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The latest funding, including advanced pharmaceutical exports, gene therapy, neurodegenerative proteins, flexible X-rays, seasonal influenza, oncology and care home facilities.
GMP Manufacturing secures £500,000 to scale pharmaceutical exports
Hull-based contract pharmaceutical manufacturer GMP Manufacturing Ltd (GMPM) has landed more than £500,000 in commercial growth finance from non-bank SME lending specialist White Oak UK. The debt facility is fully backed by a state guarantee from UK Export Finance (UKEF) under its General Export Facility (GEF), an initiative structured to protect and enhance working capital for expanding British exporters.
Funds will be used to improve international logistics, fulfil rising volume contracts across Europe and Australia, and finance entry into select African markets. The capital will also back a 20% headcount expansion at the company’s Hull plant and fund advanced research and development infrastructure, including capital expenditure into 3D printing platforms designed for automated, personalised medicine manufacturing.
Founded in 2018 on the former Seven Seas production site in East Hull, the company has scaled its workforce by more than 40% in under a decade.
Operating a turnkey B2B contract model, GMPM holds specialised MHRA and ISO 13485:2016 licenses to manage the entire product life cycle on behalf of multinational clients. This includes end-to-end tech transfer, formulation remediation, sterile contract filling and regulatory batch release. Alongside its contract services across pharmaceuticals, biocides and cosmetics, the company develops its own proprietary healthcare brands, such as Aseptic, a line of alcohol-free sanitisation products to target influenza and coronaviruses.
“We are proud to be investing in advanced manufacturing capacity in Hull, creating high-quality jobs and career opportunities at every level, from apprenticeships and technical training to senior leadership positions, while strengthening the UK’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capability,” said GMP Manufacturing chief executive Giby George.
Houdini Bio raises £1.5 million pre-seed
Cambridge-based biotechnology company Houdini Bio has secured nearly £1.5 million in a combined pre-seed capitalisation of equity and non-dilutive grant funding.
The oversubscribed equity round was led by deep-tech specialist venture capital firm SCVC with co-investment from Cambridge Enterprise VC and Deep Science Ventures.
The University of Cambridge spin-out will use the capital to accelerate the development of its machine learning-powered computational design platform and expand its preclinical validation pipeline.
While cell and gene therapies hold therapeutic potential to treat complex genetic disorders and cancers, their clinical utility remains restricted by an invisible biological bottleneck. The human body has intracellular defence mechanisms designed to detect, silence and degrade foreign genetic material. Chief among these is the human silencing hub (HUSH) protein complex, which routinely binds to newly introduced therapeutic DNA vectors and triggers epigenetic modifications that shut down expression.
Houdini Bio circumvents this host defence barrier by redesigning the architecture of therapeutic DNA. By identifying and altering specific sequence motifs that trigger HUSH complex recognition without modifying the underlying therapeutic payload, the platform allows the engineered genes to evade intracellular silencing and remain active for longer periods. In initial preclinical models, Houdini Bio’s architecture demonstrated a more than tenfold increase in sustained gene expression compared to current standard industry methods, a metric that could allow therapies to achieve optimal clinical efficacy at significantly lower, safer doses.
“Gene therapies really do represent the future of medicine, but they are stuck behind an invisible commercial and biological bottleneck,” said SCVC managing partner Harry Destecroix. “Houdini Bio has developed a compelling approach to overcoming one of the field’s most persistent challenges, and it’s great to have led this investment from SCVC.”
TRIMTECH Therapeutics expands seed round to $47 million
Cambridge-based biotechnology company TRIMTECH Therapeutics has raised an additional $14 million in seed extension funding, bringing the total for the round to $47 million (£35 million).
The extension was co-led by Johnson & Johnson’s corporate venture capital arm, Johnson & Johnson Innovation (JJDC), and BGF. They join an existing syndicate of life sciences investors, including Pfizer Ventures, Eli Lilly, M Ventures, Cambridge Innovation Capital, the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), MP Healthcare Venture Management and Cambridge Enterprise Ventures.
The capital will be used to accelerate the development of the company’s central nervous system (CNS) penetrant small molecule portfolio and expand its core discovery platforms. The financing will also support the advancement of lead therapeutic candidates toward formal preclinical development. Following the close, representatives from both JJDC and BGF will join the company’s board as non-executive directors.
TRIMTECH focuses on TRIM21, an intracellular antibody receptor and E3 ligase. The company’s dual platforms use the specific mechanics of TRIM21 to target and degrade only the dense, toxic protein aggregates and oligomers. The small molecules leave the healthy, functional monomeric forms of the proteins completely untouched, preserving vital cellular pathways. This molecular precision allows TRIMTECH to develop orally available, blood-brain barrier-penetrant small molecules capable of safely modifying the course of high-prevalence chronic neurodegenerative diseases.
“This additional funding allows us to forge ahead with developing our portfolio of CNS penetrant degraders based on our unique platforms,” said chief executive Nicki Thompson.
Silveray raises £5 million Series A
Guildford-based advanced materials company Silveray has closed a £5 million Series A round to accelerate the commercial scale-up and clinical translation of its flexible X-ray detector technology.
The round was led by PXN Ventures, with prominent co-investment from existing shareholder Northern Gritstone alongside participation from the GMC Life Sciences Fund and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.
The University of Surrey spin-out will use the capital to expand its engineering and clinical regulatory teams, scale up its high-throughput manufacturing infrastructure, and establish key commercial partnerships with medical device original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Conventional medical radiography relies on heavy, flat-panel digital detectors made up of crystalline silicon or amorphous selenium. These panels are inherently bulky, expensive to manufacture and uncomfortable for patients when positioned against the body. Furthermore, their flat geometry frequently introduces geometric distortion when imaging curved anatomical structures, requiring higher radiation doses to achieve diagnostic clarity.
Silveray re-engineers this hardware constraint through its Digital X-ray Film platform. Developed from research at Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute, the technology chemically integrates high-Z elements – heavy atoms optimised for exceptional X-ray absorption – directly into semiconductor polymer matrices. The resulting material can be manufactured as an ultra-thin, mechanically flexible film that conforms to curved surfaces. This allows for the development of portable, lightweight and low-cost diagnostic imaging devices while enabling real-time, high-precision anatomical tracking during targeted cancer radiotherapy. Long-term, the technology’s molecular sensitivity is engineered to deliver energy-resolved photon counting, effectively introducing multi-energy colour discrimination to traditionally monochrome X-ray imagery at significantly lower radiation doses.
“Silveray’s vision is to revolutionise X-ray imagery and add colour to this traditionally monochrome image at lower doses in a flexible format,” said founder Professor Ravi Silva. “This latest investment will help to push forward the next phase of growth and bring the benefits of this technology to even more sectors, with the potential to improve healthcare outcomes and make advanced imaging more accessible.”
RQ Bio secures $115 million Series A
London-based biotechnology company RQ Bio has closed an oversubscribed $115 million (£85.5 million) Series A funding round led by Frazier Life Sciences.
The funding drew significant participation from a syndicate of new institutional backers, including EQT Life Sciences, Forbion, Monograph and Wellington Management, alongside continued follow-on support from founding investor LifeArc Ventures, Oxford Science Enterprises and the University of Oxford.
Funds will be used to fund the clinical development of RQ Bio’s lead therapeutic candidate, RQB01, transitioning the programme from current investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies into its first human clinical trials next year. Additionally, the financing will fund the expansion of the company’s antibody discovery platform to build out a broader preclinical pipeline targeting other high-burden respiratory viral diseases.
Concurrent with the round, biotechnology industry veteran Christian Schade – former chief executive of Halda Therapeutics – has been appointed as executive chairman, while Frazier Life Sciences partner Joe Cabral joins the company’s board of directors.
RQ Bio bypasses the need for an active host immune response for seasonal influenza by delivering immediate, passive immunity via its lead monoclonal antibody program, RQB01. Engineered as a long-acting prophylactic injection, RQB01 uses a differentiated dual mechanism of action that targets highly conserved viral epitopes. Because these specific structural regions of the virus are functionally essential, they remain highly resilient against the seasonal mutations and antigenic drift that routinely cause conventional flu vaccines to lose efficacy. By pairing broad, cross-strain viral neutralisation with an extended molecular half-life, a single administration of RQB01 is engineered to provide immediate, robust protection for an entire influenza season.
The company was spun out of the University of Oxford in 2021 by a group of UK virologists and infectious disease specialists, working with LifeArc Ventures to build a dedicated anti-viral translation platform.
“Influenza remains a serious and persistent threat for patients whose immune systems cannot rely on vaccination alone,” said RQ Bio chief executive officer Mike Westby. “Our vision is to develop a preventative therapy capable of delivering reliable protection for an entire flu season with a single administration.”
Thalia Therapeutics transforms into clinical-stage developer
London-listed biotechnology company Thalia Therapeutics has secured £2.75 million through an oversubscribed share placement and subscription.
It will use the funds to acquire US-based oncology specialist Sanmirna Therapeutics for £3.7 million. In doing so, Thalia evolves from an RNA drug delivery platform into a clinical-stage therapeutics developer.
The cash injection stabilises Thalia’s working capital requirements until the middle of next year and fully funds Sanmirna’s ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial. Approximately £1 million of the proceeds will be allocated specifically to the clinical trial budget, while £750,000 will support the advancement of Thalia’s proprietary bispecific cardiovascular small-interfering RNA (siRNA) assets toward an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The remaining balance will cover general corporate overheads, transactional expenses, and pipeline integration costs.
The pivot allows Thalia to diversify its research footprint by capturing a secondary, highly targeted RNA modality. While Thalia’s legacy preclinical pipeline centres on siRNA technologies that silence messenger RNA targets, Sanmirna’s platform uses microRNA (miRNA) mechanisms to modify disease pathways. The core of the acquisition is miRisten, a clinical-stage therapeutic candidate designed to inhibit microRNA-126. This specific molecule acts as a critical oncogenic driver, fuelling the survival and proliferation of leukaemia stem cells in acute myeloid leukaemia.
The transaction has received strong institutional backing. The conditional fundraising attracted capital from prominent institutional managers, including Premier Miton. Direct subscriptions from Thalia’s board made up £1.1 million, roughly 40% of the round. The initial £3.7 million purchase price will be structured via the issuance of 485.1 million new ordinary shares alongside £764,357 in convertible loan notes.
“This is an exciting and transformative opportunity to accelerate our clinical-stage oncology pipeline and diversify our RNA therapeutics pipeline, providing us with an asset that advances our development timeline by several years compared with our preclinical progress to date,” said Thalia Therapeutics chief executive officer David Solomon.
North Bay Group secures £13.3 million Paragon facility
Specialist real estate developer and operator North Bay Group has secured a £13.3 million development finance facility from Paragon Development Finance. The structured debt package provided an initial advance against land acquisition and will fully fund the construction and clinical fit-out of a new purpose-built care home facility in Chester.
Although an inaugural deal between Paragon and North Bay Group, a second regional development scheme has already been formally approved, and three additional deals are in the underwriting pipeline. Construction on the project started in the first quarter, with practical completion and commissioning scheduled for late next year. Once operational, the facility will be managed by Highgate Care, North Bay’s integrated operating brand.
North Bay Group says that its new Chester development directly addresses a regional shortfall through a fully integrated developer-operator model. Located on Boundary Lane, the 75-bed facility will provide comprehensive residential dementia care. All 75 bedrooms will feature private wet rooms. To mitigate long-term operational energy costs and satisfy institutional environmental mandates, the building’s design incorporates solar photovoltaic arrays and integrated renewable energy systems, targeting an EPC A efficiency rating.
Established in 2007, North Bay Group operates 48 specialised facilities across the UK, encompassing a portfolio of over 2,500 beds.
Morrison Community Care Group lands £14 million Puma loan
Specialist healthcare developer and operator Morrison Community Care Group (MCCG) has signed a £14 million development loan from Puma Property Finance. The capital will fund the construction and fit-out of a new purpose-built 70-bed care home in Ipswich, Suffolk.
The transaction is t he second funding partnership between Puma and MCCG, following an £18 million development facility structured in May 2024 to finance an 81-bed care home in Ewell, Surrey. Practical completion of the Ipswich facility is forecast for October next year.
Arranged over three floors, the home will provide 70 private bedrooms, each with an independent en-suite wetroom. The layout incorporates comprehensive communal and therapeutic amenities, including a hair salon, a cinema room, a restaurant and shared resident lounges. To satisfy modern institutional ESG mandates and insulation standards, the facility will be powered by integrated rooftop solar photovoltaic panel arrays.
To date, MCCG has delivered nine completed care homes comprising 542 beds nationwide. “There remains a significant shortage of high-quality later living and nursing care facilities across the UK, and we look forward to progressing the scheme with the ambition of delivering another best-in-class care home for the local Ipswich community,” said Morrison Community Care Group managing director Paul Sokhi.
LNT Care Developments secures £100 million Leumi UK facility
Specialist real estate lender Leumi UK has structured a £100 million revolving credit facility for LNT Care Developments to fund the continued expansion of its nationwide care home pipeline. The transaction is Leumi UK’s largest individual healthcare financing facility to date.
The facility is structured to provide liquidity across land acquisition, construction drawdown and intermediate investment activity. It will initially back the rolling development of five regional schemes comprising 330 beds in total. These assets are situated in Wymondham, Norfolk; Bourne, Lincolnshire; Braunton, Devon; Thornbury, Gloucestershire; Hooton, Cheshire; and Newcastle Great Park, Tyne & Wear. Over the next three years, LNT intends to use the capital to construct between 15 and 20 additional care homes across the UK.
LNT Care Developments claims to address current market fragmentation through its standardised, vertically integrated operating model. By controlling the entire life cycle from initial architectural design and planning origination to turn-key construction and eventual asset disposal, the group eliminates third-party developer friction. To date, LNT has delivered more than 250 sites with over 16,500 beds nationwide.
“We are thrilled to build on our trusted partnership with the Leumi UK team, whose support gives us the flexibility we need to deliver our pipeline of new sites,” said LNT Care Developments chief executive Matt Lowe.
