Tozaro raises £6M to scale viral vector manufacturing platform
Tozaro, a Bedfordshire-based biotech focused on improving the manufacturing economics of gene and cell therapies, has secured £6 million ($8.2 million) in fresh funding to scale its platform and pursue new commercial partnerships.
The round was led by Mercia Ventures, which invested via the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II alongside its own capital. Existing investors also participated. The company said the financing brings its total funding to £23.7 million.
Targeting a key bottleneck in gene therapy
Gene therapies and advanced cancer treatments such as CAR-T have shown the potential to deliver durable responses and, in some cases, functional cures. But prices can exceed £370,000 and reach beyond £1 million per patient, creating significant pressure for healthcare systems. Industry observers often point to manufacturing—particularly the production and purification of viral vectors—as a major driver of these costs.
Mark Payton, CEO of Mercia Asset Management, said the investment thesis centres on lowering production costs. He added that Tozaro is pursuing an approach that can reduce manufacturing expense “without shouldering the risk” of clinical development, and noted progress from platform work into engagement with downstream processing partners and potential customers.
Smart Polymers instead of proteins
Founded in 2015 as MIP Discovery, Tozaro uses machine learning and molecular modelling to design synthetic binding compounds it calls Smart Polymers. The company says these polymers can replace traditional protein-based reagents used in manufacturing, aiming to improve recovery, increase purity and simplify processes.
The platform is being applied to improve yields of lentiviral vectors used in CAR-T immunotherapies and AAV vectors used in broader gene therapies, areas where manufacturing yields remain challenging.
Jason Slingsby, CEO of Tozaro, said the company’s polymers are drawing global interest and could help remove cost barriers that limit patient access to “life-changing” therapies. Tozaro employs 28 people in the UK.
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