R&D

Aravax, a biotechnology company specialising in next-generation immunotherapies, has launched a UK subsidiary at the Oxford Science Park. This marks a key step in the company’s strategy to expand its global presence.

“Having operations in Oxford provides the opportunity to benefit from the best in UK and European manufacturing expertise for sterile, peptide-based products, and also from the wider worldw ide life sciences ecosystem,” comments Dr Paul Laidler, vice president, Pharmaceutical Development, Aravax UK.

Aravax is enhancing its UK operations to drive the progress of commercial manufacturing for the peptide drug substances critical to its next-generation immunotherapies, as its leading candidate, PVX108, moves towards phase 3 trials. The company is committed to investing around $10m into manufacturing advancements over the next two years. In addition to bolstering its manufacturing capabilities, the UK facility provides Aravax with a broader global reach for its business development efforts. Meanwhile, Aravax’s Australian headquarters will remain the hub for clinical research and other essential operations.

Earlier this year, Aravax secured $42m in Series B funding to accelerate the development of PVX108, its flagship treatment for peanut allergies. The phase 2 clinical trial, which spans Australia and the US, is fully enrolled, and results are anticipated by mid-2026.

“Our ambition is to become a global leader in food allergy therapeutics through the development of safe and convenient immunotherapies which meet the critical need for better treatments,” states Dr Pascal Hickey, CEO of Aravax. “We believe this requires an international mindset and capabilities and the setting up of our Oxford operations is a significant step in our development. The company has made great advances with its groundbreaking technology which has the potential to dramatically improve therapeutic options for patients living with food allergies.”