(Miami and Wellington, NZ, February 2, 2023) BioOra Limited, a Bridgewest Group portfolio company, appoints new CEO, Dr. Andi Grant. Dr. Grant has an accomplished career in global pharmaceutical and biotech businesses, driving the development and commercialization of medical innovations. Her operational and strategic business experience has been forged through leadership roles at Incyte and Galapagos, both during early stages and transitioning to fully integrated pharmaceutical companies. As CEO and Managing Director of Living Cell Technologies, Andi led the company in creating a safe, quality and consistent manufacturing process to produce end products used in patients.

"We are excited to welcome Andi to BioOra," said Dr. Peter Crabtree, Chairman of BioOra. "Andi is a proven value creator and vastly experienced leader who knows how to bring novel products to market. Throughout her career, Andi has gravitated to companies who are pioneers at the forefront of medical innovation," added Dr. Crabtree.

Mike Zablocki, General Manager of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, New Zealand’s leading independent biomedical research organization is partnering with BioOra on the clinical development of its CAR-T cell therapy. "In partnership with Dr. Grant and her team, our immediate focus will be to finalize the automation of CAR-T cell therapy manufacturing, to allow us to extend the benefits of this breakthrough treatment as widely as possible," said Zablocki.

"There is enormous potential to improve patient’s lives with personalized medicines. Our goal is to create a global leader in the automated manufacture of personalized cell therapies and end to end patient delivery. This is eminently achievable with the IP that has already been established. I am honored to join BioOra and to lead the team on this remarkable journey," said Dr. Grant.

Dr. Grant holds a PhD in molecular neurobiology from the University of Cambridge, UK.

Bridgewest Group is an innovative and privately held global investment firm with over $3B in private capital. Founded in 1999, the global firm has earned a long-standing reputation for creating and scaling transformational businesses to achieve outsized success. Bridgewest Group leverages its expertise and global eco-community in key sectors where it can have the greatest impact including Biotech, Software, Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence/Deep Tech. Customized financial investment services and diverse real estate holdings augment equity assets and support portfolio companies as they grow. Bridgewest Group is based in the US, with investments primarily in the US, Europe, China and Australasia.

Bridgewest Ventures NZ LP is part of the Bridgewest Group, a US-based investment company, that is recognized for its ability to successfully incubate and launch major global innovation-led companies. Bridgewest Ventures utilizes the same successful model in New Zealand. It leverages the connections, international reach, and commercialization experience of Bridgewest Group to transform New Zealand opportunities into world-class companies.

Bridgewest Ventures NZ LP is an approved partner of the Callaghan Innovation Technology Incubator Programme. Callaghan Technology Incubator provides additional details for the Technology Incubator programme.

BioOra is pioneering medical innovation through automated personalized cell therapies. It is the only licensed GMP contract and development therapeutics manufacturer of CAR-T cell therapeutics in New Zealand. In partnership with Bridgewest Ventures and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, BioOra is developing novel automated manufacturing of CAR-T cell immunotherapy, to help deliver life-saving immunotherapies efficiently and affordably to patients around the globe.

The Malaghan Institute of Medical Research is New Zealand’s leading independent biomedical research institute with a focus on immunology and immunotherapy and a long history of personalised cell therapy. The institute is working in partnership with Wellington Zhaotai Therapies to trial a third generation CAR-T cell therapy in New Zealand for patients with relapsed and refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. BioOra is working with the Malaghan Institute to automate the production of CAR-T cells and similar treatments.