OMass Therapeutics outlines next growth phase with new facilities and team expansion
Oxford-based biotechnology firm OMass Therapeutics has outlined the next phase of its growth on the paths to becoming a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company.
The company, which raised $100 million dollars in a Series B finance round last year, is moving to a new 16,000 square foot site with purpose-designed R&D and office facilities at ARC Oxford campus, which has been refurbished to meet OMass’ scientific and technical needs, including air handling for mass spectrometry and cell culture, and new facilities for chemistry and structural biology to support ongoing and future drug discovery efforts.
David Williams, Director of Leasing at ARC said: “We’re delighted to be supporting OMass Therapeutics on its growth journey. It’s a leading UK biopharma company at the forefront of innovation in drug discovery.
“The new building keeps it at the heart of a vibrant ecosystem of innovative companies in Oxford and offers access to communal, social and co-working spaces and a curated programme of events for campus members.”
Read more - OMass Therapeutics raises $100 Million to progress immunology and rare diseases drug pipeline
Having expanded over the past twelve months to a headcount of 55, OMass has also announced the expansion of its senior leadership team with the recent appointment of Winfried Barchet Ph.D. as its Vice President of Immunology. Winfried brings more than 15 years of project and team leadership experience spanning discovery, translational research and drug discovery in both academia and industry.
He joins from IFM Therapeutics where he was the Executive Director of Innate Immunity focusing on drugging targets in the inflammasome and the nucleic acid sensing pathways. Prior to that, he worked at Roche as a discovery area leader in innate immunity and in academia at the University of Bonn where he was the Professor of Translational Immunology at the German Centre for Infection Research.
Ros Deegan, CEO of OMass said: “It is an exciting period of growth for OMass Therapeutics as we move to our new premises, bringing all our staff under one roof, and welcome Winfried to the senior leadership team.
“Winfried brings a wealth of expertise in immunology as we continue to execute on our plans to discover drugs for previously undruggable targets, and ultimately, bring life changing medicines to patients.”
Read more - Omass publication in Nature Chemistry demonstrates new benefits of native mass spectrometry
