Wheeler Bio – a boutique contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in process development and small-batch CGMP production of therapeutic antibodies – announced the closing of its Series A financing round at $31 million. This funding round was co-led by Charles River Laboratories (NYSE:) and Echo with participation from ATUM, Floating Point Advisors, Pine Ridge Ventures, Plains Venture Partners (a subsidiary of i2E), Seagull Capital, and Alloy Therapeutics.
Wheeler Bio is building a disruptive CDMO model that is changing the paradigm for the gene-to-IND supply chain. And its service offering Portable CMC is an open-source “CMC middleware that delivers speed, efficiency, predictability, and freedom to operate by integrating discovery CROs and CDMOs and effectively bridging the translational gap.
Portable CMC includes a full complement of integrated development services, including manufacturability assessments, stable pool and clone development, process and analytical method development, process demonstration, and technology transfer into CGMP production. And its platform enhances key business integrations that speed up the translational steps for their clients while lowering technical, regulatory, and business risks.
The company will be using the Series A funding to complete its cell banking and drug substance manufacturing facility (500 L scale) in The Ziggurat, a downtown Oklahoma City office tower. And the first CGMP production batches in the new facility will commence in Q3 of this year.
KEY QUOTES:
“Wheeler is at the forefront of phase-appropriate CMC drug development programming. We serve clients and partners with cutting-edge development services, including Portable CMC. The Series A validates our thesis that developers of next-gen therapeutic proteins want access to more focused development and manufacturing resources with high agility and small batch sizes to be successful. We are intentionally staying inside of the box.”
– Dr. Jesse McCool, Co-Founder and CEO at Wheeler Bio
“Wheeler is laser-focused on translational CMC while solving for clients’ timelines and budgets along the way to first-in-human studies. Our platform reduces risk by enhancing product and process knowledge gained using well-integrated tools, technologies, and digital solutions like Leap-In Transposase, Solentim, Ambr Microbioreactors, DynaDrive Single-Use Bioreactors, the Synthace Experiment Platform, and DataHowLab.”
– Dr. Brian Berquist, Chief Development Officer at Wheeler Bio
“Wheeler Bio’s advancements and continued growth embody Echo’s aim to reestablish American manufacturing jobs, reinforce critical industries, and solve problems for coastal companies by connecting overlooked domestic resources. Alongside respected partners, Wheeler Bio is connecting Oklahoma City with the global industry, accelerating drug development, and unlocking our region’s comparative advantages.”
– Christian Kanady, Co-Founder at Wheeler Bio and Founding Partner at Echo
