GHIC Adds Univercells to Global Health Security Portfolio

Univercells, a global life science company providing all-round solutions for biologics manufacturing, has raised € 44 million through the first close of its Series D financing round. In addition to the support of existing private and public shareholders, Univercells is very pleased to welcome prominent new investors from Belgium and the United States.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – Univercells has raised € 44 million through the first close of its Series D financing round. The investment was led by Belgian and international investors. In addition to the support of existing public institutional funds such as SFPI-FPIM (Société Fédérale de Participation et d'Investissement), SRIW (Société Régionale d'Investissement de Wallonie) and the Amerigo Fund, other historical investors joined the round and consolidated their participation in Univercells, including Adjuvant Capital, AdBio Partners, and TheClubDeal, among others.

The financing round also sees participation of new Belgian and international investors. This includes 3d investors, a Belgian family-owned investment company with 30 years of experience in long-term investments; Global Health Investment Corporation, a non-profit corporation making venture investments to strengthen global health security, in partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and In-Q-Tel, the not-for-profit strategic investor to the U.S. intelligence community and its allies. Univercells is very pleased to welcome such reputable investors, aligned with its mission, but also opening many new concrete perspectives and business opportunities.

Finally, a call was launched in the summer of 2022 to all collaborators of the Univercells Group, offering the possibility to invest. The initiative was successful beyond expectations and will contribute to the growth of the Group, while reinforcing the engagement of all colleagues.

The proceeds will mainly support the development of (i) Quantoom Biosciences' RNA platform, complementing funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Walloon Region (DGO6), (ii) the commercial expansion of Exothera's Jumet-based infrastructure, and (iii) the global growth of the Univercells Group.

The Univercells Group is fulfilling its global mission to make biologics available and accessible to all from its home base of Belgium, while continuing to explore paths for international expansion. In the meantime, the arrival of new national and international investors will help strengthen Univercells' ambition to achieve the developments it aims for in global health in the coming years. Hugues Bultot, co-founder and CEO of the Univercells Group commented: “This first Series D closing is another step towards the realization of our mission to make biologics available to all and to successfully address health challenges during and between pandemics. We are committed to continue delivering breakthrough technologies and services that democratize the production of biologics and widen the access to life-changing drugs and vaccines. It is a pivotal moment to invest in biomanufacturing capabilities and we are looking forward to enabling our partners, from bio-innovators to governments, for the benefit of all”.

J.P. Morgan SE acted as the sole placement agent to Univercells on the transaction.

For more information, visit www.univercells.com.