900,000 HLA-typed individuals.
eXmoor Pharma (search), a UK-based contract development and manufacturing organization specializing in cell and gene therapies, has announced two strategic partnerships designed to create seamless pathways for advanced therapy development and manufacturing in the UK. The collaborations, unveiled in late November, position the company to offer integrated solutions spanning from early research through commercial launch.
Royal Free London Partnership Bridges Early and Late-Stage Manufacturing
The partnership with Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust links the hospital's Cell and Vector Innovation Centre (search) (CVIC) with eXmoor's later-phase clinical manufacturing expertise and commercial manufacturing license plans. The collaboration aims to reduce complexity, accelerate timelines, and strengthen the UK's position as a global leader in advanced therapeutics.
"This collaboration is a powerful example of how the UK's strength in early research can be matched with long-term manufacturing foresight," said Angela Osborne, Founder & Executive Chair of eXmoor Pharma (search). "CVIC is doing vital work in early-phase GMP, and by connecting that with eXmoor's development and commercialisation expertise, we can create a clearer, more supportive route to bring promising therapies to patients."
The partnership focuses on harmonized technology transfer protocols, shared expertise in Qualified Person responsibilities, regulatory strategy and quality management, as well as collaborative process development and staff training programs. By aligning technical transfer processes, quality systems and regulatory expertise, the organizations aim to provide smoother transitions between early and later stages of manufacturing.
Owen Bain, Director of CVIC at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, emphasized the importance of knowledge sharing across institutional boundaries. "For the UK's cell and gene therapy (search) sector to truly thrive, key learnings must flow freely across institutional and commercial boundaries," he explained. "By sharing practical know-how, aligning standards, and building mutual understanding, we can catalyse the manufacturing pathway for the next wave of innovators."
Anthony Nolan Partnership Creates Donor-to-Patient Pipeline
In a separate collaboration, eXmoor has partnered with Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy & Laboratory Services (search) (CT&LS) to provide an integrated solution covering the entire cell therapy (search) development chain. The partnership combines eXmoor's manufacturing expertise with Anthony Nolan's donor sourcing and apheresis capabilities for both autologous and allogeneic cell therapies.
Anthony Nolan's CT&LS brings substantial resources to the partnership, including a donor register of over 900,000 HLA-typed individuals, expertise in donor matching and bioinformatics, a cord blood collection program, and a new apheresis center in Nottingham. The organization's 50+ years of experience emphasizes high standards of donor care to ensure reliable and scalable material supply.
"We are proud to partner with Anthony Nolan's CT&LS, powered by a UK institution with unmatched expertise in donor services and ethical sourcing," said Lucy Foley, CEO of eXmoor Pharma (search). "Together, we can offer cell therapy (search) developers a truly integrated path from donor to patient. This partnership reinforces our commitment not only to technical excellence but also to ethical responsibility, keeping both donors and patients at the centre of everything we do."
Comprehensive Service Integration
The partnership with Anthony Nolan offers end-to-end services covering donor recruitment, screening, apheresis collection, process development, and good manufacturing practice (GMP) production. eXmoor's Bristol-based clinical GMP facility, which offers integrated process development, fill-finish, and manufacturing services, has met the ethical standards of Anthony Nolan's review board, ensuring alignment in operational and ethical practices.
David Bennett, Director of Business Development for Anthony Nolan's Cell Therapy (search) and Lab Services, highlighted the strategic importance of collaboration in the evolving cell and gene therapy (search) industry. "Our 50+ years of experience in working with donors and our large and diverse register, make Anthony Nolan's CT&LS the obvious choice for partners like eXmoor who are looking to accelerate therapy development," he said.
Strengthening UK's Advanced Therapeutics Ecosystem
Both partnerships are designed to establish trusted models for academic-industry collaboration, offering early-stage innovators greater clarity on long-term commercial feasibility while demonstrating robust UK-based manufacturing routes to international stakeholders. The collaborations aim to support academic, clinical and commercial innovators from proof of concept through first-in-human trials and eventual commercial launch.
The partnerships position eXmoor and its collaborators as key players in the growing cell therapy (search) market, with the goal of reducing development timelines and complexity while adhering to rigorous clinical and ethical standards. The initiatives represent a strategic effort to ensure that UK innovation in advanced therapeutics remains and thrives within the domestic ecosystem.