Access Biotechnology

Access Biotechnology is the life-sciences investment arm of Access Industries. It was set up in 2019 and puts money into companies developing therapies for conditions with high unmet need. The unit is led by Liam Ratcliffe, formerly head of worldwide clinical research and development at Pfizer.

What Access Biotechnology offers

• Private and public investments — stakes in biopharma companies across therapeutic areas, drug types and development stages.
• Long-term backing — capital not tied to the normal life cycle of a venture fund, so investments can be held for years.
• Company creation — it has co-incubated a company and co-led its seed round.
• Partnership with founders — it works alongside management teams and other investors as the businesses grow.

Who it works with

Portfolio companies range from discovery-stage technology platforms to late-stage clinical programmes. Examples include firms working on iron metabolism disorders, inflammatory and allergic disease, immune disease, and inherited bleeding disorders.

Key facts

• Founded: 2019
• Portfolio: more than 40 private and public biotech companies
• Track record: several backed firms have been acquired by large pharmaceutical groups