Axol Bioscience and Censo Biotechnologies merge to boost iPSC-related technologies
Axol Bioscience, a provider of iPSC-derived cells, media, and characterization services, and CENSO Biotechnologies, a cell biology CRO with focused expertise in iPSC-related technologies, have merged.
Axol Bioscience, a provider of iPSC-derived cells, media, and characterization services, and CENSO Biotechnologies, a cell biology CRO with focused expertise in iPSC-related technologies, have merged. The new entity will become a leading provider of product and service solutions in the iPSC-based neuroscience, immune cell, and cardiac modeling for drug discovery and screening markets.
They will offer customers validated ready-touse cell lines and a suite of services with broader expertise, robust functional data, and customization capabilities, all with shorter lead times.
The transaction is accompanied by a fundraising round in excess £3.8 million, led by Calculus Capital and Par Equity. The investment will be used to enable growth of the business and acquisition of talent.
Under the terms of the agreement, Axol Bioscience CEO, Liam Taylor, and the Axol senior leadership team will take over the management of the combined entity, with the intent to migrate the brand to Axol Bioscience. The agreement sees CENSO’s interim CEO, Dr Tom Stratford, appointed non-executive director of the combined board, on behalf of Par Equity.
Liam Taylor, CEO Axol, said: “Axol has experienced a rapid increase in demand for their iPSC-based products and services over the last three years. Merging with CENSO immediately and significantly grows our scientific team and breadth of expertise. That, and the addition of two sites for iPSC-derived cell line manufacturing and custom service work, will increase our production capacity and future-proof our organization to ensure demand can continue to be met with the short lead times and quality that our customers depend on.”
