Mills & Reeve advises Inivata on an up to £4m tranched investment to improve cancer treatment through simple blood tests
Leading national law firm Mills & Reeve have advised Inivata Limited, a new spin-out from Cancer Research UK Limited, on up to £4 million worth of funding from Imperial Innovations, Cambridge Innovation Capital and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation.
Inivata are a clinical cancer genomics company focused on harnessing the potential of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) analysis to improve cancer testing and treatment. Inivata has raised up to £4m in a tranched funding round by Imperial Innovations, Cambridge Innovation Capital and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation.
Inivata work with industry and academics to develop new clinical applications for ctDNA. Novel applications of ctDNA are enabled by Inivata technology allowing the detection and analysis of genomic material collected through routinely accessible blood samples. This non-invasive approach will revolutionise how cancer is detected, monitored and treated. This information will bring real benefits to physicians, patients pharmaceutical companies and payers. “This investment will secure the development of this technology in Cambridge and facilitate its translation into the clinic for the benefit of patients” says Robert Tansley of Cambridge Innovation Capital.
The team advising on the investment round was led by corporate associate, Dona Ardeman. The team included corporate senior lawyer Sofie de Pfeiffer, corporate lawyer Lauren Grieve, commercial associate Richard Plaistowe, commercial senior lawyer Sophie Burton Jones, commercial lawyer Sarah Atkinson and employment senior lawyer Andrew McDonald.
Angus Lauder , Business Development Executive, of Cambridge Research Technology added “this investment and commercialisation presents a wonderful opportunity to take this developing, ground breaking technology to the next level for the benefit of enhanced cancer treatment.”
Nitzan Rosenfeld, Chief Scientific Officer of Inivata, said “the funding and new business structure represents an excellent opportunity to develop an innovative science to improve molecular diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Mills & Reeve’s wealth of experience and expertise was invaluable in navigating this successful investment round.”
In response Dona Ardeman said: “It was a pleasure to work with Inivata, Cambridge Research Trust Limited and the investors to facilitate the investment. This vital funding will enable the Inivata team to progress the development and commercialisation of cutting edge science which will have the ability to save lives and improve the prognosis of patients”.
