Clinical-stage cancer vaccine company takes space at ARC Oxford following $35.1 million funding round
ARC Oxford has welcomed clinical-stage biotechnology company, Infinitopes, which has taken an initial 800 SQF in Motherlabs, ARC Oxford’s accelerator space, marking the next step in its growth after graduating from the Oxford BioEscalator.
ARC Oxford is supporting the company’s transition from an incubator environment into dedicated grow-on space, with plans already in place for Infinitopes to expand into a bespoke 5,000 SQF laboratory and office space on the campus, as the company continues to scale.
The move will see Infinitopes become the first occupier of ARC’s recently launched Motherlabs accelerator and follows Infinitopes’ successful $35.1 million seed funding round and the launch of its first-in-human clinical trial for ITOP1, its precision therapeutic vaccine designed to help prevent the recurrence of oesophageal cancer.
Motherlabs was created to bridge the gap between university incubators and larger commercial laboratory space, giving ambitious science companies the flexibility to grow without disrupting research programmes or losing talent.
Dan Williams, Director of Asset Management at ARC Oxford, said: “Companies like Infinitopes demonstrate the strength of Oxford’s innovation ecosystem. After successfully growing at the Oxford BioEscalator, Motherlabs provides the ideal next step, enabling the business to continue growing within a purpose-built environment before moving into larger, permanent laboratory space. Our ambition is to create a seamless growth journey, ensuring pioneering companies can remain within a supportive innovation community as they scale from early-stage research to commercial success.”
Jo Brewer, CSO & Interim COO, Inifinitopes, said: “As we continue to expand our team and progress our clinical programmes, having the right laboratory environment is critical. Motherlabs provides the flexibility we need at this important stage, allowing us to maintain momentum while preparing for our move into larger facilities at ARC Oxford. Remaining within Oxford’s world-leading life sciences ecosystem ensures we stay closely connected to the talent, partners and collaborators that have supported our journey so far. Many thanks to the BioEscalator and its team for giving us our first home, providing the insights, stability and flexibility that has allowed us to progress to the clinical stage.”
Dr Claire Shingler, Business Manager at the BioEscalator, the University of Oxford’s biomedical incubator, added: ” Infinitopes’ progress – growing with us then graduating from the BioEscalator to continue its expansion elsewhere – shows our business model in action. It’s been very exciting to support this University of Oxford spin-out’s evolution to the clinical stage in the four years that it’s been a tenant at the BioEscalator. The Infinitopes team has made a significant contribution to our community and we look forward to watching its continued success as part of the Oxford innovation ecosystem.”
Infinitopes is developing a new generation of off-the-shelf precision cancer vaccines using its proprietary Precision Immunomics™ platform, combining advanced immunology, artificial intelligence and antigen discovery to develop targeted immunotherapies for solid tumours. The company is currently progressing its lead candidate, ITOP1, through clinical development while expanding its wider oncology pipeline.
Located at ARC Oxford, Motherlabs offers high-quality fitted laboratories for emerging life science companies looking to take their next step beyond incubator space. Designed to remove barriers to growth, Motherlabs provides flexible terms, shared facilities and access to ARC’s wider innovation community, helping businesses accelerate their path to commercialisation.
The announcement sees Infinitopes join over 30 science and tech companies based at the campus, further reinforcing ARC Oxford’s position as one of the UK’s leading destinations for life science companies, supporting organisations from spin-out through to global scale-up with a range of specialist laboratory and office accommodation.
