Oxford BioMedica has indicated it could consider a private equity takeover under the right circumstances, even after rejecting multiple unsolicited approaches from Sweden’s EQT earlier this year, according to a report by the Financial Times citing comments from its chief executive.
Frank Mathias, who has led the UK-listed cell and gene therapy company since 2023, said the group is open to evaluating bids that align with its long-term strategy and could support faster growth, though any offer would need to meet both valuation expectations and strategic objectives.
While the company declined a final approach from EQT in February, Mathias said certain private equity investors could be well suited to support Oxford BioMedica’s development by providing additional financial flexibility and strategic backing.
“It might be that we might become private,” he said, while noting that remaining listed also carries advantages.
Oxford BioMedica, originally spun out from the University of Oxford in 1995, gained prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic through its manufacturing partnership with AstraZeneca. It has since repositioned itself as a contract development and manufacturing organisation specialising in viral vectors used in cell and gene therapies, with a focus on oncology and autoimmune treatments.
The company has seen strong share price performance over the past year and reported solid revenue growth, underpinned by expanding demand for outsourced biologics manufacturing and continued investment in the US market.
