Penningtons Manches Cooper advises Oxford University spin-out aiming to develop cancer vaccines

Posted: 23/04/2021

The corporate and IP team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised new immuno-oncology company, OxVax, on its spin-out from Oxford University.

OxVax, through research at Oxford University, has been formed to create and deliver vaccines capable of targeting various forms of cancer. The company has raised its seed financing via South Korean based biotech venture capitalist Lead Compass Investment and German biotech drug discovery and development partnership company Evotec.

The transaction is a further testament to Penningtons Manches Cooper’s long-standing expertise in advising on university spin-outs, including advising recently on Oxford University’s landmark 200^th spin-out. The Penningtons Manches Cooper team consisted of Oxford-based partners Will Axtell (corporate) and Chris Shelley (IP) and senior associate Attilio Leccisotti (corporate).

CEO Marcelo Bravo said: “Our platform enables the manufacture at scale of an off-the-shelf highly potent vaccine which addresses the major limitations that have frustrated cancer vaccine development in the past. Our immediate focus will be the definition of the quality profile of the product and the industrialisation of the manufacturing protocol which will put us in a strong position to proceed towards the clinic. We were fortunate to count on the expertise of Penningtons Manches Cooper to help us bring the seed round efficiently to completion and we look forward to the next exciting steps on OxVax’s journey”.

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