Arix Bioscience PLC (LON:ARIX) shares jumped on Wednesday as it revealed that its largest investee business, Autolus Therapeutics Limited has filed for a proposed initial public offering on Nasdaq in the United States.
Autolus, which is developing T-cell therapies for cancer treatments, has filed a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an offering of American Depositary Shares (ADSs), with the pricing terms for the proposed IPO yet been determined.
READ: Arix Bioscience hoping to generate venture capital-style returns from the life sciences industry
Arix led the Series B financing of Autolus in March 2016, with Joe Anderson, Arix’s CEO, joining Autolus’s board of directors.
Autolus has since progressed from a pre-clinical to clinical stage company, with clinical trials currently ongoing for five programmes in six indications.
Autolus, which was spun out from University College London in 2014, is aiming to develop next-generation CAR-T treatments that it hopes will have an edge over the first wave of anti-cancer therapies. Aside from Arix Bioscience, its backers include Syncona and Woodford Investment Management.
In lunchtime trading, Arix’s shares in London were 6% higher at 211.0p.