OXB Expands US Presence with $4.5M Acquisition of Viral Vector Plant from National Resilience

Oxford Biomedica (OXB), a leading cell and gene therapy manufacturer, has taken a significant step in its US expansion strategy by acquiring a viral vector plant in North Carolina from National Resilience for $4.5 million (£3.4 million). This move comes less than two months after OXB announced a £60 million ($81 million) equity raise to support its growth plans in the United States.

Strategic Acquisition Bolsters OXB's Manufacturing Capabilities

The newly acquired facility, located in the Research Triangle Park area of Durham, North Carolina, will become OXB's fifth global site and its second in the US. The FDA-approved plant is set to complement OXB's existing US operations in Bedford, Massachusetts, which will continue to serve as the company's adeno-associated virus center of excellence for early-stage development activities.

Frank Mathias, CEO of OXB, highlighted the significance of this acquisition, stating, "This acquisition is a major milestone in OXB's evolution as a global, innovation-led CDMO partner of choice. The FDA approved facility in North Carolina adds commercial-scale US manufacturing capabilities, accelerating OXB's ability to meet growing demand from existing clients while supporting new business opportunities."

The Durham facility boasts two GMP suites for drug substance production, one for fill-finish operations, and a fourth suite ready for expansion. Additionally, the site includes quality control laboratories and warehousing space. OXB plans to have the plant operational by the first quarter of 2026 and intends to hire additional staff to bring it to full commercial readiness.

Industry Consolidation and Strategic Shifts

This transaction also sheds light on the ongoing consolidation within the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. The sale of the Durham facility is part of National Resilience's broader strategy to streamline its operations. In June, Resilience announced plans to close six of its ten plants, leaving the company with facilities in Toronto, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati after the Durham divestiture.

Resilience, which launched in November 2020 with an $800 million investment and ambitious plans to revolutionize biopharmaceutical manufacturing, has faced challenges in aligning its capacity expansion with industry demand. CEO William Marth acknowledged this mismatch, stating, "It has become clear that our capacity expansion has outpaced industry demand."

The Durham site, which Resilience acquired for $110 million in 2021 as part of a partnership with gene therapy specialist bluebird bio (now rebranded as Genetix Biotherapeutics), had already seen workforce reductions. In January 2025, Resilience laid off 120 employees at the North Carolina facility.