KKR backs Belgian tech provider Univercells SA

Belgian technology provider Univercells SA will receive the financing from Gamma Biosciences, a new investment platform supported by leading global investment firm KKR, which is focused on next generation bioprocessing technologies for viral vaccines and vectors for gene and cell therapies. The investment will be deployed in H1/2020 in a newly created subsidiary of Univercells focused on accelerating the commercialization of Univercells’ NevoLine™ virus biomanufacturing platform and the fixed-bed scale-X™ bioreactor portfolio. 

Specifically, the investment is intended to support continued expansion into the fast-growing gene therapy segment, including new developments that will enable a range of best-in-class solutions for viral manufacturing. According to Grand View Research, the world market for plasmid and virus manufacturing will grow by 14.5% per year from US$368.3m last year.

“KKR and Gamma will open access to an unparalleled global network, enabling accelerated production and delivery of the NevoLine and scale-X technologies and driving commercialization,” said Hugues Bultot, CEO of Univercells. “Aligning with high-end sponsors such as KKR that back our mission to have a positive impact on global health is a true honor for our team.

The investment builds on grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Health Investment Fund and European Investment Bank. The scale-X bioreactor portfolio and the NevoLine biomanufacturing platform have been designed to provide a low footprint (10m²), capital and operational expenditures required to produce viral products.