TC BioPharm secures funding for cancer therapy trial

TCB has a multi-million pound facility at Maxim Office Park in North Lanarkshire

Scottish biotechnology firm TC BioPharm (TCB) is to press ahead with a cancer therapy trial after raising £1.2m in equity and grant funding.

TCB plans to launch clinical studies of its lead product, ImmuniCell, in September.

ImmuniCell uses patients' own cells to target a wide range of diseases such as melanoma and lung and kidney cancer.

The studies will be conducted initially in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Southampton.

Investing Women, Scotland's only female angel group, led a £680,000 investment in TCB with support from Scottish Investment Bank and WH Partnership.

It was accompanied by a grant award of about £500,000 from Scottish Enterprise.

TCB chief executive Dr Michael Leek said: "Since commencing operations 16 months ago, TCB has raised over £3.3m in seed equity and grants.

"These funds, and the fantastic support from those who contributed, has allowed us to realise our goal - treating cancer patients."

ImmuniCell is manufactured by TCB at its multi-million pound facility at Maxim Office Park at Eurocentral in North Lanarkshire.

TCB wants the facility to become a hub for immuno-cell therapy research, to benefit cancer patients in the UK and Europe.