1. In Vivo
  2. >>Global Vision

CellFactors: Bringing the Commercial to Biotech

 
• By Melanie Senior

When UK cell therapy company CellFactors failed to raise money last year, one of its shareholders stepped in as COO, bringing commercial experience and a customer focus to a group that lacked both. CellFactors is still a risky bet, but its recent progress suggests that European biotechs have much to gain from managers with a track record in other sectors.

CellFactors PLC 's failure to raise even the minimum £2.5 million ($4.2 million) of its planned £8 million during the summer of 2002 wasn't particularly surprising: those risk-averse investors that weren't avoiding the sector entirely were certainly not likely to put their money into a young cell therapy play whose product is years from the market. Indeed, cell therapy itself has been out of fashion for half a decade, and the newly heightened ethical and regulatory risks associated with it don't exactly boost confidence. It's hard to find a cell therapy company with much positive shareholder support, and even the rare stories of such support are hardly reassuring: UK group ReNeuron PLC was whisked back into the private domain by its VC backer, Merlin Ventures, in April 2003, valued at £2 million below cash. (See "ReNeuron: Going Private," In Vivo Europe Rx, May 2003 [A#2003600076].)

CellFactors didn't have a significant VC backer to save it: most of the £4.3 million raised since the company's inception...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Global Vision

UK Bets On Regulatory Innovation As Competitive Advantage In Synthetic Biology

 
• By David Wild

The UK government has prioritized synthetic biology and created a "concierge service" for biotechs just as the US cuts science funding.

Chinese Firms Build Obesity Clinical Pipeline But Face Wider Hurdles

 
• By Xu Hu

Despite the ability to initiate clinical trials quickly and having strong manufacturing capacity, Chinese companies are facing multiple challenges in the obesity space.

Unpacking The Impact Of Trump’s Tariffs On Drug Pricing And Production

 
• By Ed Silverman

Big pharma plans to invest billions of dollars in US manufacturing to avoid tariffs proposed by the Trump Administration. However, the implementation of these plans may be delayed due to regulatory complexities and rising costs from tariffs, potentially impacting drug prices for consumers.

Barcelona’s S2 Xpeed Accelerates Hardware-Based Medtech Start-Ups From Prototype To Market

 
• By Marion Webb

S2 Xpeed is driving the rapid growth of medtech and hardware start-ups in Europe. Operating under a "sweat equity" model, the program helps early-stage companies move from prototype to manufacturing readiness in exchange for equity.

More from In Vivo

AI In Health Delivery: Patients Most Confident When HCPs Are In Charge

 
• By Ashley Yeo

Annual survey of patients and professionals shows how attitudes to health system transformation are evolving and what stakeholders are demanding as acceptance of AI tools accelerates.

Medtech Innovators Court London-Based Investors At BioWales 2025

 
• By Ashley Yeo

BioWales in London 2025 showcased the efforts healthtech innovators are making to meet investors on their own turf, illustrating changing attitudes and evolving needs.

Rising Leaders 2025: Metsera’s Whit Bernard’s Musical Path To Biotech Leadership

 
• By David Wild

Metsera CEO Whit Bernard applies an unconventional leadership philosophy to develop next-generation obesity therapeutics, including monthly GLP-1 injections and oral peptides.