OXB acquires commercial-scale viral vector facility in North Carolina for $4.5M

OXB has signed and closed an asset purchase transaction to acquire a custom-built cell and gene therapy viral vector manufacturing facility in North Carolina from RTP Operating. The acquisition expands OXB’s viral vector manufacturing capabilities in the US up to commercial-scale, increasing GMP capacity and enhancing services to clients across North America. The FDA approved facility in Durham, North Carolina adds scalable vector manufacturing capabilities and end-to-end services across drug substance and fill-finish. This acquisition enables OXB to support late-stage programmes and commercial launches from the US for new and existing clients worldwide, particularly in the adeno-associated virus field. By leveraging an established, commercial-ready facility, the acquisition will expedite OXB’s ability to meet growing demand from existing clients while supporting new business opportunities. Located in North Carolina’s biopharma hub at Research Triangle Park, the site brings a skilled workforce and access to established industry networks. The Durham, North Carolina site, complements OXB’s global network across Oxford, Lyon, Strasbourg and Bedford, MA, by adding US commercial-scale capabilities. The site includes two operational GMP drug substance suites, a dedicated fill-finish suite, a further GMP suite which is expansion-ready, as well as on-site QC labs and warehousing. Following the acquisition, OXB’s Bedford, MA site will remain an AAV centre of excellence for process and analytical development, focusing on early-stage development activities, with the new site in North Carolina set to become a hub for clinical and commercial activities. This acquisition is in line with the Company’s previously disclosed strategic initiatives to expand its US commercial capabilities. In August 2025, the Company raised c.GBP 60 million gross proceeds through an equity placing in order to support investment to strengthen its CDMO network, including expansion of OXB’s US commercial-scale GMP capacity and advance process quality, productivity and yields. Under the terms of the asset purchase agreement, OXB has paid $4.5M in consideration for the assets, funded by existing cash. Integration planning has commenced, with key functions expected to be operational by Q1 2026. The Company expects to realise a single-digit gain in 2025 as a result of the transaction which is anticipated to broadly offset any acquisition-related and operational costs for the new site in 2025. The Company intends to invest in the new facility in North Carolina including hiring additional operational staff, in order to bring the site to full commercial readiness, with increased US fill-finish capacity and faster client onboarding. The Company will also continue to build on its previously disclosed plans to make strategic investments in its existing sites to meet growing client demand. Accordingly, its investment plans and capital expenditure expectations remain largely consistent with those announced in August 2025.