Key milestones in UK Government's excursion into gene therapy

Oxford Biomedica (OXB) plants the seed

This is how Oxford Biomedica describes itself on its website:

“Oxford Biomedica is an innovative leading viral vector specialist focused on delivering life changing therapies to patients. Cell and gene therapy is the treatment of disease by the delivery of therapeutic genetic material (DNA or RNA), into a patient’s cells. One highly effective approach to delivering the genetic information is to re-engineer existing viruses to be safe delivery vehicles (vectors) to insert the genetic material into patients cells. This can be achieved either by directly administering the vector to the patient (often referred to as in vivo gene therapy), or by first introducing the genetic material to cells or tissue outside of the body, before administering the cells or tissue into the patient (often referred to as ex vivo gene therapy, or gene-modified cell therapy).”

In 2013, the company won a UK Government funding award from its Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI - pronounced AM-SKI) of £7.1M, see Press Release below:

2013: Oxford BioMedica Wins Significant Funding via a Competitive Award from UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative

2015: Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation: Protocols for vaccine manufacturer engagement with JCVI sub-committees (JCVI met with vaccine manufacturers)