Site also home to The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Lab to drive innovation to be leader in circulating tumour cell (CTC) capture technology
EMV Capital (“EMVC”), the award-winning VC investor specialising in early stage high-growth deep tech companies in the life science, sustainability, and industrials sectors in the UK and internationally, is delighted to report that its portfolio company, Vortex Biotech Holdings Ltd (”Vortex”), has opened a laboratory at The London Cancer Hub’s Innovation Gateway, in support of its next phase of growth.
The new laboratory sets Vortex firmly on the path to be the innovation leader in circulating tumour cell (CTC) capture technology, which greatly improves therapeutic decisions and saves lives.
The Innovation Gateway is a cutting-edge incubator space for life sciences companies. It is based at The London Cancer Hub in Sutton, which is already home to The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust – which together rank in the world’s top four centres for cancer research and treatment. Vortex already has laboratory facilities in California.
Vortex has developed a “no touch” microfluidic chip technology which captures intact, label-free, and pure CTCs from blood, with high yields. These CTCs can then be analysed using a range of downstream workflows that help characterise them, providing researchers and clinicians with access to critical insights from whole cancer cells which underpin one of the main causes of metastasis, treatment resistance and disease recurrence. Vortex is part-owned by NetScientific plc, the parent company of EMVC.
Paul Jones, CEO of Vortex, commented:
“The establishment of a new laboratory in London, together with our laboratory facility in California, opens up the path towards our next phase of growth; to set up CTC Centres of Excellence with associated lab services for biopharma customers.
“This new strategy will allow us to deliver a step change in the use of CTCs to inform oncology treatment and monitoring. Longer term, Vortex will look to build on academic and industry engagement to open an interface into clinical health systems around the world.”
Andy Carr, Business Development Manager at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:
“It is a pleasure to welcome Vortex to the Innovation Gateway, and we are sure they will make a great contribution to our growing cancer-focused life sciences community here in Sutton. We are confident that new companies like Vortex, in collaboration with academics and clinicians already based here The London Cancer Hub, will make new research breakthroughs that lead to the development of new cancer treatments.”
Dr Ilian Iliev, Managing Director of EMV Capital and Chairman of Vortex, added:
“We are very pleased with Paul and his team’s progress in developing CTC technology with the aim of improving cancer treatment, monitoring disease more effectively, and ultimately improving outcomes for cancer patients. Opening a lab in the UK at such a prestigious cancer research and treatment hub will only serve to accelerate the opportunity.
“We are further bolstered by research¹ showing the tremendous growth of the market in which Vortex operates; with the global liquid biopsy market valued at USD 8.1 billion in 2021 and projected to surpass USD 26.2 billion by 2030.
“We wish Paul and his team well in their new laboratory, and we look forward to their continued advances toward Vortex’s next stage of growth, and execution on the Centres of Excellence strategy.”
¹ Liquid Biopsy Market Size, Growth, Trends, Report 2022 to 2030, Precedence Research.
About EMV Capital
EMV Capital is an award-winning VC investor specialising in early stage high-growth deep tech companies in the life science, sustainability, and industrials sectors in the UK and internationally.
EMV Capital develops unique investment strategies for each portfolio company, drawing on its EIS fund and extensive network of private investors, family offices, institutions, and corporate VCs. Delivery and successful execution of these investment strategies enables innovative portfolio companies to raise funding to drive transformational growth.
EMV Capital is a wholly owned subsidiary of NetScientific plc (AIM:NSCI), a life sciences and technology commercialisation and investment group.
EMV Capital has a multi-disciplinary team of specialist investors, portfolio managers, capital raisers, legal, finance, marketing and support staff. The company is focused on primary and secondary investments, through debt and/or equity.
For any enquiries, please contact Belvedere Communications:
John West: +44 (0) 203 008 6866
Llew Angus: +44 (0) 203 008 6867
About Vortex Biotech Holdings Ltd
The Vortex mission is to be the innovation leader in Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) capture technology that improves therapeutic decisions and saves lives. This exciting area is providing critical information from research to the clinic, causing a major shift in how cancer can be treated and monitored.
The combination of targeted therapies and precise diagnostics is allowing for the era of personalized medicine to emerge. The capture and enrichment of circulating tumour cells is going to be a critical element of targeted companion diagnostics. We believe our next generation CTC capture system will allow the full potential of CTCs to be realized.
About the Institute of Cancer Research
The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years.
The ICR is led by Chief Executive Professor Kristian Helin, known for his pioneering scientific discoveries in cancer epigenetics.
We are world leaders in identifying cancer genes, discovering cancer drugs and developing precision radiotherapy. Together with our hospital partner The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, we are rated as one of the top centres for cancer research and treatment worldwide.
As well as being as world-class research institute, the ICR is a higher education institution and a member institution of the University of London. We came second-top in the league table of university research quality, impact and environment compiled from the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).