Cobra Biologics and Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services have successfully completed their collaboration to develop synergistic capabilities intended to accelerate the clinical and commercial production of viral vectors. The 18-month joint project saw a combined investment of £4.8 million, including significant support from a grant received under the UK Governments’ Innovate UK Health and Life Sciences Program. 
 
The collaboration significantly increases both companies’ existing commercial capacity and simplifies the supply chain process for manufacture of viral vectors for use in gene therapy and immunotherapy. As a result, Cobra and Symbiosis can now support new and existing customers’ clinical and commercial needs to deliver a growing number of innovative cell and gene therapy medicines to market and to the patients most in need of their therapeutic benefits.
 
Peter Coleman, Chief Executive at Cobra Biologics, said: “The Innovate UK grant has enabled Cobra and Symbiosis to form a close partnership to provide a seamless viral vector service to the global community for both clinical and commercial supply.  In conjunction with Symbiosis, we have now helped to establish the UK as world leader in this exciting field.”
 
Colin MacKay, Chief Executive of Symbiosis, added: “The relationship that Symbiosis and Cobra have forged during this grant collaboration project represents an excellent foundation for both companies to strengthen their aligned ability to develop world class personalized medicines more quickly for shared clients from around the world.”