Apollo Therapeutics will inject capital and
expertise into pipeline of potentially lifesaving medicines through
an agreement with the University of Oxford.
Collaboration highlights a shared strategic
intent to develop new therapeutics based on breakthroughs in
biology and basic medical research at the University of Oxford.
The University of Oxford (“Oxford”), one of the world’s leading
research institutions and Apollo Therapeutics (“Apollo”), a
portfolio biopharmaceutical company, announce the signing of a drug
discovery and development collaboration aimed at translating
breakthroughs made by biomedical researchers at Oxford.
Under the agreement, Apollo will identify and assess novel,
validated therapeutic targets from Oxford’s researchers for their
potential to become important new medicines. Whilst Oxford’s
research teams will gain access to therapeutic development
expertise and programme funding from Apollo. This will provide more
access to clinical trials for patients and deliver faster routes to
market for new medicines arising from Oxford’s researchers.
The collaboration is driven by the quality of science and the
burgeoning innovation environment at Oxford that has elicited a
critical mass of early drug development translational research
programmes. Apollo’s drug discovery experts will look for the
potential to transform the standard of care globally by supporting
the development of new medicines across areas such as oncology and
immunological and inflammatory disorders.
Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, Department for
Science, Innovation & Technology, said: “We want to harness
life sciences to transform the UK’s healthcare and drive economic
growth. Together, Apollo and Oxford University could deliver new
medicines to help us tackle cancer, autoimmune disease, and more,
improving and saving thousands of lives.”
“The life sciences sector is open for business under this
Government. We know that the best and boldest breakthroughs happen
when industry and academia join forces, backed by government, and
this partnership between Apollo and Oxford is proof of exactly what
can be unlocked, when we open the doors to collaboration.”
Professor Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation at
the University of Oxford, said:
“My amazing colleagues at Oxford have numerous cutting-edge
research programmes for producing novel therapeutics for patients.
Apollo Therapeutics has assembled a world leading team of drug
discovery and development experts. Together we are going to
transform the lives of millions of patients. I am immensely excited
about this collaboration.”
This latest collaboration, Apollo’s sixth agreement with a
university or academic research centre, will bring the in-house
expertise and resources of Apollo to Oxford’s world class
researchers from across the university. It will further bolster
Apollo’s scalable R&D platform for the evergreen discovery and
development of new medicines.
Dr. Richard Mason, Chief Executive Officer of Apollo
Therapeutics, said:
“At Apollo Therapeutics we are ambitious in our mission to
translate important new research discoveries into valuable new
drugs. We are therefore delighted to be collaborating with the
University of Oxford, a university that is consistently at the top
of global rankings for scientific research and innovation. We are
now working together with six of the world’s top universities and
research centres to transform the standard of care in major
commercial markets based on breakthroughs in biology and basic
medical research made by scientists at these institutions.”
The University of Oxford joins Apollo’s other five world-class
research institutions: the University of Cambridge, Imperial
College London, University College London, King’s College London
and the Institute of Cancer Research.
Dr. Mairi Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford University
Innovation, said:
“We’re keen to provide our academic researchers with multiple
avenues to realise the full potential of their cutting-edge
research as quickly as possible. If we boost the funding and
expertise provided to very early phase drug development programmes
this will hasten their progress towards becoming medicines with the
potential to licence to industry or become spinout companies. With
the support of the research commercialisation team at Oxford
University Innovation and our investment partners, we want to speed
up the development of more life-saving medicines to help patients
most in need.”
About University of Oxford
Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher
Education World University Rankings for the eighth year running,
and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this
success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and
innovation and our distinctive educational offer. Oxford is
world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some
of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps
the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge
network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and
interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised
approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and
solutions.
Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University
Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK
and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having
created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of
these companies have been created in the past five years. The
university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the
United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in
2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs.
About Oxford University Innovation
Oxford University Innovation (OUI) is the research
commercialisation office of the University of Oxford, recognised
worldwide for its ability to engage academic prowess through
licensing, catalyse innovative solutions through consulting
services, and support the creation of spinouts, start-ups, and
social ventures. OUI is dedicated to showcasing the impact of these
transformative technologies on the global stage, bridging the
realms of academia and the commercial world, thereby weaving a
future where knowledge, innovation and partnership drive forward
solutions to global challenges.
Visit: https://innovation.ox.ac.uk/innovation-news/news/
About Apollo Therapeutics
Apollo Therapeutics is a portfolio biopharmaceutical company
based in the UK and USA. Apollo translates breakthroughs in biology
and basic medical research into innovative new medicines. With over
20 active therapeutic programmes, five of which are in development,
the company is building a large, diversified portfolio of novel
therapeutics with uncorrelated risk. Apollo has a scalable R&D
platform enabled by an unprecedented level of access to
breakthroughs in biology and basic medical research made at six of
the world’s leading universities and research institutes. The
company also in-licenses or acquires clinical-stage programmes
where it has unique insights and synergies. Backed by leading
specialist health care investors, Apollo has raised a total of over
$450m since its inception.
Visit www.apollotx.com
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240721769962/en/
Apollo Therapeutics Jamie Heath, Chief Financial Officer
Jamie.Heath@apollotx.com Kay Penicud PhD, Vice President and Head
of Research Partnerships kay.penicud@apollotx.com
Apollo Therapeutics Media Enquiries Ben Atwell / Simon
Conway / Alex Davis – UK Jim Polson / Matt Ventimiglia – US FTI
Consulting: ApolloTherapeutics@fticonsulting.com +44 (0) 20 3727
1000 – UK +1 (212) 850 2654 – US
Oxford University Innovation Andrea Stewart, Head of
Communications & Marketing andrea.stewart@innovation.ox.ac.uk
+44 7443 239245
Oxford University Innovation Media Desk Sodali: Maria
Sizyakova and Ben Glaze oui@sodali.com