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Oxford Biomedica

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FY2018 Annual Report · Oxford Biomedica
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Building the future

Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica in brief 
Oxford Biomedica is a pioneer of gene and cell therapy with a leading 
position in lentiviral vector research, development and bioprocessing. 
Gene and cell therapy is the treatment of disease by the delivery of 
therapeutic DNA into a patient’s cells. This can be achieved either in vivo 
(referred to as gene therapy) or ex vivo (referred to as cell therapy),  
the latter being where the patient’s cells are genetically modified outside 
the body before being re-infused. 

Oxford Biomedica is focused on developing life changing treatments  
for serious diseases. Oxford Biomedica and its subsidiaries (the “Group“) 
have built a sector leading lentiviral vector delivery platform, LentiVector, 
which the Group leverages to develop in vivo and ex vivo products  
both in-house and with partners. The Group has created a valuable 
proprietary portfolio of gene and cell therapy product candidates in  
the areas of oncology, ophthalmology and CNS disorders. 

The Group has also entered into a number of partnerships, including  
with Novartis, Sanofi, Axovant Gene Therapies, Orchard Therapeutics, 
Boehringer Ingelheim, the UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium 
and Imperial Innovations, through which it has long-term economic 
interests in other potential gene and cell therapy products. Oxford Biomedica 
is based across several locations in Oxfordshire, UK and employs more 
than 430 people.

The arrival of gene and cell therapy is clear. 
Landmark regulatory approvals of these  
life-changing treatments are now happening, 
and include the very first commercial use of 
Oxford Biomedica’s LentiVector® technology. 

Our science is now a therapeutic reality for 
patients suffering from some of the most serious 
diseases. What we are witnessing is just the 
beginning...
———

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Introducing  

  Oxford Biomedica

  11  Sector and technology  

  overview

  12  Gene and cell therapy sector
  13  LentiVector delivery platform
  16  Products

  19  Strategic report
  20   Our business model 
  22  Operational highlights
  23  Financial highlights
  24  Chairman’s statement
  26    Chief Executive Officer's review
  30  Management team
  32  2018 performance review
  36  Delivery of our 2018 objectives
  37  Objectives for 2019
  38 
 Financial review
  44  Corporate responsibility

  51  Corporate governance 
  52 

  Principal risks, uncertainties  
and risk management 
  59  The Board of Directors
  62  Corporate governance report
  69  Directors’ remuneration report
  90  Directors’ report

  96 

 Independent auditors’ 
report

 103  Group financial statements
 104 

 Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income

We are delivering

  105  Balance sheets
 106  Statements of cash flows
  107 

 Statements of changes in  
equity attributable to owners  
of the parent
 Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

 108 

 145  Other matters
  145 
 Glossary
  148  Advisers and contact details

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2

Innovating

Personalised gene-based medicine is 
entering the mainstream. It is an area 
of healthcare bursting with new ideas 
around many unmet needs. 

We have always seen its potential and 
are playing a crucial role in making new 
curative treatments.
———

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Oxford Biomedica is one of the original 
pioneers of gene and cell therapy.

We continue to lead the way, setting  
new standards and benchmarks  
for everyone’s benefit.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
4

Innovating  
Turning ideas into therapeutic reality 

Our LentiVector technology is 
becoming increasingly attractive
The most commonly used vectors 
for gene and cell therapy are based 
on lentiviruses and adeno-associated 
viruses (AAV). Lentiviral vectors offer 
clear advantages over AAV such as 
better payload capacity and permanent 
modification of dividing cells such as  
T cells and stem cells, and there is no  
pre existing immunity unlike with AAV. 

With several several years of clinical  
data now available, our LentiVector 
platform has more compelling results 
than any other. 

Read more about our LentiVector platform on page 13.

We are the only people in the world  
who can do this right now
The delivery of gene and cell therapies 
into patients is a complex and highly 
specialised process, and one that has 
taken us many years to perfect.

Oxford Biomedica is the only group in 
the world with a GMP-approved facility 
for commercial scale lentiviral vector 
manufacturing. When we say we have 
know-how and experience we really 
mean it. 

Read more about the opportunities within the sector on page 12.

Efficient in vivo gene 
delivery

Safe and well tolerated

Large therapeutic payload

No pre-existing immunity
Permanent modification  
of dividing cells

IP protection

Ease of manufacture

Lentiviral 
Vectors

AAV 
Vectors

• • •
• • •
• • •
• • •

• • •
• • 
• •

• • •
• • •

• 
• • 

Lentiviral Vectors vs AAV Vector

$8bn

Haemophilia A and B market
Projected to increase to $8 billion by 2026. Sanofi,  
with whom we have two partnered pipeline products,  
is expected to become the second biggest player  
with global sales of $1.4 billion by 20251.

1.   Source: GlobalData, July 2017 

63%

Global CAR-T cell therapy market
Forecast to grow at a CAGR of over 63% from 2018  
to 20222. The majority of therapies in the global  
CAR-T cell therapy market are still in the early stages  
of clinical trials, many of which could potentially  
use our LentiVector technology.

2. 

 Source: Technavio, October 2018 

Introducing the next gene and cell 
therapy industry standards
As we continue to trail blaze this 
burgeoning sector, we are constantly 
innovating and finding ways to make  
gene and cell therapy work better, be  
safer and more cost effective.

We have developed the TRiP System™ to 
maximise vector yields and particle purity 
and standardise downstream processes. 

This new development substantially limits 
potential detrimental effects on vector 
function and purification. It can be used to 
benefit all delivery systems including AAV.

Read more about the TRiP System and other LentiVector platform 
developments on page 33.

Developing our own new products  
in key areas of unmet need
We have already experienced success with  
our partners’ products, but we also have  
our own products under development. 
As we uncover greater potential from 
our LentiVector platform we are pushing 
forward with our efforts to discover new 
treatments for diseases with serious 
unmet need, such as rare retinal and 
motor neurone diseases, to add to our 
development pipeline.

See our product development pipeline on page 16.

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Hospitals are offering CAR-T therapy Kymriah
The NHS agreed a commercial deal with Novartis  
to offer ground-breaking CAR-T therapy Kymriah, 
which uses our LentiVector technology, to children 
with advanced leukaemia. It took the NHS less than  
10 days after Kymriah won marketing authorisation, 
making it one of the fastest funding approvals in its 
70-year history.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
6

Expanding

The gene and cell therapy industry is 
growing rapidly and we are expanding 
to meet the demand.

To exploit our leading position we 
are investing in our future so that we 
continue to be a partner of choice for 
lentiviral vector manufacture.
———

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We have seen rapidly growing revenues 
from process development, bioprocessing 
and royalty generating partnerships over 
the past few years.

Our economic interest in a diverse range of 
products is also growing and we continue 
to invest in technology and proprietary 
gene and cell therapy concepts. 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
8

Expanding 
Gene and cell therapy is growing fast

A highly valuable market
The gene and cell therapy sector is 
developing into a multi-billion $ market. 
We estimate that the lentiviral vector 
manufacturing market alone will grow  
to be worth $800 million by 2026. 1

Upsurge in gene and cell therapies
The potential gene and cell therapy holds 
for curative treatments for a broad range 
of diseases with inadequate options 
makes it an incredibly exciting, and urgent 
area of healthcare. 

The US Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA) currently has around 800 
active gene and cell therapy-based 
investigational new drugs on file and has 
forecast another 200 applications each 
year from 2020. It is a booming sector 
bursting with potential. 

1.  Company estimates

Read more in the sector and technology overview on page 12.

40%

Increase in workforce
We are planning to create over 160 new highly  
skilled positions at our facilities in Oxford in 2019  
to meet the expected growth in demand for gene  
and cell therapies.

£20m

Investment in new facility
Our new full-service site was funded through our 
successful Placing in March 2018. This investment  
will allow us to exploit the immediate market 
opportunity and meet expected long-term demand.

Manufacturing facility
Our new manufacturing facility is approximately 
84,000 sqft (7,800 sqm). The  Phase 1 and Phase 2 
expansion will fit out around 45,000 sqft (4,200 sqm) 
for four GMP clean room suites and two fill and  
finish suites as well as offices, warehousing and QC 
laboratories, with space available for future expansion. 

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12,000

11,000

10,000

9,000

8,000

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018 2019

2020

Bioprocessing capacity through to 2020 

We are planning to more than double our current 
capacity for bioprocessing and GMP manufacturing 
over the next 18 months.

25–30%

25–30%

$800m

2026

$200m
2017

Lentiviral vector bioprocessing market  
expected to grow to $800 million by 2026 1 
The global lentiviral vector bioprocessing market  
is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years.  
We are targeting 25% to 30% of this market (excluding 
milestones and royalties). 

1.  Company estimates

Doubling our capacity
Oxford Biomedica is already working with 
some of the biggest names in pharma, 
helping them to progress and deliver gene 
and cell therapies. We are experiencing 
huge demand for our LentiVector 
technology, process development and 
manufacturing services. This important 
revenue stream is running at full, or close 
to full capacity. 

We already have two independent 
GMP approved manufacturing 
facilities, together with state-of-the-art 
laboratories with process development 
and analytical cababilities. Our new 
manufacturing facility, due to begin 
operations in 2020, will more than double 
our capacity enabling us to meet existing 
contracts and take on new ones. In 
addition, we have taken a lease on another 
building which will become our discovery 
and innovation facility.

Read more in the  Chief Executive Officer's review on page 29.

A unique position
Oxford Biomedica has a wealth of  
in-house expertise and know-how and 
is in a unique position to provide partners 
with a truly one-stop-shop-solution.

During 2019 we intend to increase our 
workforce considerably with the creation 
of another 160 highly skilled positions. 

Read more in the  Chief Executive Officer's review on page 29.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
0
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We are ready

Gene and cell therapy is very much here and now 
and we’re right at the heart of this healthcare 
revolution, working on our own life-changing 
products and those of our partners. 

We’re ready to deliver the next wave of new 
weapons for patients to fight back. 
———

Well positioned  
and in great shape

Summary copy to talk about:
• New era for personalised gene based medicine is now 
here 

• Ideally placed to seize on increased demand

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1 

Introducing  

  Oxford Biomedica

  11  Sector and technology  

  overview

  12  Gene and cell therapy sector
  13  LentiVector delivery platform
  16  Products

  19  Strategic report
  20   Our business model 
  22  Operational highlights
  23  Financial highlights
  24  Chairman’s statement
  26    Chief Executive Officer's review
  30  Management team
  32  2018 performance review
  36  Delivery of our 2018 objectives
  37  Objectives for 2019
 Financial review
  38 
  44  Corporate responsibility

  51  Corporate governance 
  52 

  Principal risks, uncertainties  
and risk management 
  59  The Board of Directors
  62  Corporate governance report
  69  Directors’ remuneration report
  90  Directors’ report

  96 

 Independent auditors’ 
report

 103  Group financial statements
 104 

 Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income

  105  Balance sheets
 106  Statements of cash flows
  107 

 Statements of changes in  
equity attributable to owners  
of the parent
 Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

 108 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 145  Other matters
  145 
 Glossary
  148  Advisers and contact details

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
1

Sector and technology overview
Gene and cell therapy sector

Sector and technology overview
LentiVector delivery platform

World-leading LentiVector gene delivery platform 
Our LentiVector platform provides stable gene delivery  
with very high efficiency. It achieves permanent 
therapeutic benefit through gene integration and long-
term expression. 

The LentiVector platform has particular advantages in 
localised delivery to non-dividing cells, such as neurons 
in the brain and retinal cells in the eye, as well as in 
dividing cells where permanent modification is required. 

We have data demonstrating more than seven years of 
stable, dose-dependent gene expression in patients after  
direct in vivo administration.

Several factors affect the choice of gene delivery system, 
including target cell type, duration of gene expression  
and payload capacity. Lentiviral vectors provide several 
key features that make them well suited to a range of 
gene and cell therapy applications:

 —  Significant payload capacity. 

 — Target specific cell types by pseudotyping of envelope.

 —  Permanent modification of dividing cells, such as  

T-cells or stem cells.

 —  No pre-existing immunity.

 — Long-term gene expression.

A global opportunity
The market for advanced therapy medicinal products 
(ATMPs), and gene and cell therapies in particular,  
is experiencing unprecedented growth. 

Participation in merger and acquisitions (M&A) by the 
large pharmaceutical companies, global partnerships  
and product approvals have all propelled regenerative 
medicines into public discourse. But it was 2018 that 
delivered the true potential of this burgeoning sector  
into the mainstream. This followed the approval of three 
innovative gene and cell therapies in 2017. From our 
partner, Novartis, Kymriah received initial approval for 
acute lymphocytic leukaemia. It was the first and only 
CAR-T cell therapy to be approved for two different 
indications. Gilead followed suit after its acquisition of 
Kite Pharma as Yescarta, indicated for Non-Hodgkin’s 
lymphoma, became the second CAR-T cell therapy  
to be approved. Spark Therapeutics’ gene therapy 
Luxturna was approved in late 2017 for vision loss. 

These landmark approvals marked a transition for the 
field from experimental to commercial and they pave  
the way for more advanced therapy approvals in the years 
to come. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is 
preparing for the coming wave and expects that, by 2020, 
it will see more than 200 applications a year requesting 
permission to begin gene and cell therapy trials. It already 
has more than 800 such applications in process and has 
stated its intention to hire 50 clinical reviewers to handle 
the upsurge. By 2025, the FDA predicts it may approve 
10–20 new gene and cell therapy products a year.

Gene and cell therapies use viral vectors to deliver 
genetic material into patients’ cells. The two most 
common viral vectors used for this purpose are lentiviral 
vectors such us our LentiVector platform, and adeno-
associated viral vectors, or AAV. Each has its own 
applications however lentiviral vectors have become 
increasingly attractive for clinical applications due to  
their ability to efficiently and effectively introduce genetic 
material into non-proliferating cells, and to carry larger 
payloads so they can treat a wider range of diseases  
and genetic disorders. 

We estimate that the market for lentiviral vector 
manufacturing was worth approximately $200 million  
in 2017 and that it will grow at a 15.4 per cent. compound 
annual growth rate from $158 million in 2015 to  
$800 million by 2026.* As the only Group in the world 
with a GMP-approved facility for commercial-scale 
lentiviral vector manufacturing, Oxford Biomedica is 
ideally positioned to take advantage of the expected 
increase in demand.

*Source: Company estimates

Further information on the sector can be found  
on the Group’s website at www.oxb.com.

A G R

5 . 4 %   C

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2015

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2018

2019

2020 2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Lentiviral vector bioprocessing market ($m)
Source: Company estimates

Number of lentiviral vector clinical trials initiated 
by year and phase

Phase

•    Phase I
•   Phase I/II
•   Phase II

•    Phase II/III
•   Phase III

Source: Journal of Gene Medicine, December 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Continuous innovation

01. Analytics 
Our analytics capabilities have been developed to support 
production and supply processes which are essential for 
satisfying international regulatory expectations.

02. Data analytics and artificial intelligence
We have collected unique data from our extensive process 
development experience that enables us to use machine 
learning to optimise our manufacturing process, further 
increasing the performance of our platform.

03. Automation and robotics 
Our significant investment in automation and robotics  
has increased productivity while reducing development 
timings and process risk.

04. Vector engineering 
Our engineering principles ensure cost-effective  
and timely delivery of pipeline products.

05. Packaging and producer cell lines
Our packaging and production cell lines enable a 
simplified and scalable manufacturing process while 
reducing costs.

06. 200L serum-free suspension culture
Our suspension process improves production yield and 
efficiency while reducing cross-contamination risks with 
less manual handling and single use systems. Our serum-
free medium is also a significant safety advantage.

07. TRiP System
The TRiP System offers a new standard in lentiviral  
vector manufacturing and can be used in other viral 
vector systems.

02.

01.

03.

Technology innovator

04.

®

07.

06.

05.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Sector and technology overview
LentiVector delivery platform

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How our technology works for Parkinson’s disease
AXO-Lenti-PD gene therapy treatment for Parkinson’s 
disease (an Axovant product)

03. Lentiviral vector generation  
High quality lentiviral vector product is produced under 
GMP conditions at large scale suitable for use in the clinic.

01. Therapeutic gene expression cassette  
The therapeutic genes that need to be delivered to  
the target cell to treat the disease are engineered into  
the vector genome. In the case of AXO-Lenti-PD three 
genes need to be delivered to the cells in the brain  
region that is low in dopamine.

02. Making a safe vector from a virus 
To make a safe vector system the viral genes are 
removed; this also creates space for the therapeutic 
vector payload.

04. AXO-Lenti-PD vector is administered  
to the target tissue 
Stereotactic surgery is used to deliver the vector product 
to the target tissue. The vector enters the neuronal cells 
and modifies them to create endogenous factories 
making dopamine, the neurotransmitter lacking in 
Parkinson’s disease.

How our technology works for cancer
Kymriah (CTL019) – a CAR T-cell therapy for cancer  
(a Novartis product)

01. OXB produces GMP lentiviral vector encoding CAR 
targeting CD19 which is expressed on B-cell cancers

02. T-cells isolated from patients

03. Lentiviral vector encoding CAR targeting CD19 used 
to transduce expanded T-cells 
T-cells harvested from a patient are transduced with the 
lentiviral vector encoding the anti-CD19 chimeric antigen 
receptor. The resulting CTL019 modified T-cells are 
expanded ex vivo prior to infusion into the patient.

04. The modified T-cells are infused backinto the patient

05. Once inside the patient, the CTL019 cells multiply 
and target, ’hunt’ cancer cells and destroy them  
The CTL019 cells destroy tumour cells expressing CD19 
and persist in the body to guard against residual or 
recurring disease.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

03.01.04.02.01.02.03.04.05. 
 
 
 
 
 
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Research/
pre-clinical

Phase I

Phase I/II

Phase II

Phase III

Approved

6
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Sector and technology overview
Products

Product pipeline
We are working on several internal product candidates and have interests in an expanding range of partner programmes.

Product/programme

Oxford Biomedica proprietary products
To be spun-out or out-licensed

OXB-202
Corneal graft rejection | Ophthalmology

OXB-302
Cancer multiple | Oncology

OXB-201
Wet age related macular degeneration | Ophthalmology

OXB-204
LCA10 | Ophthalmology

OXB-208
RP1 | Ophthalmology

OXB-103
ALS | Central Nervous System

Oxford Biomedica partnered products
Development milestones and royalties

SAR422459
Stargardt disease | Ophthalmology

SAR421869
Usher syndrome type 1B | Ophthalmology

AXO-Lenti-PD
Parkinson’s disease | Central Nervous System

Partners’ products
Process development and bioprocessing revenues, and royalties

CTL019
Cancer r/r ALL | Oncology

CTL019
Cancer r/r DLBCL | Oncology

Undisclosed CAR-T
Cancer | Oncology

OTL-101
Metabolic disorder | ADA severe combined immunoeficiency

OTL-201
Sanfilippo syndrome | Mucopolysaccharidosis type III

Other
Undisclosed

Factor VIII
Haemophilia A

Factor IX
Haemophilia B

CFTR gene
Cystic Fibrosis

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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1 

Introducing  

  Oxford Biomedica

  11  Sector and technology  

  overview

  12  Gene and cell therapy sector
  13  LentiVector delivery platform
  16  Products

  19  Strategic report
  20   Our business model 
  22  Operational highlights
  23  Financial highlights
  24  Chairman’s statement
  26    Chief Executive Officer's review
  30  Management team
  32  2018 performance review
  36  Delivery of our 2018 objectives
  37  Objectives for 2019
 Financial review
  38 
  44  Corporate responsibility

  51  Corporate governance 
  52 

  Principal risks, uncertainties  
and risk management 
  59  The Board of Directors
  62  Corporate governance report
  69  Directors’ remuneration report
  90  Directors’ report

  96 

 Independent auditors’ 
report

 103  Group financial statements
 104 

 Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income

  105  Balance sheets
 106  Statements of cash flows
  107 

 Statements of changes in  
equity attributable to owners  
of the parent
 Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

 108 

 145  Other matters
  145 
 Glossary
  148  Advisers and contact details

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0
2

Strategic report
Our business model

LentiVector platform
IP – patents and know-how | facilities | expertise | quality systems

Arising IP

Arising IP

R&D investment /
technical developments

Technology  
and scientific  
knowledge  
transfer

Investment into
internal and external assets  
up to early clinical stage

Platform  
and process 
development

Product  
development

Partners’ programmes

OXB products

Royalties

Process 
development  
fees

Royalties

Spin out /out-licence

Upfront and 
milestones

Bioprocessing 
revenues

Process 
development 
incentives

Multiple 
income 
streams

Development 
funding

1
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Our business model and strategy
During 2018 the Board reviewed the Group’s current 
business model and strategy. It was decided that the 
business model and strategy was still very relevant but 
required minor modifications. The Group is now willing  
to make modest investment into internal and external 
assets up to early clinical stage before looking to spin  
out or out-licence to a partner. This strategy has been 
validated through the Axovant deal for OXB-102  
(now AXO-Lenti-PD) for Parkinson’s disease entered  
into in June 2018.

Our business model, built on our world-leading 
LentiVector gene delivery platform is the result of over  
20 years of pioneering science and process development 
using lentiviral vectors, initially for in vivo therapies. 
Oxford Biomedica was the first organisation globally  
to use lentiviral vectors in an in vivo setting and  
therefore we had to design and develop vectors and 
manufacturing processes which would be both safe  
and effective. This work was the foundation of our  
unique combination of skills, patents and know-how 
which, together with our GMP clean room and  
laboratory facilities, combine to form our  
LentiVector gene delivery platform.

Lentiviral vectors are key components of many  
promising new gene and cell therapies, and so our 
LentiVector-Enabled platform provides us with 
opportunities to generate short- and longer-term  
value through:

In-house development
We have our own portfolio of LentiVector-Enabled 
platform gene and cell therapy product candidates.  
We decided that later stage clinical studies of these 
candidates will be developed with third party finance, 
using either out-licensing or by spinning out the 
programmes into one or more special purpose vehicles 
(SPVs). This will significantly reduce the cost and risk 
associated with clinical development, while providing us 
with potential equity stakes in the SPVs, and/or potential 
upfront, milestone and royalty payments, as well as 
bioprocessing and process development revenues.  
We will modestly invest in internal and external assets  
up to early stage clinical development, with a view to 
building a pipeline of candidates ready for clinical studies.

Partnering 
We can provide our bioprocessing and process 
development expertise and facilities to third parties  
who want to accelerate the development of their own 
lentiviral vector programmes. In return for which, we 
receive short and medium term revenues, and longer 
term royalties based on licences to our extensive  
know-how and patents.

Freedom-to-operate licensing
We can provide other organisations with licences  
to use our important patents relating to lentiviral vector 
safety features and manufacturing efficiencies.

The graphic opposite illustrates our business model.  
The foundation is our world-leading LentiVector 
platform, and our goal is to exploit this by gaining 
interests in a diverse range of gene and cell therapy 
products which can be both internally generated  
and as a result of our relationship with partners  
and collaborators. 

The platform technology is still some way from being 
fully mature so we are continuing to invest R&D funds  
in improving the technology to retain our leading 
position, as this is what attracts other companies  
to work with us. 

Principal risks facing the business
The principal risks facing the business, including how  
they are managed and mitigated, are set out in detail  
on pages 52 to 58. The main risks are:

 — Risks associated with pharmaceutical product 

development including product safety issues, lack  
of efficacy, and failure to obtain regulatory approval.

 — Risks to our bioprocessing revenue from failure to 

manufacture lentiviral vector to the required standard.

 — Exposure to one or more of our partners ceasing  
to develop their products and thereby no longer 
requiring our services.

 —  Failure to comply with the terms of the Oaktree  

loan facility.

 — Failure to out-licence or spin-out the Group’s  
priority product development candidates  
so that development stops.

 —  Inability to attract and/or retain highly skilled employees.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
2
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Delivered in 2018 
Operational highlights

Delivered in 2018 
Financial highlights

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Novartis’ commercialised product Kymriah
 — Kymriah approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment  
of relapsed and refractory B-cell diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL),  
the second indication in the US.

 — The European Commission, Health Canada and the Therapeutic Goods 

Administration of Australia also approved Kymriah for the treatment of children  
and young adults with r/r B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (r/r ALL) and adult 
patients with r/r/ DLBCL. 

 — NHS England announced that Kymriah will be made available to children and young 

adults in England and the first patients have now been treated.

LentiVector delivery platform for gene and cell therapy partnerships
 — $105 million collaboration and licence agreement signed with Bioverativ  
(now part of Sanofi) to access Oxford Biomedica’s LentiVector platform  
and manufacturing technologies in the field of haemophilia.

 — Partnership formed with the UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium, 
Boehringer Ingelheim and Imperial Innovations to develop a novel inhaled  
gene therapy for cystic fibrosis. 

Proprietary product development
 — $842.5 million exclusive worldwide agreement signed with Axovant Sciences  
(now Axovant Gene Therapies) for OXB-102 (now known as AXO-Lenti-PD)  
for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

 — Phase 1/2 clinical study for AXO-Lenti-PD began and patients from the first dose 
cohort have been treated. Based on initial feedback from members of the DMC, 
received in March 2019, Axovant plans to proceed to the second dose cohort.

 — Three proprietary OXB assets selected to advance from research through pre-clinical 

development: OXB-204 and OXB-208 target inherited retinal diseases, while  
OXB-201 is in development for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Capacity building
 — Signed a fifteen year lease on a new 84,000 sqft (7,800 sqm) manufacturing facility  
in Oxford, close to Oxford Biomedica’s Windrush Court headquarters. Offices and 
warehousing are now in operation, with the additional GMP suites expected to be 
operational in 2020.

 — Signed a further lease on an additional 32,000 sqft (2,975 sqm) discovery  

and innovation facility next to Windrush Court. The facility will bring together  
a multidisciplinary team of researchers, automation, bioprocessing and process 
development experts to drive innovations that will lead to new scientific and 
technical advances to support our pipeline and our platform.

 — Formed a £4 million digital framework initiative, supported by a £2 million grant  

from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to build digital and robotics 
capabilities designed to drive improvements in analytical methodology, supply  
times and cost of goods. Announced and R&D collaboration with Microsoft in  
March 2019 to support the initiative.

+72%

+78%

£10.8m

Gross income 1
Gross income increased by 72% to £67.9 million  
(2017: £39.4 million).

Revenue
Revenue increased by 78% from £37.6 million  
to £66.8 million.

Capital expenditure
Capital expenditure £10.8 million  
(2017: £2.0 million).

+38%

+28%

£18.3m

Adjusted operating expenses 2
Adjusted operating expenses increased by  
38% to £31.7 million (2017: £22.9 million).

Operating expenses
Operating expenses increased by 28% from  
£28.9 million to £37.1 million.

License income
£18.3 million worth of income received from  
the Axovant and Bioverativ deals.

£13.4m

£32.2m

£13.9m

Operating EBITDA 3 profit 
Operating EBITDA loss converted into a profit  
of £13.4 million (2017: £1.9 million loss).

Cash
Cash of £32.2 million
(31 December 2017: £14.3 million).

Operating profit
Operating loss converted into a profit  
of £13.9 million (2017: £5.7 million loss).

£2.8m

£20.5m

£6.0m

Cash inflow
Cash inflow before financing activities increased  
by £1.8 million to £2.8 million (2017: £1.0 million).

Equity placing in March 2018
Successful £20.5 million equity placing  
to fund further expansion of bioprocessing 
capacity.

Revaluation
£6.0 million (2017: £2.3 million) gain  
recognised on revaluation of our investment  
in Orchard Therapeutics.

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

5

0

–5

–10

–15

–20

–25

–30

15

10

5

0

–5

–10

–15

–20

Cash outflow before financing activities 
£m

Operating EBITDA
£m

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Key financial indicator definitions (non-GAAP Alternative Performance Measures)
1. 

 Gross Income is the aggregate of revenue (£66.8 million) and other operating income (£1.1 million)  
(2017: £37.6 million and £1.8 million respectively). A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 40.
 Adjusted operating expenses is Research, Development and Bioprocessing costs plus Administrative costs less Depreciation,  
Amortisation and share based payments. A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 40.
 Operating EBITDA is Earnings Before Interest, is Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, revaluation of investments and share based payment.  
A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 40.

2. 

3. 

 
 
 
 
4 Strategic report

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Chairman’s statement

It has been a year of transformation for  
Oxford Biomedica, not only with significant revenue 
growth and cash flow generation but also in reaching 
profitability. These great strides made in 2018 are 
testament to Oxford Biomedica’s leading position  
in the innovation, development and manufacturing  
of lentiviral vectors, and the expertise of its people. 

Strategic opportunities
Our mission is to deliver life-changing gene and cell 
therapies to patients. It encompasses our strategy to support 
our partners in the development and commercialisation of 
their own gene and cell therapy programmes with our 
world-leading manufacturing capabilities while in addition 
pursuing a selective gene and cell therapy portfolio internally 
through early clinical development. 

Our recent successes demonstrate that we have a 
strategy and business model that works. As is the nature 
of gene therapy development, reproducibility of results in 
late-stage trials is high and therefore much value can be 
created in early clinical studies. It is for this reason that we 
continue to explore the potential of our product pipeline 
in a focused and disciplined way. 

Moving forward into 2019 and beyond, we see further 
significant opportunities both to advance the development 
of our in-house programmes, where we have particular 
expertise, and to create future out-licensing opportunities 
similar to our recent landmark deal with Axovant. In addition, 
our strategy to seek to retain manufacturing rights for our 
out-licensed programmes provides potential, additional 
long-term economic interest through their development 
and commercialisation.

"  The gene and cell therapy market is 
rapidly transforming into a multi-billion 
dollar opportunity and the Group’s 
strategy is delivering significant 
shareholder value – we expect  
this to continue." 

Dr. Lorenzo Tallarigo 
Chairman

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Driving innovation
We’ve spent the past 20 years honing our manufacturing 
expertise and capabilities. To date, Oxford Biomedica is the 
only FDA-approved commercial supplier of lentiviral 
vectors. While we’re immensely proud of this accreditation, 
we are not resting on our laurels. We strive to achieve 
continuous improvement in our manufacturing processes, 
a core group objective that aligns with one of our three 
values to ’deliver innovation’. 

To meet the expected long-term demand and 
futureproof Oxford Biomedica’s market leading position, 
we are more than doubling our manufacturing capacity 
with the development of new state-of-the-art clean 
rooms and fill/finish suites on a new site close to our 
headquarters in Oxford. Construction of the new facilities 
is progressing to plan and we expect to be operational 
from the second quarter of 2020.

By applying our expertise and continuing to innovate in 
lentiviral vector production, we believe we are well placed 
to take advantage of the expected growth in demand. 

Board
We have continued to benefit from a changing Board 
profile, with the appointment of Heather Preston as a 
Non-Executive Director in March 2018. Peter Nolan has 
formally retired from his role as Chief Business Officer, 
having made a significant contribution to the business 
since its inception in 1996. With these developments,  
the Board is now composed of five Non-Executive  
and two Executive Directors.

Organisation and culture
On behalf of the Board I would like to take this opportunity 
to recognise all of our fantastic employees at Oxford 
Biomedica who have helped to get the Group to where  
it is today. Within the business we have a highly engaged 
workforce with a diverse range of capabilities, knowledge 
and experience. We are very grateful to our people for 
their continued commitment and excellent contributions 
during the past year. Our culture and values will continue 
to drive performance and help attract and retain the best 
talent, and we are committed to their development  
to ensure we have the necessary skills that we need  
to succeed on our growth journey. 

The global environment 
We find combined economic and political challenges 
around the world, including questions about international 
trade and future partnerships between countries. Oxford 
Biomedica is experienced at adapting to change, now a 
constant in the environment in which we are living. We 
continue to prepare for all scenarios around the UK’s exit 
from the European Union this year and are well prepared 
for all expected eventualities. We look forward to an 
agreement on the final exit terms that will provide stability 
for our workforce and our business operations. 

Despite this uncertainty, it is nevertheless an exciting time 
to be at the forefront of gene and cell therapy. After three 
decades of hope tempered by setbacks, it is now a 
therapeutic reality. In the past 18 months, three gene 
therapy products – including Novartis’ Kymriah for  
which Oxford Biomedica is the sole lentiviral vector 
manufacturer - have been made available to patients  
and along with them we’ve seen a raft of new investment 
and clinical development activity in the sector. Oxford 
Biomedica has been a beneficiary of this investment 
activity; we are grateful for the support of our 
shareholders as well as that of the UK Government 
through its Life Sciences sector deal, to ensure pioneering 
new treatments and medical technologies are produced 
in the UK.

The future
The excitement and momentum in the cell and gene 
therapy space continues to build.

Oxford Biomedica is fortunate with its scientific excellence 
and world-leading position to be ideally placed to take 
advantage of this burgeoning industry. I look forward  
to the future with much confidence and optimism.

Dr. Lorenzo Tallarigo
Chairman

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
6 Strategic report

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 Chief Executive Officer's review

"  The Group has played a crucial role  
in enabling revolutionary gene and cell 
therapies to become a reality. As a world 
leader in this space, Oxford Biomedica  
is now in a strong position to deliver value 
to both patients and shareholders." 

John Dawson 
Chief Executive Officer

It is with great pleasure that I am introducing Oxford 
Biomedica’s 2018 Annual report. In the past year we 
have witnessed a transformation of the gene and cell 
therapy industry in which life-changing, curative 
treatment has become a therapeutic reality for many 
patients – and where Oxford Biomedica has played  
a central role. 

Against this backdrop, I am delighted to report on  
the successful delivery of our partnering and in-house 
development strategy, leveraging our lentiviral vector 
platform. With Oxford Biomedica’s strengthened financial 
position, I am now able to plan for the future with 
confidence to maximise the opportunity we see ahead.

As we stand today, the opportunities to create value from 
our business model are many, however, I am cognisant 
that our greatest challenge is to ensure that we maintain 
our leading position and respond effectively to sector 
developments while keeping a clear focus on our 
strategic imperatives. That is why, for 2019, I have set  
out six company objectives to help drive performance. 
These objectives are focused on financial performance, 
manufacturing and the platform, technology innovation, 
the therapeutic pipeline, operational delivery and 
workforce development. They will ensure that our people 
remain focused on our strategy and will help us to 
manage our growth in a sustainable way to deliver  
long-term benefits for our shareholders. 

2018 Performance
I am pleased to report a strong financial performance  
and positive cash generation in 2018 following significant 
commercial and operational achievements. Gross income1 
of £67.9 million increased by 72 percent in the year driven 
by £18.3 million in licence income, largely from the 
Axovant (now Axovant Gene Therapies) and Bioverativ 
(now Sanofi) deals, and by increased development services 
provided to our customers. Positive cash flow before 
financing was £2.8 million, an improvement of £1.8 million 
on the previous year, reflecting the significantly improved 
trading performance. We ended the year with cash of 
£32.2 million reflecting our stronger financial position and 
a placing which raised £20.5 million (gross) in March 2018. 

1.  Reconciliation to GAAP measure provided on page 40.

Oxford Biomedica playing a central role
In the past year we have witnessed a transformation  
of the gene and cell therapy industry in which  
life-changing, curative treatment has become  
a therapeutic reality for many patients – and  
where Oxford Biomedica has played a central role. 

$842.5m

OXB-102 for Parkinson’s disease
Our landmark agreement with Axovant, worth up to 
$842.5 million for OXB-102, our internally developed 
gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease.

$105m

Bioverativ (Sanofi) collaboration and licence 
agreement
Our $105 million collaboration and licence agreement 
with Bioverativ (Sanofi) for the development and 
manufacturing of lentiviral vectors to treat haemophilia 
continues to advance under its new ownership as part 
of the Sanofi team.

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Delivering the strategy

Partnering 
We continue to support Novartis though its submissions, 
launches and commercialisation of Kymriah 
(tisagenlecleucel) in the US, EU, Canada, Australia and 
other territories, which are ongoing. Kymriah is a ground-
breaking one-time chimeric antigen receptor T cell 
(CAR-T) therapy that uses a patient’s own T cells to  
fight cancer. It represents the first ever approval of a 
commercial product incorporating Oxford Biomedica’s 
LentiVector platform. 

Our landmark agreement with Axovant, worth up to 
$842.5 million for OXB-102, our internally developed gene 
therapy for Parkinson’s disease, is evidence of our strategy 
in action. If successful, it has the potential to generate 
significant revenues, both now and longer term, not only 
due to development, regulatory and sales milestones but 
also from tiered royalties on net sales of 7-10 per cent. 

OXB-102, renamed AXO-Lenti-PD, is an investigational 
gene therapy that enables the expression of a set of three 
critical enzymes required for end-to-end dopamine 
synthesis in the brain. It is expected to provide patient 
benefit for many years following a single administration, 
should it be successful. Axovant commenced a Phase 1/2 
clinical study in October 2018, with the first patients having 
now been dosed and initial data expected in 2019. 

Our $105 million collaboration and licence agreement 
with Bioverativ (Sanofi) for the development and 
manufacturing of lentiviral vectors to treat haemophilia 
continues to advance under its new ownership as part  
of the Sanofi team. We were encouraged by recent 
comments from Sanofi that gene therapies with the 
potential to cure life-threatening conditions are a key  
area and one in which the company is seeking to expand. 
We are ready to support the new partner for our 
previously-licensed ophthalmology programmes, 
SAR422459 for Stargardt disease and SAR421869  
for Usher’s Syndrome type 1b, following Sanofi’s  
recent portfolio review.

In our third partnership agreement of the year, we 
established a collaboration with the UK Cystic Fibrosis 
Gene Therapy Consortium, Boehringer Ingelheim and 
Imperial Innovations to develop a novel inhaled gene 
therapy for cystic fibrosis. The agreement demonstrates 
the versatility of our LentiVector platform and represents  
a new therapeutic area for Oxford Biomedica.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
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Looking to the future
It is a privilege to lead this fantastic company through  
a new era for personalised, gene-based medicine.  
Given the momentum we are seeing, both within  
Oxford Biomedica and in the gene and cell industry  
as a whole, I am confident in our ability to deliver 
increased revenue growth through our partnering 
endeavours, and to create value from our therapeutic 
pipeline to deliver meaningful returns to shareholders. 

I would like to say thank you to each and every one of 
our employees for their contributions to our performance 
in 2018, and for helping Oxford Biomedica to become 
the company it is today. I look forward to their continued 
contributions in 2019 and beyond to achieve our 
objectives and deliver our strategy. 

John Dawson
Chief Executive Officer

8 Strategic report

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Chief Executive Officer's review

In-house development
We continue to invest in the development of a proprietary 
pipeline of innovative gene therapies to treat diseases 
with unmet medical needs, for future out-licensing or 
spin-out. Following a modest investment in the early 
development of OXB-102 for Parkinson’s disease and its 
subsequent out-licensing to Axovant, we have selected 
three additional proprietary assets to advance from 
research through pre-clinical development. 

OXB-204 and OXB-208 target inherited retinal diseases, 
where we have extensive experience from our early focus 
on ophthalmology indications. OXB-103 is in development 
for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),  
a group of rare, progressive neurological diseases. Our 
priority in 2019 is to secure preclinical proof of concept  
for two programmes from our proprietary portfolio.

Technology licensing
Our business is underpinned by our world-leading 
lentiviral vector technology and technology licensing  
is core to our business model. While our priority is to 
incorporate technology licences into our broader 
partnering agreements, we continue to seek additional 
opportunities to generate licensing income and royalties 
on future products sales by providing access to our 
proprietary lentiviral vector technologies, as our  
platform develops. 

To this end, we continue to innovate, refine and enhance 
our technology as part of our continuous improvement 
programme. Our new manufacturing technology, known 
as Transgene Repression in vector Production or TRiP,  
is designed to increase viral vector yields by several 
multiples. Universally applicable to any viral vector  
or vaccine platform – it can be used with lentiviral, 
adenoviral and adeno-associated virus-based gene 
therapy – TRiP is an example of how we are innovating  
to stay ahead of the market and satisfy the demand for 
efficient, cost-effective gene delivery with viral vectors. 
Methods for the new system were published in  
Cell & Gene Therapy Insights in January 2019 and 
discussions with potential licensees are ongoing. 

Our focus for 2019 is to drive the discovery of two  
new innovative technologies that either open up new 
product opportunities or support the development of  
our lentiviral vector platform.

1.

2.

1.  Innovators
We continue to innovate, refine and enhance our 
technology as part of our continuous improvement 
programme. Our new manufacturing technology, 
known as Transgene Repression in vector Production 
or TRiP, is designed to increase viral vector yields by 
several multiples.

2. A global centre of excellence
From our roots in Oxford University, Oxford Biomedica 
now occupies five facilities around Oxford covering 
around 226,000 sqft, securing the city as a global 
centre for lentiviral vector development and 
commercialisation.

Building capacity
To meet the expected growth in demand for lentiviral 
vectors, we are investing £20 million in the development 
of a new 84,000 sqft (7,800 sqm) manufacturing facility. 
The planned Phase 1 and 2 expansions will fit out around 
45,000 sqft (4,200 sqm) for four GMP clean room suites 
and two fill/finish suites as well as offices, warehousing 
and QC laboratories, with space available for future 
expansion. The new facility will create up to 100 new, 
highly skilled positions the company over the next two 
years and is on track for operation in 2020.

Aligned to our values and to further accommodate our 
growth, we have taken a lease on a fifth facility in Oxford 
and formed a new discovery and innovation facility.  
The centre will bring together a multidisciplinary team  
of research, automation, bioprocessing and process 
development specialists around a shared purpose: to drive 
innovations that will lead to new scientific and technical 
advances to support our pipeline and our platform. The 
building is located next to our headquarters and is split 
roughly equally between laboratories and offices. 
Development of the space is ongoing and it is expected  
to be ready for occupation in the first half of 2019.

From our roots in Oxford University, Oxford Biomedica 
now occupies five facilities around Oxford covering 
around 226,000 sqft, securing the city as a global centre 
for lentiviral vector development and commercialisation. 

Creating a winning culture
Our success as a company is made possible by our 
talented employees working together for our shared 
mission: to deliver life-changing gene and cell therapies  
to patients. That is why being a great place to work is so 
important to us. 

During the year, we experienced growth of 35 per cent in 
our workforce from 321 to 432 employees, and expect that 
number to increase to 600 by the end of 2019 To support 
their development and a foster a positive culture, we 
introduced three company values: to Have Integrity,  
Be Inspiring and Deliver Innovation. Together with our 
mission, these values define our purpose and shape the 
way our people work together. We have already seen some 
excellent examples of employees demonstrating these 
values and during 2019 we will seek to further embed 
them as they are integrated into our new performance 
management process.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
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Strategic report
Management team

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1. John Dawson

2. Stuart Paynter

3. Jason Slingsby

4. Lisa Giles

Chief Executive Officer
John Dawson joined Oxford 
Biomedica’s Board as Non-Executive 
Director in August 2008 and he was 
appointed Chief Executive Officer in 
October 2008. Previously, he held 
senior management positions in the 
European operations of Cephalon 
Inc., including Chief Financial Officer 
and Head of Business Development 
Europe. While at Cephalon he led 
many deals building the European 
business to over 1,000 people, and 
to a turnover of several hundred 
million US dollars and in 2005 led the 
US$360 million acquisition of Zeneus 
by Cephalon. Prior to this time at 
Cephalon he was Director of Finance 
and Administration of Serono 
Laboratories (UK) Limited. He is 
currently a Non-Executive Director  
of Paion AG.

Chief Financial Officer
Stuart Paynter joined Oxford 
Biomedica and the Board in August 
2017. He has 16 years’ experience in 
the pharmaceutical and healthcare 
sectors. He qualified as a chartered 
accountant with Haines Watts before 
moving to EDS. He subsequently 
joined Steris, and worked in a variety 
of roles within the healthcare and life 
sciences divisions prior to becoming 
the European Finance Director. He 
then moved to Shire Pharmaceuticals 
where he became the Senior Director 
of finance business partnering for all 
business outside of the US. He then 
moved to a corporate finance role 
before becoming the global head of 
internal audit. Prior to joining Oxford 
Biomedica he was head of finance 
business partnering at De La Rue plc. 
He is a member of the Institute of 
Chartered Accountants in England 
and Wales.

Chief Business Officer
Jason joined Oxford Biomedica  
in 2015 as Head of Business 
Development and was promoted to 
Chief Business Officer in May 2018. 
He has 20 years’ experience in the 
biotechnology industry in biologics, 
vaccines and gene therapy. He has 
worked in international business 
development roles at Sosei Co., Ltd. 
and Intercell AG and was co-founder 
and CEO of ProtAffin AG, a venture 
capital backed company in Austria 
and UK. Jason started his career as  
a post-doctoral scientist at Oxford 
Biomedica and first worked at the 
company 1997-2000. He was 
awarded a 1st class BA (Hons)  
in Biochemistry from Magdalen 
College, Oxford University and also 
completed a PhD in complex disease 
genetics from Imperial College 
London. Jason was also awarded an 
MBA with distinction from London 
Business School in 2002.

Chief Projects and Performance 
Officer 
Lisa joined Oxford Biomedica in March 
2018. She has over 25 years’ experience 
in the pharmaceutical industry. She 
joined Shire Pharmaceuticals initially  
in product strategy and lifecycle 
management expanding this over  
10 years to setting up the Alliance 
Management and Corporate Project 
Management functions, moving to 
Business Partner to Head of 
International Commercial before 
returning to head up the Product 
Strategy and Lifecycle Function. She 
brings with her a deep knowledge of 
product development from discovery  
at the lab bench to development, 
commercial and manufacturing 
supporting lifesaving treatments to the 
patient. She holds a BSc (Hons) degree 
in Microbiology and Virology from 
University of Warwick.

5. James Miskin

6. Kyriacos Mitrophanous

7. Nick Page

8. Helen Stephenson-Ellis

Chief Technical Officer
Dr Miskin joined Oxford Biomedica  
in 2000. He has more than 18 years’ 
experience in gene and cell therapy,  
14 of which have been in the GxP 
(good practice) environment. In his 
current role, he has overall 
responsibility for Oxford Biomedica’s 
Quality systems, analytical testing and 
lentiviral based bioprocessing 
development, as well as client 
programmes and alliance 
management. He is also a named 
inventor on several patents in the field. 
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree 
and a PhD in Molecular Biology from 
the University of Leeds and 
subsequently conducted post-doctoral 
research at The Pirbright Institute for  
a number of years. He is a member  
of the UK BioIndustry Association 
Manufacturing Advisory Committee 
and the Advanced Therapies section  
of The Medicines Manufacturing 
Industry Partnership (MMIP).

Chief Scientific Officer
Dr Mitrophanous joined Oxford 
Biomedica in 1997. He has over 20 
years of lentiviral vector experience 
covering a range of technical 
disciplines, including the development 
of gene and cell therapies, delivery 
platform technologies, bioprocessing 
and analytics. He is a recognised 
world-class expert in the field, a 
named inventor on numerous lentiviral 
vector patents and an author of a 
number of key papers. In his current 
role, he is responsible for the 
development of Oxford Biomedica’s 
new product candidates and 
LentiVector platform. He holds a PhD 
in Molecular Biology from University 
College London and has conducted 
post-doctoral research at the 
University of Oxford. He is a Corporate 
Member of the UK BioIndustry 
Association Board.

Chief Operations Officer
Nick joined Oxford Biomedica in  
April 2018. Prior to joining he has  
held a number of senior operational 
leadership positions in the 
pharmaceutical industry, most recently 
as Platform Head of Anti-infectives 
within Novartis. His 40+ years of 
industry experience include API,  
Solid oral dose, Sterile, and 
Radiopharmaceutical manufacturing  
in various organisations encompassing 
innovative, generic and contract 
manufacturing. During his career  
he has spent several years working  
in China and India as well as in Global 
roles. He originally qualified as a 
Chartered Chemist and also has  
an MBA from The Open University.

Chief People Officer 
Helen joined Oxford Biomedica  
in April 2018. She brings 25 years’ 
experience in senior Human Resources 
roles within the Biopharmaceutical 
sector, including a number of years  
in various HR Business Partnering roles 
in GSK, Merck and Astra Zeneca. 
Following AstraZeneca’s acquisition of 
MedImmune, she moved to Cambridge 
UK to head up HR for MedImmune’s 
site there, followed by a period as 
Global HR Director within AstraZeneca. 
Prior to joining Oxford Biomedica, she 
was Group Human Resources Director 
for Vernalis plc, leading HR across 
Vernalis’ UK and US sites. She holds a 
BA (Hons) degree from Northumbria 
University in the UK and is a member of 
the Chartered Institute of Personnel and 
Development.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

1.

3.

5.

7.

2.

4.

6.

8.

Full biographies for the Board of 
Directors can be found on pages  
60 to 61.

 
 
 
 
 
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2.

™

1.  Automation and robotics
We have invested significantly in automation  
and robotics to increase productivity and reduce 
development timelines. 

2. TRiP System
We have developed the TRiP System to maximise 
vector yields and particle purity, and standardise 
downstream process.

2
3

Strategic report 
2018 performance review

Novartis collaboration progress
Oxford Biomedica’s collaboration with Novartis has 
progressed well following the US approval and launch  
in 2017 of the chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy 
Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) for the treatment of children 
and young adults with r/r ALL. 

The supplemental BLA to treat adult patients with  
r/r DLBCL was approved by the US FDA in May 2018.  
The target patient population for this second indication  
is considerably larger than the initial ALL indication. 

Additional regulatory approvals for both indications were 
received from the European Commission, Health Canada 
and the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia. In 
September 2018, NHS England announced that children 
and young adults in England would be able to receive 
Kymriah for r/r ALL, and the first patients have now been 
treated. Regulatory review is underway in Japan and the 
outcome is awaited. 

Partnering progress
The Group is making good progress with its strategic 
partnerships, with Orchard Therapeutics adopting the 
stable producer cell lines in one of their programmes.  
The Group continued its activities to further grow its 
portfolio of strategic collaborations with the addition of 
Bioverativ (now part of Sanofi) and the UK Cystic Fibrosis 
Gene Therapy Consortium, Boehringer Ingelheim and 
Imperial Innovations partnership. 

Product development
The LentiVector gene delivery platform underpins  
the Group’s partnering business and is the starting  
point for its proprietary products. 

During the period, the Group continued to prepare  
the priority programmes for clinical studies and  
to pursue potential new partnership arrangements.  
In June 2018, the Group entered into an exclusive 
worldwide licensing agreement with Axovant Sciences 
(now Axovant Gene Therapies) to develop and 
commercialise OXB-102 (now renamed as  
AXO-Lenti-PD) for Parkinson’s disease, worth up  
to $842.5 million. This agreement with Axovant 
successfully executes on Oxford Biomedica’s  
pre-stated strategy to externalise product development 
beyond the end of the pre-clinical phase. 

1.

2.

1.  Novartis collaboration
The US FDA approval to use the Novartis Kymriah 
treatment in adults followed the earlier approval for 
children and young adults in 2017 as expected. The 
target patient population for this second indication  
is considerably larger than the initial ALL indication.

2. New strategic collaborations
During the year we added strategic collaborations  
with the addition of Bioverativ (now part of Sanofi)  
and the UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium, 
Boehringer Ingelheim and Imperial Innovations 
partnership.

During the second half of 2018 the Group completed  
the regulatory filings for the planned Phase 1/2 study, the 
manufacture of a second batch of the vector to ensure 
sufficient supplies for the study and to prepare the clinical 
study centres in Cambridge and London, UK for initiation 
of the study. The Phase 1/2 study for AXO-Lenti-PD, 
sponsored by Axovant, is now underway and the first 
patients have been treated. 

Following the out-licensing of the Parkinson’s disease 
programme, three additional proprietary assets have been 
selected to advance from research through pre-clinical 
development. OXB-204 and OXB-208 target inherited 
retinal diseases, where Oxford Biomedica has extensive 
experience from its early focus on ophthalmology 
indications. OXB-103 is in development for the treatment 
of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a group of rare, 
progressive neurological diseases.

LentiVector platform development
Over a number of years we’ve developed and licensed 
technologies and processes to significantly improve  
the production of gene therapy products into scalable, 
serum-free suspension processes. These technical 
developments enhance potency, purity, yield and 
efficiency. We have invested significantly in automation 
and robotics to increase productivity and reduce 
development timelines. 

We have developed the TRiP System to maximise vector 
yields and particle purity, and standardise downstream 
process. The TRiP System substantially limits expression 
of the transgene in the vector production cell that 
otherwise may have detrimental effects on vector 
biogenesis, function or purification. Methods for the  
new system were published in Cell & Gene Therapy 
Insights in January 2019 and discussions with potential 
licensees are ongoing. 

We have generated packaging and producer cell lines 
enabling a simplified and scalable manufacturing process 
while reducing cost. These advances enhance product 
quality and reduce the cost of goods for our partners and 
in-house development programmes. 

These developments continue to enhance our partner 
offering and provide additional revenue-generating 
opportunities. 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
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Strategic report 
2018 performance review

Building capacity
Oxford Biomedica is a pioneer and world leader in the 
field of gene and cell therapy, underpinned by its lentiviral 
vector delivery system, the LentiVector platform. The 
technology is established at commercial scale with three 
state-of-the-art, custom-built GMP clean rooms and 
laboratory facilities offering current and next generation 
LentiVector platform bioprocessing capabilities, with 
capacity for in-house platform development work and 
current partners’ requirements. To support the expected 
growth in demand for lentiviral vectors, the Group  
is expanding its manufacturing capacity. 

In September 2018, a lease was signed on a new,  
84,000 sqft (7,800 sqm) facility near to Oxford Biomedica’s 
headquarters in Oxford, UK. The planned Phase 1 and 
Phase 2 expansion will fit out around 45,000 sqft  
(4,200 sqm) for four GMP clean room suites and two  
fill/finish suites as well as offices, warehousing and QC 
laboratories, with space available for future expansion. 

The capacity expansion secures Oxford as a bioprocessing 
centre for Oxford Biomedica and will create up to 100 
new, highly skilled jobs over the next two years. Funded 
through the successful Placing in March 2018, it will allow 
Oxford Biomedica to exploit the immediate market 
opportunity, meet the expected long-term demand and 
futureproof the Group’s market leading position. 

Aligned to the Group’s values, which include delivering 
innovation, and to further accommodate growth, a lease 
was signed on a fifth facility in Oxford. The facility will 
bring together a multidisciplinary team of research, 
automation, bioprocessing and process development 
specialists around a shared purpose: to drive innovations 
that will lead to new scientific and technical advances to 
support our pipeline and our platform. The building is 
located next to Oxford Biomedica’s headquarters and is 
split roughly equally between laboratories and offices. 
Development of the space is ongoing and expected  
to be ready for occupation in the first half of 2019. 

Oxford Biomedica now occupies five facilities around 
Oxford covering around 226,000 sqft, securing the  
city as a global centre for lentiviral vector development 
and commercialisation.

An established technology platform
Our LentiVector technology is established at 
commercial scale with three state-of-the-art,  
custom-built GMP clean rooms and laboratory  
facilities offering current and next generation 
LentiVector platform bioprocessing capabilities,  
with capacity for in-house platform development  
work and current partners’ requirements.

84,000 ft2

New facility 
In September 2018, a lease was signed  
on a new, 84,000 sqft (7,800 sqm) facility near to 
Oxford Biomedica’s headquarters in Oxford, UK.

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1.

2.

3.

1.  Next generation bioprocessing
We successfully completed a share capital 
consolidation in May 2018 to make the shares more 
attractive to a broader range of institutional investors 
and other members of the investing public both 
overseas and in the UK.

2. Business development
With the ongoing success of its Novartis collaboration 
validating our LentiVector platform and partnering 
credentials, we expect our technology leadership  
to boost our business development activities.

3. UK Government awards us two grants
In 2018 we benefitted from the award of two grants by 
the UK Government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, 
totalling £5 million.

Corporate and organisational development 
During the first half of 2018, Oxford Biomedica 
successfully completed a £20.5 million equity fundraising 
for capacity expansion and fit out. In addition, the Group 
successfully completed a share capital consolidation in 
May 2018 to make the shares more attractive to a broader 
range of institutional investors and other members of the 
investing public both overseas and in the UK.

To support the increased activities of the Group,  
the Senior Management Team was augmented during  
the first half of 2018, with the appointment of a Chief 
Operations Officer, a Chief People Officer and a Chief 
Project & Performance Officer. 

Peter Nolan retired from his role as Chief Business Officer 
and stepped down from the Board on 2 July 2018.

During the year, Oxford Biomedica benefitted from the 
award of two grants by the UK Government’s innovation 
agency, Innovate UK. To support the Group’s investment 
in lentiviral vector development, £3 million was awarded 
for manufacturing, storage and analytical equipment,  
as well as other items that are essential for the operation 
of vector GMP facilities. A further £2 million was awarded 
as part of a total investment of £4 million by Oxford 
Biomedica to support the formation of a digital 
framework initiative to streamline the production of 
next-generation medicines. The aims of both projects are 
aligned with the UK Government’s Life Sciences Sector 
Deal to help ensure that the next wave of breakthrough 
treatments, innovative medical research and technologies, 
and high skilled jobs are created in Britain.

Outlook
Oxford Biomedica has made considerable progress  
in 2018. With the ongoing success of its Novartis 
collaboration validating its LentiVector platform and 
partnering credentials, the Group expects its technology 
leadership to boost its business development activities. 
The Group intends to expand its portfolio of collaborations, 
and to attract third-party investment to accelerate the 
clinical development of its wholly-owned proprietary 
products. 

Oxford Biomedica’s progress during 2018 demonstrates its 
leading industry position. With the Group’s collaborations 
supporting its continued growth, Oxford Biomedica  
is ideally positioned to deliver value to shareholders  
as a world-leading gene and cell therapy business. 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
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Strategic report 
Delivery of our 2018 objectives

Strategic report 
Objectives for 2019

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2018 objectives

Objective 1

Support partner portfolio advancement
Targets for 2018 included supporting our partners  
in order to gain approval and launch key products  
in both the US and EU, support the progress  
of programmes into the clinic and also deliver  
on our commitments to partners.

Objective 2

Progress action on implementing strategy for products
Our goals for 2018 included achieving the successful 
progression of key programmes against plan, to deliver 
new pre-clinical products to the Group, and also,  
as previously announced, to reduce the financial risk  
of clinical stage product development (while retaining 
significant financial interest) by partnering or spin-out  
of OXB-102 and the ocular programmes. 

Objective 3

Business development
In 2018 we intended to secure further revenue and 
royalty generating partnership relationships, and to  
build further on those we already had.

Objective 4

Corporate and organisational
The Board set management certain confidential targets 
relating to the Group’s financial performance, as well  
as further organisational improvement objectives.

Performance against priorities

These targets were successfully met. We supported 
Novartis in the EU/US approvals and launch of Kymriah  
for paediatric ALL and DLBCL. We also supported the 
progression of an undisclosed product into the clinic. 
Batches of material were also delivered to Novartis as 
scheduled/requested. We were also successful in 
producing documents in order to support the suspension 
process approval. In terms of our collaboration with 
Orchard Therapeutics, we were also key in supporting the 
production of documents required for the BLA submission 
and the advancement one of their products according to 
the schedule.

These goals were partially met. We successfully managed 
to out-licence OXB-102 (now AXO-Lenti-PD) for 
Parkinson’s disease to Axovant for more than $840 million. 
However, our plan to spin-out/out-licence of the ocular 
assets was under review.

These goals were fully met as we signed an agreement 
with Bioverativ, (now part of Sanofi), for haemophilia 
products in February 2018 and with Boehringer 
Ingelheim, the UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy 
Consortium and Imperial Innovations for development  
of a gene therapy product to treat cystic fibrosis in  
August 2018.

The goal to achieve an Operating EBITDA target of 
around £2.6 million was met along with net cash inflow 
from operating activities of £6.6 million. The re-finance 
of the Oaktree debt was not pursued. In terms of 
transforming the management structure (brought in 
three new Senior Executive Team (SET) members in 
2018) and introduced key individual training for senior 
managers to ensure all skill sets are required for future 
growth are covered.

Objectives set for 2019

Objective 1

Partners/Capacity/Technology advancement
The key objective for 2019 is to service our  
customers as agreed with them and reach key 
milestones for Novartis, Orchard Therapeutics  
and Bioverativ (now Sanofi). 

Objective 4

Business development
A critical success factor for 2019 is new deals. The plan 
is to out-licence one product, agree three platform 
technology deals and start two feasibility studies.

Objective 2

Objective 5

Patent/product advancement and innovation
Advance two new platform products into our portfolio, 
alongside technical (two new patentable inventions) and 
data driven innovations in our platform that are essential 
to keep us ahead of the competition. Valuable pipeline 
products such as AXO-Lenti-PD, that we have seen 
bring great value to the Oxford Biomedica, move 
forward in clinical development.

Organisational development
With the rapid pace of growth for the Group, together 
with competition for key staff in our field it is essential 
that we build a culture, competitive rewards/benefits 
and staff support systems to ensure a balanced 
productive work force for the future. Plan to enhance 
our organisation effectiveness programmes. It is 
fundamental to our future success that we innovate 
with the creation of our new facility and complete our 
new manufacturing facility on time and within budget.

Objective 3

Financial
The financial objectives set out for 2019 are to achieve 
revenue and EBITDA targets which are driven by the 
budget. Set in a regime of aggressively growing sales 
with strict control of costs, these are going to be a 
significant challenge. Assumptions in the budget include 
new manufacturing deals and a product out licensing 
deal, along with extinguishing refinancing the loan on 
more favourable terms.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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3

Strategic report 
Financial review

“ The Group is targeting improved 
financial performance in 2019.” 

Stuart Paynter 
Chief Financial Officer

6,000

5,500

5,000

4,500

4,000

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

70

65

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Bioprocessing volumes

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Gross income1
£m

 Licence, milestones and grants 
(light tints)
 Bioprocessing and process 
development (dark tints)

Financial transformation
2018 has continued the financial transformation of the 
Group with significant commercial achievements, and  
the signing of the Bioverativ (now Sanofi), Axovant and  
UK Gene Therapy Cystic Fibrosis Consortium agreements 
announced in February, June and August 2018. This has 
culminated in the Group achieving its first Operating 
EBITDA profit and also a profit after taxation of £7.5 million.

Selected highlights are as follows:

 — Gross income increased by 72% over 2017, and  
has now increased by 1,135% since 2013 when  
the Platform division was created.

 — Revenue increased by 78% over 2017, and has  

now increased by 1,137% since 2013.

 — Improved operational results have resulted in 

Operating EBITDA, Operating EBIDA and Operating 
profit being converted into profits of £13.4 million, 
£15.8 million and £13.9 million respectively as opposed 
to largely losses in 2017.

 — Cash generated from operations of £9.2 million in 2018 far 

exceeded the £1.5 million deployed in 2017 as a result of the 
Bioverativ (Sanofi) and Axovant licence income received. 

 — The Platform segment made an Operating EBITDA profit 
of £9.8 million1 and an operating profit of £11.4 million.

The growth in gross income was largely driven by  
£18.3 million worth of license income received as a result 
of the Axovant and Bioverativ (Sanofi) deals, as well as 
revenues generated from increased commercial 
development services provided to Orchard Therapeutics, 
Novartis, Bioverativ (Sanofi) and Axovant. Bioprocessing 
results in 2018 increased from the prior year with all three 
bioprocessing facilities running continuously during the 
year and volumes 15% up in 2018. The chart opposite 
shows the growth in output since 2013.

Operating costs, including Cost of Sales, grew by 28%, and 
by 38% when depreciation, amortisation and share option 
payments are excluded. Manpower, materials and 
subcontracted costs have increased to meet increasing 
customer demand, both for bioprocessing and commercial 
development services, but also includes an expectation of 
future growth in activities in 2019 and beyond. Headcount 
rose from 321 at December 2017 to 432 at the end of 2018.

The Group has also recognised a revaluation gain of  
£6 million on our equity investment in Orchard Therapeutics 
after its IPO at the end of 2018. Our partnership with 
Orchard Therapeutics has proven to be very successful  
and has exceeded the expectations set when originally 
established.

1.  A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 122 (note 4, Segmental analysis).

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With the signing of three new commercial contracts in 
2018 we have strengthened our commercial pipeline and 
diversified our customer base. We will ensure that we 
continue to foster our current strong customer 
relationships, whilst continuing the Group’s stated aim of 
targeting new strategic commercial partnerships to build 
on the platform of established growth.

We will continue our proven strategy of developing our 
proprietary products by seeking partnerships for later 
stage clinical studies. We will continue to assess the 
financial risk/reward profile of these projects and will seek 
to provide maximal returns to shareholders accordingly.

Key Financial Performance Indicators

£m
Gross income1

Bioprocessing/commercial 
development
Licences, milestones, grants

Revenue

Operations

Operating EBITDA2
Operating EBIDA3
Operating profit/(loss)

Cash flow

Cash generated from/(used in) 
operations
Capex
Cash burn4
Normalised cash burn5

Financing
Cash
Loan

Headcount
Year-end
Average

2018

2017

2016

2015

40.6
27.3
67.9

32.6
6.8
39.4

24.0
6.8
30.8

12.4
6.4
18.8

66.8

37.6

27.8

15.9

13.4
15.8
13.9

9.2
10.1
1.9
1.9

(1.9)
0.8
(5.7)

(7.1)
(3.4)
(11.3)

(12.1)
(8.1)
(14.1)

(1.5)
2.0
9.8
3.0

(5.9)
6.4
11.5
11.5

(14.9)
16.6
29.8
29.8

32.2
41.2

14.3
36.9

15.3
34.4

432
377

321
295

256
247

9.4
27.3

231
196

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

 Gross income is the aggregate of revenue and other operating income. A reconciliation to GAAP 
measures is provided on page 40.
 Operating EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, revaluation of investments 
and Share Based Payments) is a non-GAAP measure often used as a surrogate for operational cash flow  
as it excludes from operating profit or loss all non-cash items, including the charge for share options.  
A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 40. 
 Operating EBIDA is an internal measure used by the Group, defined as Operating EBITDA with the R&D tax 
credit included. The Board refers to EBIDA periodically as the R&D tax credit is, in essence, a subsidy or grant 
which offsets the Group’s R&D expenditure. A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 40.
 Cash burn is net cash generated from operations plus net interest paid plus capital expenditure.  
A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 42.
 Cash burn after excluding accrued interest and early repayment charges paid due to extinguishment  
of the Oberland facility.

The Group evaluates its performance by making use of a 
number of alternative performance measures as part of its 
Key Financial Performance Indicators (refer table above). 
The Group believes that these Non-GAAP measures, 
together with relevant GAAP measures, provide an accurate 
reflection of the Group’s performance over time.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Year-end headcount

  Admin and corporate (light tint)

 Development (mid tint)
 Production related (dark tint)

0 Strategic report 

4

Financial review

The Board has taken the decision to move away from  
using Gross Income and Operating EBIDA as Key Financial 
Performance Indicators and will instead make use of 
Revenue, Operating EBITDA and Operating Profit in future.

£m
Operating EBITDA2
R&D tax credit
Operating EBIDA3

2018
13.4
2.5
15.8

2017
(1.9)
2.7
0.8

2016
(7.1)
3.7
(3.4)

2015
(12.1)
4.0
(8.1)

Gross income/Revenue
Gross income increased to £67.9 million providing  
72% growth as compared to 2017 (£39.4 million). 

Revenue increased by 78% from £37.6 million  
in 2017 to £66.8 million in 2018.

Income generated from bioprocessing/commercial 
development increased by 25% to £40.6 million (from 
£32.6 million in 2017), and is up 464% since 2014. The 
main contributor to growth has been the revenues 
generated from increased commercial development 
services provided to Orchard Therapeutics, Novartis, 
Bioverativ (Sanofi) and Axovant.

The chart on page 39 shows the evolution of Gross 
Income over the past six years.

The largest portion of our gross income continues to be 
derived from our relationship with Novartis, but income 
generated from partnerships with our other customers 
continues to grow and now makes up a significant 
proportion of our gross income, thereby achieving our 
stated goal of diversifying our customer base.

£m
Revenue
Other operating income
Gross income

2018
66.8
1.1
67.9

Operating EBITDA/ Operating EBIDA

£m
Gross income
Total expenses1
Operating EBITDA2
Depreciation, amortisation, share 
option charge 
Revaluation of investments
Operating profit/(loss)

2018
67.9
(54.5)
13.4

(5.4)
6.0
13.9

2017
37.6
1.8
39.4

2017
39.4
(41.3)
(1.9)

(6.1)
2.3
(5.7)

2016
27.8
3.0
30.8

2016
30.8
(37.9)
(7.1)

(4.2)
–
(11.3)

2015
15.9
2.9
18.8

2015
18.8
(30.9)
(12.1)

(2.0)
–
(14.1)

1. 

2. 

3. 

 Cost of goods plus research, development, bioprocessing and administrative expenses excluding 
depreciation, amortisation and the share option charge.
 Operating EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, revaluation of investments 
and Share Based Payments) is a non-GAAP measure often used as a surrogate for operational cash flow  
as it excludes from operating profit or loss all non-cash items, including the charge for share options.
 Operating EBIDA is an internal measure used by the Group, defined as Operating EBITDA with the R&D 
tax credit included. The Board refers to Operating EBIDA periodically as the R&D tax credit is, in essence, 
a subsidy or grant which offsets the Group’s R&D expenditure.

Gross Income increased by 72% in 2018 partly offset by  
a 32% growth in our cost base from £41.3 million in 2017 
to £54.5 million in 2018. The Operating EBITDA profit of 
£13.4 million is £15.3 million better than the £1.9 million 
loss incurred in 2017, a great achievement for the Group, 
and builds on the significant Operating EBITDA 
improvements seen across the last four years.

Due to the conversion of Operating EBITDA losses into  
a large Operating EBITDA profit, Operating EBIDA has 
improved from a profit of £0.8 million in 2017 to a profit  
of £15.8 million in 2018. The R&D tax credit has only 
decreased slightly from the prior year as the Group 
continues to make a loss for tax purposes. 

Total Expenses

£m
Research, Development & 
Bioprocessing costs
Administrative expenses
Operating expenses
Depreciation
Amortisation
Share option charge
Adjusted operating expenses
Cost of sales
Total Expenses1

2018

2017

2016

2015

29.7
7.4
37.1
(4.3)
–
(1.1)
31.7
22.8
54.5

21.6
7.3
28.9
(4.1)
(1.2)
(0.7)
22.9
18.4
41.3

24.3
6.0
30.3
(3.3)
(0.3)
(0.6)
26.1
11.8
37.9

20.3
6.7
27.0
(1.3)
(0.4)
(0.2)
25.1
5.8
30.9

£m
Raw materials, consumables and  
other external bioprocessing costs
Manpower-related
External R&D expenditure
Other costs
Total expenses

2018

2017

2016

2015

18.3
26.7
1.9
7.6
54.5

13.2
19.3
1.7
7.1
41.3

9.3
17.4
2.8
8.4
37.9

6.1
13.6
3.0
8.2
30.9

 — Raw materials, consumables and other external 

bioprocessing costs have increased as a result of the 
increase in commercial development activities and 
bioprocessing volumes.

 — The increase in manpower-related costs is due to  
the increase in the average headcount from 295 in 
2017 to 377 in 2018. This is as a result of increasing  
our commercial development and bioprocessing 
capacity in line with our increased revenues.

 — External R&D expenditure was higher due to increased 
commercial customer and technical project related 
spend.

 — Other costs have increased due to increases in facility 
costs, and legal and professional fees as the group 
expanded, and royalties payable on income from the 
new license agreements. These increases were offset 
by a forex gain of £1.3 million as sterling weakened 
against the dollar. 

Operating and Net profit/(loss)

£m
Operating EBITDA
Depreciation, amortisation and 
share option charge

Revaluation of investments

Operating profit/(loss)
Interest
R&D tax credit
Foreign exchange revaluation 
(non-cash)
Net profit/(loss)

2018
13.4

2017
(1.9)

2016
(7.1)

2015
(12.1)

(5.4)

6.0

13.9
(6.2)
2.5

(2.7)
7.5

(6.1)

2.3

(5.7)
(9.3)
2.7

3.3
(9.0)

(4.2)

(2.0)

–

(11.3)
(4.9)
3.7

(4.1)
(16.6)

–

(14.1)
(1.9)
4.0

(1.0)
(13.0)

The significant achievements of 2018, culminating in an 
Operating EBITDA profit for the year, is further improved 
by a £6 million gain on revaluation of the Orchard 
Therapeutics investment after the company listed  
on Nasdaq in November 2018. 

The depreciation, amortisation and share option charge 
was lower than 2017 due to a non-recurring £1.0 million 
impairment charge in 2017 to account for the write down 
of the Prime Boost technology and poxvirus patent 
intangible asset after Bavarian Nordic’s Prostvac product 
failed its Phase 3 study.

The interest charge on our dollar denominated loan facility 
was significantly lower at £6.2 million in 2018 compared 
with £9.3 million in 2017 due to the non-recurring cost  
of termination of the Oberland facility in 2017.

The R&D tax credit in 2018 has only dropped down 
slightly from the prior year as the Group continues to 
make a loss for tax purposes.

The net profit in 2018 was negatively impacted by the 
devaluation of sterling against the dollar which has lead to 
a foreign exchange loss of £2.7 million being recognised 
upon revaluation of the dollar denominated Oaktree loan. 
The situation was reversed in 2017 as sterling improved 
against the dollar and a foreign exchange gain of  
£3.3 million was recognised. We have seen large 
fluctuations in foreign exchange rates versus sterling 
across the last three years as a result of uncertainties 
around the Brexit outcome. To some extent the Group 
expects to have a currency hedge against this liability  
as a significant portion of its anticipated future revenues 
are likely to be dollar denominated, such as the royalty 
stream arising from Novartis’ sales to Kymriah patients.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2 Strategic report 

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Financial review

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Segmental analysis
Reflecting the way the business is being managed by  
the Senior Executive Team, the Group reports its results 
within two segments, namely the ’Platform’ segment 
which includes the revenue generating bioprocessing 
and process development activities for third parties, and 
internal technology projects to develop new potentially 
saleable technology, improve our current processes  
and bring development and manufacturing costs down.  
The other segment, “Product“, includes the costs of 
researching and developing new product candidates.

2018
Gross income
Operating EBITDA
Operating profit/(loss)

2017
Gross income
Operating EBITDA
Operating profit/(loss)

Platform 
£m

Product 
£m

Total 
£m

55.7
9.8
11.4

38.6
2.9
0.2

12.2
3.6
2.5

0.8
(4.8)
(5.9)

67.9
13.4
13.9

39.4
(1.9)
(5.7)

A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 122. 

The Platform segment in 2018 saw an increase in gross 
income of 44% from £38.6 million to £55.7 million due  
to license income received as a result of the Axovant and 
Bioverativ (Sanofi) deals, as well as increased commercial 
development services provided. The additional revenues 
have resulted in the Platform segment increasing its 
Operating EBITDA profit from £2.9 million in 2017  
to £9.8 million in 2018, an improvement of £6.9 million.  
The segment also generated an operating profit of  
£11.4 million in 2018 (2017: £0.2 million). The Group 
continues to target increased profitability from this 
segment through higher bioprocessing volumes, 
increased royalty payments from partners and additional 
commercial development services to customers.

The Product segment has generated revenues  
of £12.2 million and an Operating EBITDA profit  
of £3.6 million largely as a result of the license income 
recognised as part of the Axovant OXB-102 agreement. 
The segment also generated an operating profit  
of £2.5 million.

Cash flow
The Group held £32.2 million cash at 31 December 2018, 
having begun the year with £14.3 million. Significant 
movements across the year are explained below.

 — The operating profit improved by £19.6 million 
principally as a result of revenue generated by  
Axovant and Bioverativ (Sanofi) deals, as well  
as increased revenues from commercial  
development services provided.

 — This improvement flowed through to Operating 

EBITDA which improved by £15.3 million to a profit  
of £13.4 million (2017: £1.9 million loss).

 — Cash generated from operations was £9.2 million 
which resulted in a £10.7 million improvement  
over 2017. 

 — Net cash generated from operations during 2018  
at £12.9 million was helped by a £3.7 million R&D  
tax receipt, down £0.8 million from the prior year.  
This was due to the tax credit being capped as a result 
of the improved results in 2017 as compared to 2016. 

 — Interest paid during the year was £4.7 million, down 

from £10.8 million in the prior year. 2018 interest paid 
was only made up of Oaktree interest payments whilst 
2017 interest paid included the redemption fee on the 
Oberland loan facility as well as the accrued interest 
covering the period since initial drawdown of the loan.

 — Purchases of property, plant and equipment increased 
from £2.0 million to £10.1 million, mainly consisting of 
purchases of equipment and leasehold improvements 
for the new OxBox manufacturing facility.

 — Cash burn, the aggregate of these items, was therefore 
reduced from £9.8 million in 2017 to £1.9 million in 
2018, mainly as a result of the improvement in the  
cash generated from our operations.

 — The net proceeds from financing during 2018 were 

£19.8 million, consisting almost entirely of the equity 
raise in February 2018 which generated £19.1 million 
net of fees.

 — The result of the above movements is a net increase in 
cash of £17.9 million from £14.3 million to £32.2 million.

Cash flow movements
Operating profit/(loss)
Non-cash items included in 
operating profit/(loss)
Operating EBITDA profit/(loss)
Working capital movement
Cash generated from/(used in) 
operations
R&D tax credit received
Net cash generated from/(used in) 
operations
Interest paid, less received
Capex
Cash burn
Net proceeds from financing1
Movement in year

2018
13.9

2017
(5.7)

2016
(11.3)

2015
(14.1)

(0.5)
13.4
(4.2)

9.2
3.7

12.9
(4.7)
(10.1)
(1.9)
19.8
17.9

3.8
(1.9)
0.4

(1.5)
4.5

3.0
(10.8)
(2.0)
(9.8)
8.8
(1.0)

4.2
(7.1)
1.2

(5.9)
4.1

(1.8)
(3.3)
(6.4)
(11.5)
17.5
6.0

2.0
(12.1)
(2.8)

(14.9)
3.2

(11.7)
(1.5)
(16.6)
(29.8)
25.0

1.  Excludes interest paid which is shown separately above. 

Balance sheet review
The most notable items on the balance sheet, including 
changes from 31 December 2017, are as follows:

 — Investments increased by £8.0 million to £11.0 million 

as a result of the achievement of three equity 
milestones worth £2.0 million, and the remainder  
as a result of the revaluation of our Orchard investment 
based on the quoted Orchard share price at year end. 

 — Property, plant and equipment has increased  

by £6.4 million to £31.8 million as depreciation  
of £4.3 million only partially offset additions of  
£10.8 million, mainly purchases of equipment  
and leasehold improvements for the new  
OxBox manufacturing facility.

 — Inventories have increased from £3.3 million  

to £4.3 million due to work in progress balances 
increasing as a result of ongoing bioprocessing 
commitments across 2018 and into 2019, as well  
as planned increases in stock levels as a result of  
Brexit planning.

 — Trade and other receivables increased from £17.1 million 
to £30.6 million, due predominantly to the timing of 
process development milestones achieved and 
manufacturing orders placed at year-end, as well as 
£4.0 million of deposits held in escrow as part of the 
OxBox and new discovery and innovation facility leases.

 — Trade and other payables increased from £8.7 million 
to £11.4 million, due to purchases of equipment and 
leasehold improvements for the new OxBox 
manufacturing facility.

 — Contract liabilities and deferred Income increased  

from £13.1 million at the end of 2017 to £23.5 million 
(of which £6.4 million is non-current) at the end of 
2018 due to income received in advance in relation  
to process development work, grant funding, 
manufacturing orders placed, and manufacturing  
slots reserved.

 — The loan balance has increased from £36.9 million  

to £41.2 million due to a £2.7 million foreign exchange 
loss on revaluation of the loan, as well as accrued 
interest of £1.6 million.

Financial outlook
The Group is targeting improved financial performance  
in 2019. We have signed new commercial contracts with 
Axovant, Bioverativ (Sanofi) and the UK Cystic Fibrosis 
Gene Therapy Consortium which will bolster our 
commercial development and bioprocessing pipelines, 
and we continue to maintain an excellent relationship 
with Novartis, building additional bioprocessing capacity 
to support the continued launch of Kymriah across the 
globe. Orchard Therapeutics IPO’d at the end of the year 
in anticipation of the commercial launch of its strategic 
product portfolio which we continue to support in a 
bioprocessing and commercial development capacity.

Our customer base continues to diversify, strengthening 
our revenue expectations. We will continue to target new 
strategic commercial relationships in 2019, building on  
the platform of growth we established and extending  
our customer base.

We will continue to execute our stated strategy, of 
continuing the development of our proprietary products 
and pre-clinical pipeline whilst seeking to spin-out or 
out-license those candidates at an appropriate time prior  
to large clinical expenditures. We will seek to make strategic 
investments in our products, as well as acquiring enabling 
technologies where the opportunity exists to increase 
shareholder value and improve patient outcomes. We will 
continue to invest in early stage concepts and pre-clinical 
studies, and also in our key LentiVector technology 
platform. We will continue to manage our cost base 
carefully and adjust spend to meet our financial targets.

Going concern
The Group held £32.2 million of cash at the end of 2018. 
During 2018 the Group generated positive operational cash 
flows, and although the Group is making a further strategic 
investment in extending our bioprocessing capacity, the 
Group expects to generate sufficient operational cash flow 
to continue its growth strategy. Taking this into account, in 
conjunction with currently known and probable cash flows, 
the Directors consider that the Group has sufficient cash 
resources and cash inflows to continue its activities for at 
least twelve months from the date of these financial 
statements and have therefore prepared the financial 
statements on a going concern basis.

Although the UK’s decision to leave the European Union 
may significantly affect the fiscal, monetary and 
regulatory landscape in the UK, the Group has assessed 
the future impact of Brexit on its operations to be minor. 
Further details of our contingency planning is provided 
on page 58.

Stuart Paynter
Chief Financial Officer

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
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Safety
The safety of all employees is important, and those 
working in our bioprocessing, engineering and 
laboratory facilities face additional risks which we 
endeavour to manage through maintaining our 
facilities and equipment to the highest standards and 
through specific and detailed training.

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Strategic report 
Corporate responsibility

Oxford Biomedica is committed to its role as a responsible 
business and we have a range of evolving policies in place 
to ensure we meet this objective. We focus our corporate 
responsibility efforts on a number of main areas:

People
We are resolutely focused on the health, safety and the 
welfare of our employees, their engagement and job 
satisfaction, and ensuring equality of opportunity and 
respect for diversity. We are equally focused on the safety 
of patients in our clinical studies, and of our neighbours  
in the wider community.

It is group policy to give full and fair consideration  
to job applications from disabled people, to provide 
opportunities for their training, career development and 
promotion, and to continue wherever possible to employ 
staff who become disabled.

Community
We focus on the wellbeing of the community around our 
facilities, conducting our business in a responsible 
manner. We comply with local laws and regulations and 
control our emissions and waste.

Environment
We monitor and responsibly manage our facilities’ carbon 
emissions, use of water, electricity and gas as well as 
waste production and disposal.

Integrity and Ethics
The Group is committed to the highest standards of 
ethical conduct and integrity in its business activities  
in the UK and overseas.

Values
Our commitment to corporate responsibility is 
governed by our Group values which are “Have Integrity”, 
“Be Inspiring” and “Deliver Innovation”. In practice, this 
means doing the right thing for our employees, patients 
and partners and delivering on our commitments. We aim 
to create an environment which positively challenges, 
engages and excites us, and we deliver ground-breaking 
scientific excellence by nurturing our talented people.

People

Safety
The health, safety and welfare of our employees, visitors 
and contractors is our first priority. The safety of all 
employees is important, and those working in our 
bioprocessing, engineering and laboratory facilities face 
additional risks which we endeavour to manage through 
maintaining our facilities and equipment to the highest 
standards and through specific and detailed training. Our 
Health and Safety Management System covers all work 
activities, such as working with biological and chemical 
materials and the operation of laboratory equipment.  
The Health and Safety Management System is reviewed 
and updated to ensure continuous improvement, and  
to adapt to variations in scientific work and reflect 
changes in legislation. Oxford Biomedica continues to 
have a first-class safety record. Health and Safety issues 
are a standing item on the Board’s agenda and the Group 
is committed to meet both the letter and spirit of all 
health and safety regulation and best practice.

Diversity
The Board and senior management are fully committed 
to providing equal opportunities to all employees, 
irrespective of race, gender, religion, national origin, 
disability or any other personal characteristics, and  
we embrace diversity in all forms.

The table below shows the gender split across  
our organisation as at 31 December 2018:

Board including 
Non-Executive Directors
Senior managers
All other employees
Total

Male Female

Total

%  
Male

% 
Female

6
20
178
204

1
11
216
228

7
31
394
432

86%
65%
45%
47%

14%
35%
55%
53%

The Gender Pay Gap Report for 2018 has been prepared 
and the Group is pleased to report an increase in 
representation of female employees at the more senior 
levels of the organisation over the past 12 months. This 
has had a positive impact on the Company’s gender pay 
gap ratio. For full details of the report please visit our 
website at www.oxb.com.

Remuneration
With the continued growth in employee numbers to 432 at 
year-end, we continue to invest in strong internal procedures 
to ensure that we are well placed to attract and retain high 
quality employees. This includes the development of an 
independently validated and market aligned remuneration 
structure, which is being implemented during early 2019.  
We continue to review the appropriate levels of financial  
and non-financial remuneration for each level within our 
structure. In addition to cash-based reward programmes,  
we have modern share option plans to allow employees  
to participate in the success of the organisation. We provide 
medical insurance for all staff, along with a pension facility  
to enable employees to take a more flexible and personalised 
approach to saving for their future.

Training
Training is essential for the safety and wellbeing of our 
employees and others we interact with, as discussed 
above. In addition, our bioprocessing, laboratory and 
clinical processes are complex and highly regulated and 
our training helps us to achieve the outcomes, compliance 
and productivity we need to succeed as a business. 

We provide training to our line managers to ensure that 
they are well prepared to manage, develop, support and 
motivate their teams.

Communication
We acknowledge the importance of communication  
and consultation across our business. Group-wide  
briefings, R&D seminars and informal all-staff meetings  
are held to keep employees informed of general business 
issues and other matters of interest, and to ensure the views 
of employees can be taken into account in making decisions 
that are likely to affect their interests. The circulation of press 
announcements, internal newsletters and access to work-
related social media keep employees informed of business 
and employee activities, and enhance understanding  
of the financial and economic factors affecting the  
Group’s performance.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
6 Strategic report 

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Corporate responsibility

Community
We recognise the value of being a good local citizen  
in the Oxford community. We endeavour to achieve  
this by delivering positive benefits for the community,  
such as creating new high quality jobs, establishing an 
apprenticeship scheme and by building links with schools 
and other local educational establishments. We seek to 
behave as a responsible neighbour, complying with national 
and local laws and regulations, particularly with regard  
to emissions and waste, property planning and the  
traffic impact caused by our employees. We have  
a well-established Cycle-To-Work scheme and interest-free 
season ticket loans to help minimise our traffic impact on 
the local area.

Apprenticeship Scheme 
As part of our focus of delivering local benefits and 
providing high skilled jobs to local community we 
launched an apprenticeship scheme in collaboration  
with Advanced Therapies Apprenticeship Community  
and the University of Kent. Currently three school leavers 
from the local community are enrolled on a training 
scheme in the highly skilled areas of Manufacturing  
and Analytical testing. We are committed to supporting 
the apprentices through mentoring and training  
and expanding the scheme in the future.

Charitable Giving 
In further support of the community we worked with 
employees to support locally focused charities this year. 
This included an employee driven gift giving for the 
Children’s Hospital, John Radcliffe and also financial 
donations to two local charities. The charities selected 
were Sobell House (charity registration 1118646) which 
provides palliative and end of life care in Oxfordshire and 
SeeSaw (charity registration 1076321) is a local based 
charity providing grief support for bereaved children.

Charity
Sobell House
SeeSaw
Total

Donation
£1,500
£1,500
£3,000

1.

2.

1. Responsibility to protect the environment 
No laboratory waste goes to landfill sites. We make 
every effort to keep our neighbours in the local 
community safe from any potential harm caused  
by our activities by closely managing our emissions 
and waste.

2. Donations 
We made financial donations to two local charities  
in 2018, Sobell House and SeeSaw.

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25.1

0.2

24.9

49.9

  Electricity

 Gas
 Water supply
 Other activities

CO2 emissions 2018 %
Our total CO2 emissions have reduced slightly  
from the previous year at 2,365 tonnes in 2018  
(2017: 2,472).

5.000

 4.000

3.000

2.000

1.000

0

  Electricity

 Gas

2017

2018

Electricity and gas use (MWh)

Environment

Environmental policies & initiatives
We fully recognise our responsibility to protect the 
environment and we have a strong environmental policy, 
objectives and guidelines in place which we review and 
update regularly. The Group complies with all regulations 
covering the processing and disposal of laboratory waste, 
and uses qualified licensed contractors for the collection 
and disposal of chemical waste and decontaminated 
biological materials. No laboratory waste goes to landfill 
sites. We make every effort to keep our neighbours in the 
local community safe from any potential harm caused by 
our activities by closely managing our emissions and waste.

Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)
As we are now an organisation of over 250 employees we 
have engaged with ESOS, in compliance with EU Energy 
Efficiency Directive (2012/27EU). This has involved an ESOS 
Phase 2 energy assessment based on 2018 data covering 
all aspects of our energy usage. The recommendations 
from the audit will be incorporated into the Environmental 
section of our responsible Business policy.

Greenhouse gas emissions report
The tables below show our usage in 2018 and 2017 of 
energy and water at our sites in Oxford, UK. We have also 
estimated our total CO2 emissions and have indicated our 
“environmental intensity” on a per employee basis, an 
important indicator of our activity.

2018
Electricity
Gas

Water supply
Other activities 
(estimated) including 
waste disposal and 
travel
Total

2017
Electricity
Gas

Water supply
Other activities 
(estimated) including 
waste disposal and 
travel
Total

Unit
MW hours
MW hours
Cubic 
metres

Usage  
per 
employee
11.4
8.8

CO2 
emission 
(tonnes)
1,180
593

Usage
4,169
3,225

6,330

17.3

2

590
2,365

Unit
MW hours
MW hours
Cubic 
metres

Usage  
per 
employee
14.7
11.1

CO2 
emission 
(tonnes)
1,450
573

Usage
4,124
3,108

4,947

17.6

2

447
2,472

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7,000

6,000

5.000

 4.000

3.000

2.000

1.000

0

2017

2018

Water use (cubic metres)

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Strategic report 
Corporate responsibility

Energy efficiency
We are committed to energy efficiency and have a 
number of policies to decrease energy usage where 
possible. For instance, when existing lighting needs 
replacing we switch to LED lights which are significantly 
more energy efficient than traditional lighting systems.

In our Windrush laboratories we have passive infrared 
light sensors in all areas that have been refurbished to 
ensure lighting is extinguished in areas that are not 
currently in use.

Waste management
We continue to review our waste management systems 
to manage waste more effectively. This includes:

 — recycling all paper and cardboard waste, aluminum 
cans, glass, plastics and printer toner/cartridges.

 — use of different waste streams to increase  

processing efficiency.

Integrity and Ethics
The Group is committed to the highest standards  
of ethical conduct and integrity in its business activities  
in the UK and overseas.

Anti-bribery
Oxford Biomedica’s policy on preventing and prohibiting 
bribery is in full accordance with the UK Bribery Act 2010 as 
well as other relevant overseas legislation and all employees 
receive training in this matter. The Group does not tolerate 
any form of bribery by, or of, its employees, agents or 
consultants or any person or body acting on its behalf. 
Senior management is committed to implementing effective 
measures to prevent, monitor and eliminate bribery.

Whistleblowing
Oxford Biomedica’s compliance activities include the 
prevention and detection of misconduct through policy 
implementation, training and monitoring. As part of this 
effort, the Group’s employees are encouraged to report 
suspected cases of misconduct in confidence and 
without fear of retaliation. Concerns and allegations are 
thoroughly investigated with disciplinary action taken 
where necessary, up to and including dismissal and 
reporting to relevant authorities.

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1.

2.

1. Clinical trials 
Our clinical studies are designed with patient  
safety as a paramount concern.

2. Animal testing 
We minimise the use of animal models by  
cross-referring LentiVector platform data  
packages for regulatory authorities.

Clinical trials
We instill transparency, safety and ethics in all aspects of 
our business, including the design and conduct of our 
clinical trials. Our clinical studies are designed with patient 
safety as a paramount concern and the protocols are 
agreed with the relevant national regulatory authorities, as 
well as local ethics committees and institutional review 
boards at clinical trial sites, before any patients are treated. 
We also have standard operating procedures in place 
under a controlled Quality Management System to ensure 
compliance with appropriate guidelines and legislation.

We are also committed to transparency, and our website 
(www.oxb.com) provides information on ongoing 
clinical trials. Relevant trials in the EU and EEA are 
automatically posted on the EU Clinical Trials Register 
(www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu) and we also disclose  
our trials on a US government-sponsored website 
(www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Human rights and anti-slavery
The Group fully respects human rights and we conduct 
our business in accordance with the letter and spirit of  
UK Human Rights legislation and the UK Modern Slavery 
Act 2015. Oxford Biomedica’s Board of Directors has 
approved a Modern Slavery Transparency Statement  
in compliance with section 54 of the Act which can  
be found on our website www.oxb.com. Our facilities  
are all located in the UK, where our policies accord  
with human rights regulations and our supply chain 
operates in territories with strong commitments  
to human rights safeguarding.

Animal testing
It is a regulatory requirement that all new therapeutic 
products must be appropriately tested for safety before 
they are administered to patients, and there is currently 
no alternative to using animal models as part of this 
process. We are committed to following the principles  
of the three “Rs” in safety testing: replacement, 
refinement and reduction of animal testing. These 
principles ensure that animal testing is only employed 
when necessary and where there are no alternatives.  
The Group minimises the use of animal models  
by cross-referring LentiVector platform data packages  
for regulatory authorities.

The Strategic report on pages 20 to 49 was approved by 
the Board of Directors on 14 March 2019 and was signed 
on its behalf by:

John Dawson
Chief Executive Officer

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
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1 

Introducing  

  Oxford Biomedica

  11  Sector and technology  

  overview

  12  Gene and cell therapy sector
  13  LentiVector delivery platform
  16  Products

  19  Strategic report
  20   Our business model 
  22  Operational highlights
  23  Financial highlights
  24  Chairman’s statement
  26    Chief Executive Officer's review
  30  Management team
  32  2018 performance review
  36  Delivery of our 2018 objectives
  37  Objectives for 2019
 Financial review
  38 
  44  Corporate responsibility

  51  Corporate governance 
  52 

  Principal risks, uncertainties  
and risk management 
  59  The Board of Directors
  62  Corporate governance report
  69  Directors’ remuneration report
  90  Directors’ report

  96 

 Independent auditors’ 
report

 103  Group financial statements
 104 

 Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income

  105  Balance sheets
 106  Statements of cash flows
  107 

 Statements of changes in  
equity attributable to owners  
of the parent
 Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

 108 

 145  Other matters
  145 
 Glossary
  148  Advisers and contact details

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Corporate governance 
Principal risks, uncertainties and risk management

Oxford Biomedica operates in the gene and cell therapy biotechnology sector which, by its nature, is relatively 
high risk compared with other industry sectors. Only a few gene and cell therapy products have been approved  
for commercial use so there are significant financial and development risks in the sector, and the regulatory 
authorities have shown caution in their regulation of such products. Risk assessment and evaluation is therefore 
an integral and well-established part of Oxford Biomedica’s management processes. The Group is exposed to  
a range of risks. Some of them are specific to Oxford Biomedica’s current operations, others are common to all 
development-stage biopharmaceutical companies. The Directors have carried out a robust assessment of the  
risks facing the company, including those which could threaten its business model and future performance.

Risk management framework

The Group’s risk management framework is as follows:
 — Board of Directors – the Board has overall responsibility for risk management, determining the Group’s risk 
tolerance and for ensuring the maintenance of a sound system of internal control. The Board reviews key  
risks within the Group at each of its formal meetings, of which there at least six annually. However, twice a year  
in March and September a full presentation to the Board on Risk is expected. The risk management processes  
are the responsibility of the Senior Executive Team but the Audit Committee monitors the processes and their 
implementation as well as reviewing the Group’s internal financial controls and the internal control systems.  
The Audit Committee also monitors the integrity of the financial statements of Oxford Biomedica and any  
formal announcements relating to the Company’s financial performance, reviewing significant financial reporting 
judgements contained in them. During 2018, we received external assistance from PwC LLP to develop our risk 
framework appropriate for our larger Group.

 — Senior Executive Team – the SET generally meets twice monthly to discuss current business issues and  

considers relevant risks on each occasion. At least four times a year, the SET meets with representatives from  
the Risk Management Committee to consider the operational risk management processes and risks identified.

 — Key management committees – the Group currently has three key management sub-committees which meet 
monthly and through which much of the day-to-day business is managed. These are the extended Operational 
Leadership Team (incorporates the Quality and Manufacturing Operations Committee), the Product Development 
Committee and the Technical Development Committee. SET members attend these meetings and risk 
management is a key feature of each sub-committee.

 — Risk Management Committee – Oxford Biomedica has a Risk Management Committee comprising senior managers 
from key areas of the business and chaired by the Director of Corporate Activities & Strategy. This Committee meets 
quarterly with a remit to identify and assess risks in the business and to consider mitigation and risk management 
steps that can be taken. The risk register is regularly reviewed by SET and key risks are highlighted to the Board at 
each formal meeting.

 — Standard Operating Procedures – all areas of the business have well established Standard Operating Procedures 

which are required be followed in order to minimise the risks inherent in the business operations. Where these are 
required for GMP, GCP and GLP any deviations from the SOPs must be identified and investigated. Compliance 
with such SOPs are routinely subject to audit by the relevant regulators and customers. Other SOPs, such as financial 
processes, are also subject to audits.

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Key risks specific to Oxford Biomedica’s current operations

Pharmaceutical product development risks
To develop a pharmaceutical product it is necessary to conduct pre-clinical studies and human clinical trials  
for product candidates to demonstrate safety and efficacy. The number of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials  
that will be required varies depending on the product candidate, the indication being evaluated, the trial results and 
the regulations applicable to the particular product candidate. In addition, the Group or its partners will need to obtain 
regulatory approvals to conduct clinical trials and bioprocess drugs before they can be marketed. This development 
process takes many years. The Group may fail to develop successfully a product candidate for many reasons, 
including:

 — Failure to demonstrate long-term safety;

 — Failure to demonstrate efficacy;

 — Failure to develop technical solutions to achieve necessary dosing levels or acceptable delivery mechanisms;

 — Failure to establish robust bioprocessing processes;

 — Failure to obtain regulatory approvals to conduct clinical studies or, ultimately, to market the product; and

 — Failure to recruit sufficient patients into clinical studies.

The failure of the Group to develop successfully a product candidate could adversely affect the future profitability  
of the Group. There is a risk that the failure of any one product candidate could have a significant and sustained 
adverse impact on the Group’s share price. There is also the risk that the failure of one product candidate in clinical 
development could have an adverse effect on the development of other product candidates, or on the Group’s ability  
to enter into collaborations in respect of product candidates.

(i) Safety risks
Safety issues may arise at any stage of the drug development process. An independent drug safety monitoring board 
(DSMB), the relevant regulatory authorities or the Group itself may suspend or terminate clinical trials at any time. 
There can be no assurances that any of the Group’s product candidates will ultimately prove to be safe for human 
use. Adverse or inconclusive results from pre-clinical testing or clinical trials may substantially delay, or halt, the 
development of product candidates, consequently affecting the Group’s timeline for profitability. The continuation  
of a particular study after review by the DSMB or review body does not necessarily indicate that all clinical trials will 
ultimately be successfully completed.

(ii) Efficacy risks
Human clinical studies are required to demonstrate efficacy in humans when compared against placebo and/or 
existing alternative therapies. The results of pre-clinical studies and initial clinical trials of the Group’s product 
candidates do not necessarily predict the results of later stage clinical trials. Unapproved product candidates in later 
stages of clinical trials may fail to show the desired efficacy despite having progressed through initial clinical trials. 
There can be no assurance that the efficacy data collected from the pre-clinical studies and clinical trials of the 
Group’s product candidates will be sufficient to satisfy the relevant regulatory authorities that the product should  
be given a marketing authorisation.

(iii) Technical risks
During the course of a product’s development, further technical development may be required to improve the 
product candidates characteristics such as the delivery mechanism or the bioprocessing process. There is no 
certainty that such technical improvements or solutions can be identified.

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Bioprocessing revenue risk
The Group receives significant revenues from bioprocessing lentiviral vectors for third parties and in particular  
for Novartis. Bioprocessing of lentiviral vectors is complex and bioprocessing batches may fail to meet the required 
specification due to contamination or inadequate yield. Failure to deliver batches to the required specification may 
lead to loss of revenues. 

Furthermore, the Group relies on third parties, in some cases sole suppliers, for the supply of raw materials  
and certain out-sourced services. If such suppliers perform in an unsatisfactory manner it could harm the  
Group’s business. 

As the Group’s revenues from bioprocessing are growing the risk to the Group has increased in the last twelve 
months. The Group mitigates the risk of failing to meet required specifications by investing in high quality facilities, 
equipment and employees and, in particular, in quality management processes. The Group is also endeavouring  
to mitigate the risk of being overly reliant on Novartis by seeking bioprocessing contracts with other parties.

Collaborator and partner risk
The Group has entered several collaborations and partnerships, involving the development of product candidates by 
partners in which the Group has a financial interest through IP licenses. Failure of the partners to continue to develop 
the relevant product candidates for any reason could result in the Group losing potential revenues.

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Corporate governance 
Principal risks, uncertainties and risk management

(iv) Bioprocessing process risk
There can be no assurance that the Group’s product candidates will be capable of being produced in commercial 
quantities at acceptable cost. The Group’s LentiVector platform product candidates use specialised bioprocessing 
processes for which there are only a few suitable bioprocessors including the Group itself. There can be no assurance 
that the Group will be able to bioprocess the Group’s product candidates at economic cost or that contractors who 
are currently able to bioprocess the Group’s product candidates will continue to make capacity available at economic 
prices, or that suitable new contractors will enter the market. Bioprocessing processes that are effective and practical 
at the small scale required by the early stages of clinical development may not be appropriate at the larger scale 
required for later stages of clinical development or for commercial supply. There can be no assurance that the  
Group will be able to adapt current processes or develop new processes suitable for the scale required by later  
stages of clinical development or commercial supply in a timely or cost-effective manner, nor that contract 
bioprocessors will be able to provide sufficient bioprocessing capacity when required.

(v) Regulatory risk
The clinical development and marketing approval of the Group’s product candidates, and the Group’s bioprocessing 
facility, are regulated by healthcare regulatory agencies, such as the FDA (USA), EMA (Europe), and MHRA (UK). During 
the development stage, regulatory reviews of clinical trial applications or amendments can prolong development 
timelines. Similarly, there can be no assurance of gaining the necessary marketing approvals to commercialise 
products in development. Regulatory authorities may impose restrictions on a product candidates use or may require 
additional data before granting approval. If regulatory approval is obtained, the product candidate and bioprocessor 
will be subject to continual review and there can be no assurance that such an approval will not be withdrawn or 
restricted. The Group’s laboratories, bioprocessing facility and conduct of clinical studies are also subject to regular 
audits by the MHRA and FDA to ensure that they comply with GMP, GCP and GLP standards. Failure to meet such 
standards could result in the laboratories or the bioprocessing site being closed or the clinical studies suspended  
until corrective actions have been implemented and accepted by the regulator.

(vi) Failure to recruit sufficient patients into clinical studies
Clinical trials are established under protocols which specify how the trials should be conducted. Protocols specify the 
number of patients to be recruited into the study and the characteristics of patients who can and cannot be accepted 
into the study. The risk exists that it proves difficult in practice to recruit the number of patients with the specified 
characteristics, potentially causing delays or even abandonment of the clinical study. This could be caused by a 
variety of reasons such as the specified characteristics being too tightly defined resulting in a very small population  
of suitable patients, or the emergence of a competing drug, either one that is approved or another drug in the clinical 
stage of development.

The threats from the above product development risks are inherent in the pharmaceutical industry and have not 
changed fundamentally over the last year. The Group aims to mitigate these risks by employing experienced staff  
and other external parties, such as Contract Research Organisations to plan, implement and monitor its product 
development activities and to review progress regularly in the Group’s Product Development Committee.

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Business development
The Group is seeking to out-license or spin-out its in-house product development programmes into externally 
funded vehicles and may seek to arrange strategic partnerships for developing the Group’s other product candidates. 
The Group may not be successful in its efforts to build these third party relationships which may cause the 
development of the products to be delayed or curtailed.

The Group is building a revenue generating business by providing its LentiVector platform to third parties in return  
for revenues derived from process development, bioprocessing and future royalties. The Group may be unsuccessful 
in building this business for reasons including a) failing to maintain a leadership position in lentiviral vector technology, 
b) becoming uncompetitive from a pricing perspective, c) failure to provide an adequate service to business partners 
and collaborators. The Group is continuing to invest in the LentiVector platform in order to reduce this risk, and it  
also takes extremely seriously customer relationship management to ensure that customers and partners receive  
the service they expect.

Attraction and retention of highly skilled employees
The Group depends on recruiting and retaining highly skilled employees to deliver its objectives and meet its 
customers’ needs. The market for such employees is becoming increasingly competitive and the failure to recruit  
staff from the EU due to Brexit or to retain staff with the required skills and experience could adversely affect the 
Group’s performance. The Group mitigates this risk by creating an attractive working environment and ensuring  
that the remuneration package offered to employees is comparable with competing employers.

Broader business risks which are applicable to Oxford Biomedica

Gene and cell therapy risk
The Group’s commercial success, both from its own product development and from supporting other companies  
in the sector, will depend on the acceptance of gene and cell therapy by the medical community and the public  
for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases. To date only a limited number of gene therapy products have  
been approved in Europe, and only three in the USA. Furthermore, specific regulatory requirements, over and above 
those imposed on other products, apply to gene and cell therapies and there can be no assurance that additional 
requirements will not be imposed in the future. This may increase the cost and time required for successful 
development of gene and cell therapy products.

Rapid technical change
The gene and cell therapy sector is characterised by rapidly changing technologies and significant competition. 
Advances in other technologies in the sector could undermine the Group’s commercial prospects.

Longer-term commercialisation risks
In the longer term, the success of the Group’s product candidates and those of its partners will depend on the 
regulatory and commercial environment several years into the future. Future commercialisation risks include:

 — The emergence of new and/or unexpected competitor products or technologies. The biotechnology  

and pharmaceutical industries are subject to rapid technological change which could affect the success  
of the Group’s product candidates or make them obsolete;

 — Regulatory authorities becoming increasingly demanding regarding efficacy standards or risk averse regarding safety;

 — Governments or other payers being unwilling to pay for/reimburse gene therapy products at a level which would 
justify the investment. Based on clinical studies to date, the Group’s LentiVector platform product candidates have 
the unique potential to provide permanent therapeutic benefit from a single administration. The pricing of these 
therapies will depend on assessments of their cost-benefit and cost effectiveness; 

 — The willingness of physicians and/or healthcare systems to adopt new treatment regimes.

Any or all of these risks could result in the Group’s future profitability being adversely affected as future royalties  
and milestones from commercial partners could be reduced.

Intellectual property and patent protection risk
The Group’s success depends, amongst other things, on maintaining proprietary rights to its products and 
technologies and the Board gives high priority to the strategic management of the Group’s intellectual property 
portfolio. However, there can be no guarantee that the Group’s product candidates and technologies are adequately 
protected by intellectual property. Furthermore, if the Group’s patents are challenged, the defence of such rights 
could involve substantial costs and an uncertain outcome.

Third party patents may emerge containing claims that impact the Group’s freedom to operate. There can be  
no assurance that the Group will be able to obtain licences to these patents at reasonable cost, if at all, or be able  
to develop or obtain alternative technology. Where copyright, design right and/or “know how” protect the Group’s 
product candidates or technology, there can be no assurance that a competitor or potential competitor will not 
independently develop the same or similar product candidates or technology.

Rights of ownership over, and rights to license and use, intellectual property depend on a number of factors, 
including the circumstances under which the intellectual property was created and the provisions of any agreements 
covering such intellectual property. There can be no assurance that changes to the terms within licence agreements 
will not affect the entitlement of the Group to the relevant intellectual property or to license the relevant intellectual 
property from others.

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Corporate governance 
Principal risks, uncertainties and risk management

Corporate governance 
The Board of Directors

Left to right:
Andrew Heath, Martin Diggle, Lorenzo Tallarigo, John Dawson, 
Stuart Henderson, Heather Preston, Stuart Paynter

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Financial risks

(a) Product liability and insurance risk
In carrying out its activities the Group potentially faces contractual and statutory claims, or other types of claim from 
customers, suppliers and/or investors. In addition, the Group is exposed to potential product liability risks that are 
inherent in the research, pre-clinical and clinical evaluation, bioprocessing, marketing and use of pharmaceutical 
products. While the Group is currently able to obtain insurance cover, there can be no assurance that any future 
necessary insurance cover will be available to the Group at an acceptable cost, if at all, or that, in the event of any 
claim, the level of insurance carried by the Group now or in the future will be adequate, or that a product liability or 
other claim would not have a material and adverse effect on the Group’s future profitability and financial condition.

(b) Foreign currency exposure
The Group records its transactions and prepares its financial statements in pounds sterling, but some of the  
Group’s income from collaborative agreements and patent licences is received in US dollars and the Group incurs  
a proportion of its expenditure in US dollars and the Euro. The Group’s cash balances are predominantly held in 
pounds sterling, although the Group’s Treasury Policy permits cash balances to be held in other currencies in order  
to hedge foreseen foreign currency expenses. The Group also has a US dollar loan facility provided by Oaktree  
Capital Management. Under that facility the Group is required to maintain $2.5 million in a ring fenced bank account.  
To the extent that the Group’s foreign currency assets and liabilities in the longer term are not matched, fluctuations 
in exchange rates between pounds sterling, the US dollar and the Euro may result in realised and unrealised gains  
and losses on translation of the underlying currency into pounds sterling that may increase or decrease the Group’s 
results of operations and may adversely affect the Group’s financial condition, each stated in pounds sterling.  
In addition if the currencies in which the Group earns its revenues and/or holds its cash balances weaken against  
the currencies in which it incurs its expenses, this could adversely affect the Group’s future profitability.

(c) Interest rate exposure
The Group is exposed to interest rate movements, primarily arising on the Oaktree loan facility. the interest rate is 
9.0% plus US$ LIBOR, subject to a minimum of 1%. If 3 month LIBOR rises above 1% the Group’s interest payments 
may increase.

Financial position
The Directors have considered the cash position in the context of going concern and their conclusions are set out  
in the Financial review page 43, the Director’s report page 92 and in note 1 to the Consolidated financial statements  
(page 108).

Loan facility
The Group has a $55 million loan facility provided by Oaktree Capital Management, secured on the Group’s assets. 
Failure to comply with the terms of the loan agreement could potentially place the Group in default, which could 
adversely affect the Group’s business operations, financial position and prospects.

UK departure from European Union (“Brexit”)
The impact of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union is not yet clear but it may significantly affect the  
fiscal, monetary and regulatory landscape in the UK, and could have a material impact on its economy and the future 
growth of its industries, including the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Depending on the exit terms 
negotiated between EU Member States and the UK following Brexit, the UK could lose access to the single European 
Union market and to the global trade deals negotiated by the European Union on behalf of its members. Although it  
is not possible at this point in time to predict fully the effects of an exit of the UK from the European Union, we believe 
the impact would be minor on Oxford Biomedica with anticipated effects being managed. Key uncertainties relate  
to recruitment of individuals from the EU and impact on the regulatory relationships between the UK and the EU. 
Significant recruitment has taken place over the last year, to the extent the staff base can support growth over the 
short term. All EU Nationals currently employed will be able to stay in the UK under the “settled status” directive.  
Short term regulatory impacts include the requirement for QP certification to be performed in an EU member state 
and as such, we have undertaken steps to establish a subsidiary in Ireland.

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The Board of Directors

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Dr. Lorenzo Tallarigo

Dr. Andrew Heath

Martin Diggle

Stuart Henderson

Chairman
Dr. Lorenzo Tallarigo was appointed as Non-Executive 
Chairman of Oxford Biomedica in February 2016. He  
was previously Chairman of Intercept Pharmaceuticals 
where he led the company’s successful IPO. He was  
also Chief Executive Officer and remains a Board member 
of Genextra, a holding company focused on identifying 
life science research to create successful businesses that 
develop novel treatments and technologies. Previously,  
he worked at Eli Lilly, where he held various positions of 
increasing seniority in a number of areas including clinical 
research, product management, marketing and general 
management, and ultimately as President of International 
Operations. He has a Doctor of Medicine degree from  
the University of Pisa (Italy) and a PMD from Harvard 
Business School. 

Appointment:
—  Appointed as Non-Executive Director  

and Chairman in February 2016

Committee membership:
—  Nomination Committee

Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director
Dr. Andrew Heath was appointed to Oxford Biomedica’s 
Board in January 2010 and became Deputy Chairman 
and Senior Independent Director in May 2011. Previously 
he was Chief Executive Officer of Protherics plc where he 
managed the company’s significant growth and eventual 
acquisition by BTG for £220 million and held senior 
positions at Astra AB and Astra USA, including  
Vice President Marketing & Sales, and at Glaxo Sweden  
as Associate Medical Director. He is a Non-Executive 
Director of Novacyt SA. He was previously a Director  
of the UK BioIndustry Association.

Appointment:
—  Appointed a Director in January 2010  

and became Deputy Chairman  
and Senior Independent Director  
in May 2011

Committee membership:
— Audit Committee 
— Remuneration Committee 
— Nomination Committee

Non-Executive Director
Martin Diggle was appointed to Oxford Biomedica’s  
Board in October 2012. He is a founder of Vulpes 
Investment Management which manages a number  
of funds, including the Vulpes Life Sciences Fund,  
Oxford Biomedica’s largest shareholder. He has over  
30 years’ experience in investment banking and fund 
management, and has been an investor in life sciences 
and biotech for nearly 20 years. He is also an expert in 
emerging markets and Russia, in particular, where he  
was previously a partner and Director of UBS Brunswick. 
He holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics  
and Economics from University of Oxford.

Appointment:
—  Appointed a Director in October 2012

Committee membership:
— None

Independent Non-Executive Director
Stuart Henderson was appointed a Non-Executive 
Director and Chair of the Audit Committee in June 2016. 
Previously, he was a partner at Deloitte, where he  
was Head of European Healthcare and Life Sciences.  
Prior to this he was a partner at Arthur Andersen,  
where he was Head of Emerging Biotechnology.  
He has extensive audit and transaction experience  
and has worked with life sciences businesses ranging 
from start-ups to multinationals, as well as acting as 
reporting accountant on numerous IPO and Class 1 
transactions. As Audit Partner, he has reported to the 
audit committees of publicly quoted companies for  
over 20 years. He is a former Director of the Babraham 
Institute and currently sits as a Non-Executive Director  
on the Boards of OneNucleus (the Life Sciences trade  
body for Cambridge and London), the Cell Therapy 
Catapult Limited and BioCity Group Limited.

Appointment:
—  Appointed a Director in June 2016

Committee membership:
— Audit Committee 
— Remuneration Committee 
— Nomination Committee

John Dawson

Stuart Paynter

Heather Preston

Chief Executive Officer
John Dawson joined Oxford Biomedica’s Board as  
a Non-Executive Director in August 2008, and was 
appointed Chief Executive Officer in October 2008. 
Previously he held senior management positions in the 
European operations of Cephalon Inc., including Chief 
Financial Officer and Head of Business Development 
Europe. While at Cephalon he led many deals building  
the European business to over 1,000 people, and to a 
turnover of several hundred million US dollars and in 
2005 led the $360 million acquisition of Zeneus by 
Cephalon. Prior to his time at Cephalon he was Director 
of Finance and Administration of Serono Laboratories 
(UK) Limited. He is currently a Non-Executive Director  
of Paion AG.

Appointment:
—  Appointed a Director in August 2008  
and became Chief Executive Officer  
in October 2008

Committee membership:
— None

Chief Financial Officer
Stuart Paynter joined Oxford Biomedica and the  
Board in August 2017. He has 16 years’ experience in  
the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. He qualified 
as a chartered accountant with Haines Watts before 
moving to EDS. He subsequently joined Steris, and 
worked in a variety of roles within the healthcare and  
life sciences divisions prior to becoming the European 
Finance Director. He then moved to Shire Pharmaceuticals 
where he became the senior Director of finance business 
partnering for all business outside of the US. He then 
moved to a corporate finance role before becoming  
the global head of internal audit. Prior to joining  
Oxford Biomedica he was head of finance business 
partnering at De La Rue plc. He is a member of the 
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England  
and Wales. 

Appointment:
—   Appointed a Director and  

Chief Financial Officer in August 2017

Committee membership:
— None

Independent Non-Executive Director
Dr. Heather Preston was appointed to Oxford Biomedica’s 
Board in March 2018. Dr. Preston is a Partner and 
Managing Director of TPG Biotech. She has over 25 years 
of experience in healthcare, as a scientist, physician and 
management consultant and she has been an investor  
in life sciences and Biotech for the last 16 years. She holds 
a degree in Medicine from the University of Oxford.

Appointment:
— Appointed a Director in March 2018

Committee membership:
— Audit Committee
— Remuneration Committee (March 2019)
— Nomination Committee

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report

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Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to present Oxford Biomedica’s Corporate Governance Report for 2018.

Compliance with the 2016 UK Corporate Governance Code
The table below sets out how the Group has applied the main principles in the 2016 Code during 2018:

Good governance is essential for the long term success of the business and this is ultimately the responsibility of the 
Board and its committees. The Board comprises both Non-Executive and Executive Directors and provides the forum 
for external and independent review and challenge to the Executives.

There have been two changes to the Board during 2018. In March Dr. Heather Preston joined the Board as an  
Non-Executive Director. In July, Peter Nolan retired as a Board member and Executive Director. I wish to thank  
Peter Nolan for all his hard work for the Group over the last 20 years.

The Group has had a transformational year, with a substantial increase in the Group’s revenues during the year  
and being profitable for the first time. As the Group has grown substantially over the year, the corporate governance 
framework and committees are in the process of being reviewed in order to understand whether the current 
structure and committees are appropriate for a larger company. The final governance structure and committees  
have not yet been finalised and I look forward to reporting on these in the 2019 Annual report. 

With this amount of change and activity the Board has paid particular attention to ensuring that the Group’s strategy 
remains appropriate and that management is focused on delivering the Group’s key priorities and managing the key 
risks facing the Group. 

Between December 2018 and February 2019 we have had Deloitte LLP perform an external evaluation of the Board’s 
performance during 2018. The review process comprised the completion of a questionnaire covering the various 
aspects of Board activities, interviews with each Director individually by the external evaluator and an active 
observation of a Board meeting. The independent report is the process of being finalised. The Board will assess  
and implement appropriate changes based on the recommendations of the report.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) produced a revised UK Corporate Governance Code in July 2018 (Revised Code). 
The Board considers that it has been compliant with the 2016 UK Corporate Governance Code (2016 Code), while 
working towards implementing parts of the Revised Code as best practice.

The following pages set out in more detail the activities and major matters considered by the Board in 2018.

Lorenzo Tallarigo
Chairman

Lorenzo Tallarigo was appointed  
as Non-Executive Director and  
Chairman in February 2016

UKCGC 
reference

Main Principle

Every company should be headed by an effective Board which is collectively 
responsible for the long-term success of the company.

There should be a clear division of responsibilities at the head of the company 
between the running of the Board and the Executive responsibility for the running  
of the company’s business. No one individual should have unfettered powers  
of decision.

Application

The Company’s Board comprises both Non-Executive Directors and Executive 
Directors. The Board met seven times during 2018 for regular board meetings as well 
as several other times for specific ad hoc matters. 

There is a clear division of responsibilities between the Chairman and Chief Executive 
Officer.

The Chairman is responsible for leadership of the Board and ensuring its effectiveness 
on all aspects of its role.

The Chairman provides leadership to the Board and is responsible for setting the 
agenda for its meetings and for ensuring there is adequate time allowed for discussion.

As part of their role as members of a unitary Board, Non-Executive Directors should 
constructively challenge and help develop proposals on strategy.

All of the Non-Executive Directors participate at all Board meetings and also are 
involved in periodic strategic reviews.

The Board and its Committees should have the appropriate balance of skills, 
experience, independence and knowledge of the company to enable them to 
discharge their respective duties and responsibilities effectively.

There should be a formal, rigorous and transparent procedure for the appointment  
of new Directors to the Board.

All Directors should be able to allocate sufficient time to the company to discharge 
their responsibilities effectively.

All Directors should receive induction on joining the board and should regularly 
update and refresh their skills and knowledge.

The Board should be supplied in a timely manner with information in a form  
and of a quality appropriate to enable it to discharge its duties.

The current Board members have a broad mix of experience including the 
Pharmaceutical industry, financing and investment, and UK corporate governance. 
The Audit and Remuneration Committees are comprised solely of independent 
Non-Executive Directors. 

The process to appoint Dr. Heather Preston was led by the Chairman. A search firm 
was employed to help identify potential candidates. Short-listed candidates met most 
of the Directors as part of the selection process. The final selection decision was made 
by the Non-Executive Directors in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer.

All Directors have been able to participate at the majority of meetings held in 2018.

Dr. Heather Preston received induction during the year including meetings with 
investors, the Company’s auditors, lawyers, financial and other advisers and senior 
managers in the business.

The Board meets formally at least six times per annum. The Chairman sets the agenda 
in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer and Company Secretary. Relevant 
papers are circulated to all Board members several days prior to each meeting.

The Board should undertake a formal and rigorous annual external evaluation  
of its own performance and that of its committees and individual Directors.

The Board conducts a performance evaluation annually. The most recent evaluation 
took place during December 2018 to February 2019.

All Directors should be submitted for re-election at regular intervals, subject  
to continued satisfactory performance.

The Board should present a fair, balanced and understandable assessment  
of the company’s position and prospects.

The Board is responsible for determining the nature and extent of the principal risks  
it is willing to take in achieving its strategic objectives. The board should maintain 
sound risk management and internal control systems.

The Board should establish formal and transparent arrangements for considering 
how they should apply the corporate reporting and risk management and internal 
control principles and for maintaining an appropriate relationship with the company’s 
auditor.

Executive Directors’ remuneration should be designed to promote the long-term 
success of the company. Performance-related elements should be transparent, 
stretching and rigorously applied.

There should be a formal and transparent procedure for developing policy on 
executive remuneration and for fixing the remuneration packages of individual 
Directors. No Director should be involved in deciding his or her own remuneration.

There should be a dialogue with shareholders based on the mutual understanding  
of objectives. The Board as a whole has responsibility for ensuring that a satisfactory 
dialogue with shareholders takes place.

All new Directors are required by the Company’s Articles of Association to submit 
themselves for election at the first Annual General Meeting after their appointment. 
The Articles also require that one-third of the Directors submit themselves for 
re-election by rotation each year. In 2019, in order to comply with the Revised Code 
all Directors will submit themselves for election every year.

The Directors formally review the Annual report each year and make a statement  
in the report confirming that they consider the report to be fair, balanced and 
understandable.

The Board’s remit includes risk management which is an agenda item at every formal 
meeting. A system of risk management has been established in the Company with 
advice given by PwC LLP and this is monitored by the Audit Committee. The Audit 
Committee also reviews the internal control systems.

Corporate reporting, internal controls and relations with the Company’s auditors  
are the responsibility of the Audit Committee which provides feedback to the full 
board following Audit Committee meetings.

Executive Directors’ remuneration is set in accordance with the remuneration policy 
which was approved by shareholders at the 2018 AGM.

The remuneration policy was designed by the Remuneration Committee with advice 
from the compensation and benefits practice of Deloitte LLP. The current 
recommended policy was approved by shareholders at the 2018 Annual General 
Meeting. No Director is involved with setting his own remuneration.

Vulpes Life Sciences Fund, the Company’s largest shareholder is represented on the 
Board by Martin Diggle which provides a clear line of communication. The Chairman, 
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer meet periodically with the 
Company’s other large shareholders.

The Board should use the general meetings to communicate with investors  
and to encourage their participation.

All Board members endeavour to attend the Annual General Meeting in person  
and sufficient time is allowed for questioning by shareholders who attend the meeting.

A.1

A.2

A.3

A.4

B.1

B.2

B.3

B.4

B.5

B.6

B.7

C.1

C.2

C.3

D.1

D.2

E.1

E.2

The Board considers that it has complied throughout the year with the 2016 Code, while working towards 
implementing parts of the Revised Code as best practice.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report

Corporate Governance Framework
As the Group has grown substantially over the year, the corporate governance framework and committees are in the 
process of being reviewed in order to understand whether the structure and committees are fit for a larger company. 
The final structure and committees have not yet been finalised, so the current governance framework comprises the 
Board and the Senior Executive Team and their respective sub-committees as set out below:

The Board
Chair – Lorenzo Tallarigo

SET
CEO – John Dawson

Audit Committee
Chair – Stuart Henderson

Remuneration Committee
Chair – Andrew Heath

Nomination Committee
Chair – Lorenzo Tallarigo

PDC

TDC

EOLT

CDC

RMC

– Senior Executive Team

SET 
PDC  – Product Development Committee 
TDC  – Technical Development Committee 
EOLT  – Extended Operations Leadership Team (incorporates the Quality and Manufacturing Operations Committee) 
CDC  – Commercial Development Committee 
RMC  – Risk Management Committee

The Board
The Board is collectively responsible for promoting the success of the Group by directing and supervising the Group’s 
activities to create shareholder value. In doing so it ensures that there are robust corporate governance and risk 
management processes in place. Following changes during 2018 the Board comprises five Non-Executive Directors 
and two Executive Directors. The Chairman and Martin Diggle are considered not to be independent.

The Board’s powers and responsibilities are set out in the Company’s articles of association and it has a formal 
schedule of matters reserved for the Board’s approval which include:

 — the Group’s strategy;

 — the financial statements and accounting policies;

 — acquisitions, disposals and capital expenditure;

 — financing and capital structure;

 — corporate governance;

 — internal control and risk management;

 — board membership and remuneration;

 — appointment and remuneration of auditors.

The Board also takes a close interest in Quality, Health, Safety & Environment and Risk Management and has these  
as standing items on its meeting agendas.

The Chairman sets the agenda for the Board meeting in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer and the 
Company Secretary. Board papers covering the agenda items are circulated several days ahead of each meeting. 
Regular board papers cover Product and Technical Development, Production, Business Development, Finance, 
Investor Relations, HR, Quality, Safety, Health & Environment and Risk Management.

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There is a clear division of responsibilities between the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Certain responsibilities are delegated to three Board committees – the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration 
Committees. These Committees operate under clearly defined terms of reference which are disclosed on the Group’s 
website. Reports from the Audit and Nomination Committees are included in this section and the Directors’ 
remuneration report is on pages 69 to 89 incorporating the Remuneration Committee report.

The current Board members are set out on pages 60 to 61.

 —  Lorenzo Tallarigo is the Non-Executive Chairman. Dr Tallarigo met the independence criteria recommended by the 

UKCGC at the time of his appointment.

 — Andrew Heath, the Senior Independent Director, is considered to be independent. 

 — Stuart Henderson is the chairman of the Audit Committee. He is considered to be independent.

 — Heather Preston is considered to be independent. 

 — Martin Diggle is a founder of Vulpes Investment Management which, through its Vulpes Life Sciences Fund,  

is the Group’s largest investor and as such he is not considered independent under the 2016 Code.

 — The Group therefore has been in compliance with provision B.1.2 of the 2016 Code which recommends that a 

small company, defined as one which is not in the FTSE350, should have at least two independent Non-Executive 
Directors excluding the Chairman.

Each Director is provided with an appropriate induction on appointment.

All Directors and the Board and its committees have access to advice and services of the Company Secretary, and 
also to external professional advisers as required. The appointment and removal of the Company Secretary is a matter 
for the Board as a whole to consider.

Board meetings
The Board meets regularly with meeting dates agreed for each year in advance. During 2018 there were seven regular 
Board meetings. The attendance of individual Directors at Board and Committee meetings was as follows:

John Dawson
Martin Diggle
Andrew Heath
Stuart Henderson
Peter Nolan
Stuart Paynter
Heather Preston1
Lorenzo Tallarigo

Regular Board
Attended
7
5
7
7
4
7
5
7

Possible
7
7
7
7
4
7
5
7

1.  Appointed to Remuneration Committee 12 March 2019. 

Audit Committee
Attended

Possible

 Remuneration Committee
Attended

Possible

Nominations Committee
Attended
Possible

3
3

2

3
3

2

9
9

0

9
9

0

1
1
1

1

1
1
1

1

In addition to the above regular meetings, the Board (or an appointed sub-committee of the Board) met on a number 
of other occasions to consider specific ad hoc matters including the approval of the 2017 financial statements and 
the interim 2018 financial results.

The Chairman holds meetings from time to time with Non-Executive Directors without the Executive Directors  
in attendance.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
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Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report

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Board activity during 2018
Board matters during 2018 included:

 — Routinely recurring items such as the approvals of the 2018 financial budget and objectives, the 2017 preliminary 

results and Annual report, and the 2018 interim results announcement. 

 — A review of the Group’s strategy, conducted in September.

 — Monitoring the progress of the Group’s priority product development programmes.

 — Reviewing business development opportunities including partnering and collaboration transactions.

 — The appointment of Heather Preston as a Director.

The Senior Executive Team (SET) and its committees
Operational management is conducted by the Executive Directors who, together with Lisa Giles, James Miskin, 
Kyriacos Mitrophanous, Nick Page, Jason Slingsby and Helen Stephenson-Ellis form the Senior Executive Team (SET). 
The Chief Executive Officer is John Dawson. The SET meets approximately every two weeks and its agenda covers 
the full range of activities of the Group, including financial performance, organisational and employment matters,  
risk management and Safety, Health & Environment.

There are three SET sub-committees covering the major business operational areas. These committees meet 
monthly and are attended by SET members and other relevant senior managers from the business. These sub-
committees are:

 — Product Development Committee (PDC) – covering the development of new gene and cell therapy products  

 — Ongoing reviews of the Group’s risk management processes and key risks.

from initial concept through to clinical development.

Review of performance
Between December 2018 and February 2019, Deloitte LLP conducted an independent review of the Board’s 
performance during 2018. The review process comprised the completion by each Director of a comprehensive 
questionnaire covering all aspects of the Board’s performance, interview with each Director and an active observation 
of a Board meeting. The independent report is in the process of being finalised. The Board will assess and implement 
appropriate changes based on the recommendations of the report. 

Retirement of Directors
In accordance with the articles of association, any Director who was appointed after the last Annual General Meeting 
(AGM) or has served for three years, and one third of the other Directors (or if their number is not a multiple of three 
the number nearest to but not exceeding one third) retire from office by rotation at each AGM. However, to ensure 
that we comply with the Revised Code all Directors will now be subject to annual re-election.

Accordingly, at the Annual General Meeting in 2019, and in line with the Revised Code, Lorenzo Tallarigo, Andrew 
Heath, Stuart Henderson, Martin Diggle, Heather Preston, John Dawson and Stuart Paynter all will retire and be 
subject to re-election. If re-elected to the Board at the AGM, Andrew Heath, will reach the 10th anniversary in  
January 2020 of his original appointment as a Non-Executive Director. Following an internal review, the Board is 
satisfied that Andrew Heath remains independent in thought and in action in terms of his participation in Board and 
Committee meetings, and has the full support of the other Board members in the activities he undertakes.

Communication with shareholders
The Board recognises the importance of effective communication with shareholders and potential investors. The primary 
points of contact are the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer but the Chairman and Senior Independent 
Director are also available for meetings with investors if required. Vulpes Life Sciences Fund (“VLSF”), the Company’s 
second largest investor, is represented on the Board by Martin Diggle ensuring a clear channel of communication with 
VLSF. The Group has engaged with shareholders and potential investors through the various channels below:

Meetings with existing shareholders

2018 Annual General Meeting

Meetings with potential investors

Results announcements and presentations

2017 Annual report
Website

Investor relations

Social media

John Dawson and Stuart Paynter met with major shareholders during 2018. Lorenzo Tallarigo  
has also met with major shareholders.
The 2018 AGM was held in London on 29 May 2018. Shareholders were invited to attend this meeting which 
lasted for about 1 hour and which, as well as the formal business, included a presentation by the Chief 
Executive Officer followed by a Q&A session and a chance to meet Directors after the meeting closed.
The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer regularly make presentations and meet potential 
investors on a one-to-one basis at investor conferences in Europe and the USA. The company also 
conducts investor roadshows periodically which provide further opportunities to meet potential investors.
The Group announced its 2017 full year performance and financial results in March 2018, and its 2018 half year 
interim results in September 2018 through RNS announcements accompanied by analyst conference calls 
which are accessible to all shareholders and recordings of which are made available on the Group’s website.
The Group published its 2017 Annual report in April 2018.
The Group’s website http://www.oxb.com contains details of the Group’s activities as well as copies  
of regulatory announcements and press releases, copies of the Group’s financial statements, and terms 
of reference for the Board Committees. Investors and others can subscribe to an e-mail alert service 
which provides notifications of announcements.
The Group also endeavours to respond to all enquiries from shareholders and potential investors 
received through its enquiry inbox enquiries@oxb.com.
The Group uses Twitter to alert followers to relevant sector news which is relevant to the Group.

 — Technical Development Committee (TDC) – covering the development of new and improved assays  

and production and other processes, including cell and vector engineering.

 — Extended Operational Leadership Team (eOLT) – incorporates the Quality and Manufacturing Operations 

Committee and covers quality, operational and manufacturing matters.

Within their area of responsibility these committees cover objective and target setting, monitoring performance 
against targets, ensuring compliance with GxP and other relevant requirements, monitoring expenditure against 
budget and risk management.

There are two other important committees:

 — Commercial Development Committee (CDC) – which covers the external opportunities to out-licence and  

in-licence technology or product candidates, and also to generate partnership opportunities for manufacturing 
and product development.

 — Risk Management Committee (RMC) – which comprises senior managers from all parts of the business, meets  
at least quarterly to identify and assess risks facing the business and to propose risk mitigation and management 
actions.

Important matters from all of these committees are referred to the SET.

Risk management
The Board is responsible for determining the nature and extent of the risks it is willing to take in achieving the 
objectives of the Group and it reviews current key risks at every Board meeting. The Audit Committee monitors  
the conduct of the risk management processes within the Group whilst the SET is accountable for those processes, 
identifying the risks facing the Group and formulating risk mitigation plans. The active involvement of the Executive 
Directors in the management sub-committees allows them to monitor and assess significant business, operational, 
financial, compliance and other risks.

Board committee reports

Audit Committee report
The Audit Committee comprises Stuart Henderson, Dr. Heather Preston and Dr. Andrew Heath. 

Mr. Henderson, Dr. Preston and Dr. Heath all have relevant experience which qualifies them for membership of the 
Audit Committee and, in Mr. Henderson’s case, to be Chair of the Committee. Their experience is set out in their brief 
biographies on page 60 and 61.

The primary duties of the Audit Committee, as set out in its written terms of reference which is available  
on the Group’s website www.oxb.com, are to:

 — Keep under review the Group’s reporting and internal control policies and procedures;

 — Oversee the relationship with the external auditors including their appointment, subject to approval  
by shareholders at the AGM, remuneration, independence, and the provision of non-audit services;

 — Review and recommend to the Board the financial statements and associated announcements.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
8
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Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report

Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Provision C.3.5 of the 2016 Code states that the Audit Committee should review the effectiveness of the Group’s 
internal audit function. The Audit Committee considers that, given the size of the Group, it is unnecessary for it to 
have an internal audit function. However, the Committee regularly reviews this at its meetings and with the external 
auditors.

Introduction
This report is on the activities of the Remuneration Committee. It is prepared in accordance with Schedule 8 to the 
Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 (as amended in 2013). 
The report contains:

The Audit Committee met three times in 2018:

 — 5 March 2018 – to review the 2017 audit and the auditors’ report; review specific accounting issues including 
revenue recognition, revaluation of equity instruments, accounting for the Oaktree loan and the adoption of  
IFRS 15; review the going concern and the viability assessment and their disclosure in the Annual report; review 
auditors’ opinion and representation letter and review the overall quality of the audit process. No major concerns 
had arisen in respect of the key audit risks identified but a number of areas required attention. Revenues from  
the Novartis contract had been recognised consistently with the methodology previously agreed, as was the 
revaluation of equity instruments. The auditors concurred with the accounting for the Oaktree loan facility and 
were comfortable with the proposed accounting treatments in line with IFRS 15. The auditors had also reviewed 
the going concern statement and associated disclosure in the Annual report. No significant audit adjustments  
had been identified by the auditors, and there were no material observations regarding the financial internal control 
procedures. The committee discussed and agreed the wording of the viability statement. The auditors’ opinion was 
reviewed and no issues or concerns were raised. The Committee reviewed a number of areas of the quality of the 
audit and no significant concerns arose. 

 — 16 August 2018 – to review progress to date for the six months’ financial results to 30 June 2018; identify any 

issues that require further attention and an update on risk. The Committee agreed with the interim review strategy. 
An update on the risk management process was presented relating to the PwC LLP assistance in developing our 
risk management system for the larger Group.

 — 03 December 2018 – to review the full 2018 audit strategy; insurance strategy, tax strategy, risk process, treasury 
policy and financial control assessment. The Committee accepted the 2018 year-end audit strategy. The updated 
2018/2019 insurance strategy was discussed and agreed. The Committee also agreed with the current tax strategy. 
An update on the risk management process was presented to the Committee. The Committee approved the 
current treasury policy and discussed the financial control assessment with the Group. The Committee agreed  
that a financial control assessment will be performed on an annual basis.

Internal control
The Directors are responsible for Oxford Biomedica’s system of internal control and for reviewing its effectiveness. 
The system is designed to manage, rather than eliminate, the risk of failure to achieve business objectives, and can 
only provide reasonable, and not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. The Audit Committee 
annually reviews the effectiveness of all significant aspects of internal control, including financial, operational and 
compliance controls and risk management. The review for 2018 was prepared by the Chief Financial Officer and  
the Financial Controller and was reviewed at the March 2019 Audit Committee meeting.

The main features of the internal control and risk management processes which apply to the Group’s financial 
reporting processes include clear separation of duties within the financial processes such as approval of purchase 
orders, payroll and disbursements, and an organisation of the finance function such that monthly management 
results and externally reported financial statements are subject to thorough review by the Group Financial Controller 
and Chief Financial Officer. The financial results are also reviewed by the Senior Executive Team and the Board.

Nomination Committee report
The Nomination Committee leads the process for making appointments to the Board, and comprises all of the  
Non-Executive Directors.

The Nomination Committee met several times in 2018 on an ad hoc basis to consider the recruitment process  
and ultimate appointment of Dr. Heather Preston as a Non-Executive Director member of Board.

Share capital
The information about the share capital required by the Takeover Directive is in the Directors’ report on page 91.

 — The annual statement from the Remuneration Committee chair,

 — The annual report on remuneration showing payments and awards made to the Directors and explaining the link 

between company performance and remuneration for the 2018 financial year,

 — Extracts from the Directors’ remuneration policy (the "policy"), which was approved at the 2018 Annual General 

Meeting (AGM), and took binding effect from the close of that meeting.

The annual statement and the annual report on remuneration are subject to an advisory vote at the Company’s 2019 AGM.

The Companies Act 2006 requires the auditors to report to the shareholders on certain parts of the Directors’ 
remuneration report and to state whether, in their opinion, those parts of the report have been properly prepared in 
accordance with the relevant regulations. The parts of the report that are subject to audit are indicated. The statement 
from the chair of the Remuneration Committee and the policy report are not subject to audit.

Annual statement from the Remuneration Committee chair

Dear Shareholder
I am pleased to introduce our remuneration report for the 2018 financial year. The report is divided into two sections: 
the annual report on remuneration followed by extracts from our Directors’ remuneration policy (“the policy”) 
approved at the 2018 AGM.

The Committee considers that the policy remains appropriate and, accordingly shareholder approval for a new policy 
will not be sought at the 2019 AGM. Although the relevant regulations do not require us to include the policy in the 
Directors’ remuneration report, we have included those parts we think shareholders will find most useful. The full new 
policy as approved by shareholders at the 2018 AGM is included in the Company’s 2018 annual report and accounts, 
which is available at www.oxb.com.

The policy
The policy was approved by shareholders at the AGM on 29 May 2018, with over 97% of all votes cast in favour. We 
review the application of this policy regularly, to ensure it remains appropriate, linked to strategy and reflective of 
developing market practices.

2018 business performance and incentive impact
In February 2019 the Committee met to consider the achievement of 2018 objectives and the annual bonus award 
for 2018.

The performance of the business in 2018 is set out in detail in the Strategic report from pages 24 to 43 and the 
performance against corporate objectives is set out on page 75 of this remuneration report. Taking all of these factors 
into account the Committee decided to award John Dawson a bonus of 116% of salary and Stuart Paynter a bonus  
of 117% of salary. Peter Nolan was awarded a bonus of 118% of salary, which has been pro-rated to reflect his service 
in the year to the date of cessation of employment (1 July 2018). The 2018 bonuses earned by John Dawson and 
Stuart Paynter will be paid 50% in cash and 50% in deferred share awards. Reflecting his retirement from the business, 
Peter Nolan’s bonus earned during the year will be paid in cash, in line with the policy. Further details are provided  
on page 75 with regards to how performance under the annual bonus targets translated into bonus payment.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
0 Corporate governance 

7

Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Vesting of the 2015 LTIP award
LTIP awards were granted on 10 June 2015 to John Dawson, Peter Nolan and Tim Watts when the share price  
was 485p; the vesting conditions were as follows:

Average annual compound share price  
growth over the three year period starting  
with the date of grant 
Less than 15%
15% (i.e. 52.1% over 3 years)
Between 15% and 25%
25% or more (i.e. 95.3% over 3 years)

Percentage of the  
options granted that  
will vest
0%
25%
Calculated on a straight line basis between 25% and 100%
100%

The 2015 LTIP awards vested during 2018. The share price was averaged across 20 business days prior to the end  
of the assessment period. In accordance with the rules of the scheme, the Committee considered and agreed a two 
week extension of the date of the performance assessment of the 2015 LTIP due to the Company being in a closed 
period. Details are provided on page 77.

The awards were also subject to a performance underpin, such that the awards would only vest to the extent that the 
Remuneration Committee considered that the overall performance of the business across the period justified it. The 
Remuneration Committee reviewed performance against this underpin and concluded the overall LTIP payments to 
be appropriate. Clawback and malus provisions will apply to the awards.

Board changes
Peter Nolan resigned from the Board and retired from the Company on 1 July 2018. The remuneration arrangements 
in relation to Peter’s retirement from the Board have been determined in accordance with the shareholder approved 
Directors’ remuneration policy. In summary, Peter Nolan will receive a bonus of 118% of salary, pro-rated to reflect his 
service in the year to the date of cessation of employment, and will retain all vested LTIPs and deferred bonus awards 
made to date. Peter will also retain any unvested LTIPs previously granted, to the extent that these are assessed to 
have vested at the end of their three year performance periods. Further information is set out on page 79.

Heather Preston was appointed as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 15 March 2018. Details of Heather 
Preston’s remuneration received during the year are set out in the single figure table on page 76.

Implementation of our policy in 2019
As discussed on page 69, the Remuneration Committee increased John Dawson’s salary by 7.9% to £410,000  
and Stuart Paynter’s salary by 6.7% to £228,000. These increases recognise that our Executive Director salaries  
are significantly below market for companies of our size and complexity and that the rapid growth in staff in the 
organisation, from 321 in 2017 to more than 432 today, has resulted in an increase in the quality of individuals hired 
into senior management. Our success has been achieved by offering a competitive package in this highly competitive 
sector and these changes now need to be reflected in the compensation paid to our Executive Directors.

The maximum annual bonus opportunity for our Executive Directors will remain up to 125% of salary, in line with  
the opportunity for 2018. The performance measures are based on the Company’s strategic priorities, and further 
information is given on page 37. 

The Committee has agreed that Executive Directors will be granted LTIP awards of up to 125% of salary in the case  
of the CEO and 100% in the case of the other Executive Directors. The Company has historically used share price 
growth as its primary measure for LTIP awards. However, it is the Committee’s view that as the business has grown,  
a mixture of financial measures and share price growth is considered to be more appropriate. The Committee 
believes that these measures will ensure significant value will continue to be delivered to shareholders.  
The proposed 2019 performance measures and targets are discussed on page 37.

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Other matters
The Committee recognises the expectations of our shareholders on executive pay and we were pleased that the 2017 
Directors’ remuneration report received votes in favour in excess of 99% at the 2018 AGM. Shareholders will be invited 
to approve the 2018 annual remuneration report at the 2019 AGM.

Reflecting the introduction of the Revised Code, we are making some changes to the way we implement the policy, 
including:

 —  the introduction of a two year holding period for LTIP awards; 

 —  the enhancement of recovery provisions applying to variable remuneration (enabling us to operate these provisions 

in the event of material corporate failure and serious reputational damage); 

 —  an increase, with effect from 1 January 2019, to our share ownership guidelines for our Executive Directors from 

150% of salary to 200% of salary; and

 —  the adoption of a post-cessation shareholding guideline.

Where relevant, we have described these changes later in this report – our approach will be formally enshrined  
in the policy when we next seek shareholder approval for it, which is currently intended to be at the 2021 AGM.

We have also included in this report a CEO pay ratio, comparing the remuneration of our CEO to that of the wider 
workforce. Although we are not required to include this until we publish our 2019 Directors’ remuneration report,  
we have done so on a voluntary basis; the detail is set out on page 81.

The Committee reviewed the Gender Pay Gap Report for 2018 and was pleased with the growth of the Company  
and the increase in representation of female employees at the more senior levels of the organisation over the past  
12 months. This has had a positive impact on the Company’s gender pay gap. For full details of the report please  
visit our website at www.oxb.com.

Andrew Heath
Chair, Remuneration Committee

Andrew Heath was appointed a Director  
in January 2010 and became Deputy Chairman 
and Senior Independent Director in May 2011

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
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Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Remuneration Committee role and members
The responsibilities of the Remuneration Committee are set out in its terms of reference which are available  
on the Group’s website and have been amended to reflect the revised Corporate Governance Code to include:

 — Recommending to the Board the policy and framework for the remuneration of the Executive Directors  
and senior management (Senior Executive Team). The remuneration of the Non-Executive Directors  
is a matter for the Chairman.

 — Approval of individual remuneration packages for Executive Directors and the Senior Executive Team.

 — Approval of annual performance incentive plans and bonuses payable.

 — Approval of the Group’s Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) for Executive Directors and senior management  

(Senior Executive Team), and awards granted under the plan.

 — Approval of options granted to all employees under the Group’s share option plan.

The Remuneration Committee members are currently Andrew Heath (Chairman), Heather Preston (appointed  
12 March 2019) and Stuart Henderson. Martin Diggle was a member of the Committee until 31 December 2016 but,  
as he is not considered to be independent for reasons explained in the Corporate Governance Report (page 67),  
he has stepped down from formal membership of the Committee. He retains “observer” status and therefore  
continues to receive all papers, and has a standing invitation to attend all meetings. Other Directors are invited  
to attend meetings on an agenda driven basis.

Remuneration Committee activities during 2018
During 2018 the Committee met nine times. The main activities and decisions were as follows:

 — 09 February 2018 and 22 February 2018 – the Committee considered whether or not bonuses should be paid to 

the Executive Directors in respect of 2017 in light of the performance against the Group’s 2017 objectives, and also 
whether there should be salary increases for 2018. The outcome of these discussions was reported in the 2017 
Annual report.

 — 20 March 2018 – the Committee considered and agreed the proposed new 2018 Director’s Remuneration Policy.

 — 10 May 2018 – the Committee considered and agreed a two week extension of the date of the performance 
assessment of the 2015 LTIP. This was permitted within the rules of the scheme, when the Company is in  
a closed period.

 — 25 June 2018 – the Committee considered the extent to which the share price performance conditions for the 

June 2015 LTIP grant of options had been met. The outcome was that 79.7% of the options granted in 2015 would 
vest and the remaining 20.3% will lapse. The Committee also approved the vesting of Deferred Bonus Plan (DBP) 
options granted in 2015, 2016 and 2017. DBP options vest in three equal instalments on the first, second and third 
anniversaries of the grant.

 — 06 August 2018 – the Committee considered the granting of options to employees under the Group’s Long Term 
Incentive Plan, Deferred Bonus Plan and Employee Share Option Scheme. The Committee approved the granting 
of the share options.

 — 26 September 2018 and 10 October 2018 – in September the Committee approved an invitation to all employees 

to participate in the 2018 offer under the Company’s Save As You Earn Scheme. In October the Committee 
approved the grant of options under this offer.

 — 01 October 2018 – the Committee considered and approved the proposal to award a non-pensionable additional 

allowance (car allowance) to members of the Senior Executive Team.

Annual report on remuneration

Summary of changes to executive remuneration for 2019
(subject to audit)

Under the remuneration policy Executive Directors’ base salaries are normally reviewed annually. The Remuneration 
Committee has carried out this review in February 2019 and has awarded the following base salary increases:

John Dawson
Stuart Paynter

Current salary
£380,000
£213,725

Percentage increase
7.9%
6.7%

Total of increase
£30,000
£14,275

New salary
£410,000
£228,000

The Committee recognises that salaries for our CEO and CFO are significantly below market for companies of our 
size and complexity. With the rapid growth in staff in the organisation, from 321 in 2017 to more than 432 today,  
there has been an increase in the quality of individuals hired into senior management. Our success has been achieved 
by offering a competitive package in this highly competitive sector. These changes now need to be reflected in  
the compensation paid to our Executive Directors, and it is with this in mind that we increased John Dawson’s salary 
last year and have implemented these salary increases for 2019. Subject to continued strong performance by the 
company and the individuals, the Committee’s intention is to achieve a base salary of £450,000 for John Dawson  
and £260,000 for Stuart Paynter over two to three years. 

Annual bonus
(subject to audit)

Performance objectives for the Group have been agreed by the Board and the extent to which Executive Directors’ 
bonuses for 2019 are earned will be determined by the Remuneration Committee early in 2020 in the light of 
performance against those objectives and in line with the remuneration policy. The performance measures are based 
on the Company’s strategic priorities, and further information is given on page 37.

LTIP
(subject to audit)

The Company has historically used share price growth as its primary measure for LTIP awards. However it is  
the Committee’s view that as the business has grown, a mixture of financial measures and share price growth  
is considered to be more appropriate. The Committee believes that these measures will ensure significant value  
will continue to be delivered to shareholders. 

The Committee intends to grant LTIP options to the Executive Directors during 2019 of up to 125% of salary  
in the case of the CEO and 100% in the case of other Executive Directors in accordance with the approved 
remuneration policy. The proposed 2019 performance criteria will be equally weighted between share price  
growth (requiring 10% CAGR for threshold vesting and 17.5% CAGR or greater for maximum vesting) and revenue 
growth (requiring 15% CAGR for threshold vesting and 24% or greater for maximum vesting). There will be a 
performance underpin, such that the awards will only vest to the extent that the Committee considers that the  
overall performance of the business across the period justifies it. Share price growth will also be averaged across  
a three month period to avoid rewarding for short term spikes in performance.

As noted in the statement from the Committee’s Chairman, the awards will be subject to a two year holding period 
following the end of the performance period. Awards will vest following the end of the performance period but will not 
be released, so that the Executive Director is not entitled to acquire the vested shares until the end of the holding period.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
4 Corporate governance 

7

Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Single total figure of remuneration
(subject to audit)

The following tables show a single total figure of remuneration for 2018 for each Director and comparative figures for 2017.

In February 2019 the Committee met to consider the achievement of the 2018 objectives and the annual bonus 
award for 2018. The performance of the business 2018 is set out in detail in the Strategic report from pages 32 to 36.

Performance against the Group objectives for 2018, on which the executives’ bonuses are based, was as follows:

2018
John Dawson
Stuart Paynter
Peter Nolan 4
Total

2017
John Dawson
Stuart Paynter 5
Peter Nolan
Tim Watts 6
Total

Salary  
£’000
380
214
108
702

Salary  
£’000
350
71
216
169
806

Benefits 1  
£’000
4
4
1
9

Benefits  
£’000
1
–
1
1
3

Bonus  
£’000
439
251
127
817

Bonus  
£’000
372
76
238
185
871

LTIP 2  
£’000
438
–
268
706

LTIP  
£’000
67
–
37
42
146

Pension 3  
£’000
50
32
16
98

Pension  
£’000
53
11
32
25
121

Total  
£’000
1,311
501
520
2,332

Total  
£’000
843
158
524
422
1,947

1.  Benefits comprise medical insurance and the provision of a car allowance.
2. 

 This comprises the LTIP awards granted in 2015 which vested in June 2018. The relevant performance criteria and the performance against them are set out on page 77.  
The values are calculated by reference to the share price at the last day of the period over which the share price was awarded to determine the extent of vesting.
 Pension contributions are made into the Group’s defined contribution scheme, or at the election of the Director, as a cash allowance in lieu of a company pension contribution –  
Tim Watts and John Dawson had elected to receive such a cash allowance.

3. 

4.  Peter Nolan stepped down from the Board on 1 July 2018. His 2018 remuneration is in respect of the period to his retirement from the Board, including his 2018 bonus.
5.  Stuart Paynter was appointed CFO with effect from 29 August 2017. His 2017 remuneration is in respect of the period from his appointment to the Board.
6.  Tim Watts stepped down from the Board on 29 September 2017. His 2017 remuneration is in respect of the period to his retirement from the Board, including his 2017 bonus.

Weighting

Performance assessed

Assessment  
against objective

% of bonus awarded

35%

20%

We supported Novartis in the EU/US approvals and 
launch of Kymriah for paediatric ALL and DLBCL (7.5%). 
We also supported the progression of an undisclosed 
product into the clinic (5%) and ensured process 
submission documents were approved by Novartis 
(7.5%). Batches of material were also delivered to 
Novartis as scheduled/requested (10%). We were also 
successful in producing documents in order to support 
the suspension process approval. In terms of our 
collaboration with Orchard Therapeutics, we were also 
key in supporting the production of documents 
required for the BLA submission and the advancement 
of one of their products according to the schedule (5%).

These goals were partially met. We successfully managed 
to out-licence OXB-102 (now AXO-Lenti-PD) for 
Parkinson’s disease to Axovant for more than $840 million 
(17.5%). However, our plan for spin out/out-licence of our 
ocular assets was put under review. 

Met in full

35%

Partially met

17.5%

Objective
Support partner portfolio 
advancement
Supporting our partners in order to 
gain approval and launch of key 
products in both US and EU, support 
the progress of programmes into 
the clinic and also deliver on our 
commitments to partners.

Progress action on  
implementing strategy
Achieving successful progression 
of key programmes against plan 
for a partner; to deliver new 
pre-clinical products to the Group 
and also, as previously announced 
to reduce the financial risk of 
clinical stage product 
development while retaining 
significant financial interest; look  
to complete the partnering or  
spin out of OXB-102 and ocular 
programmes.

Financial objectives
Confidential targets relating to the 
Group’s financial performance.

15%

Business development 
Secure further revenue and  
royalty generating partnership 
relationships and build further  
on those we already have.

Management structure 
Further organisational 
improvement objectives  
were set.

25%

5%

The goal to achieve an operating EBITDA target around 
£2.6 million as per the budget was met (5%) along with net 
cash inflow from operating activities of £6.6 million (5%).  
The re-finance of the Oaktree debt was not pursued.

Partially met

10%

These goals were fully met as we signed an agreement 
with Bioverativ, now Sanofi, for haemophilia products in 
February 2018 and with Boehringer Ingelheim, the UK 
Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Consortium and Imperial 
Innovations for development of a gene therapy product 
to treat cystic fibrosis in August 2018 (25%).

Met in full

25%

Transformation of the management structure (brought 
in three new SET members in 2018) and introduction of 
key individual training for senior managers to ensure all 
skill sets are covered for future growth.

Met in full

5%

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6 Corporate governance 

7

Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

John Dawson’s bonus is entirely linked to the achievement of the corporate objectives. Bonuses for Peter Nolan  
and Stuart Paynter are 80% linked to corporate objectives and 20% linked to personal objectives.

The personal element of the bonus was assessed by reference to the achievement of clear personal objectives  
and targets which supported the strategic objectives of the business. The objectives and targets are considered  
by the Company to be commercially sensitive, as they will give our competitors insight into our strategic plans,  
and so are not disclosed below. However, the principal areas are summarised below for each Executive Director:

Stuart Paynter: Managed the finance team to achieve financial targets. 

Peter Nolan: Managed the business development team to increase deal flow.

The Remuneration Committee undertook a robust assessment of the achievements of each Executive Director with 
respect to their personal objectives, and based on those objectives having been achieved in full, awarded bonuses 
equal to 20% of salary to each of Stuart Paynter and Peter Nolan.

In accordance with the S430(b) statement on the Group’s website, Peter will be eligible to receive an annual bonus in 
respect of the financial year ending on 31 December 2018 reflecting his period of employment with the Group to the 
date of retirement. The bonus will be assessed against the prescribed performance targets and may be paid fully in 
cash.

Accordingly, bonuses earned by the Executive Directors in respect of 2018 were:

 — John Dawson: £439,000 (115% of salary);

 — Stuart Paynter: £251,000 (117% of salary); and

 — Peter Nolan: £127,000 (118% of salary, after pro-rating to reflect his period of service in the year).

The 2018 bonuses for John Dawson and Stuart Paynter will be paid 50% in cash and 50% in deferred share awards.

The deferred share awards are not subject to further performance targets and will vest in three equal instalments on 
the first three anniversary dates after the award date provided that the relevant participant remains employed at the 
first anniversary of the award. Reflecting his retirement from the business and in accordance with the policy, Peter 
Nolan’s bonus will be paid fully in cash. The Remuneration Committee reviewed performance against the annual 
bonus out-turn and concluded the overall bonus payments to be appropriate.

The single total figures of remuneration for Non-Executive Directors are shown in the table below:

Fees
Lorenzo Tallarigo
Andrew Heath
Stuart Henderson
Heather Preston
Total

2018
£’000
150
65
65
52
332

2017
£’000
150
46
53
–
249

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LTIPs vesting during 2018
(subject to audit)

LTIP awards were granted on 10 June 2015 to John Dawson, Peter Nolan and Tim Watts when the share price was 
485p, the vesting conditions were as follows:

Average annual compound share price growth over 
the three year period starting with the date of grant 
Less than 15%
15% (i.e. 52.1% over 3 years)
Between 15% and 25%
25% or more (i.e. 95.3% over 3 years)

Percentage of the options granted that will vest
0%
25%
Calculated on a straight line basis between 25% and 100%
100%

The 2015 LTIP awards vested during 2018. The share price was averaged across 20 business days prior to the end  
of the assessment period. In accordance with the rules of the scheme, the Committee considered and agreed a two 
week extension of the date of the performance assessment of the 2015 LTIP due to the Company being in a closed 
period. The Committee considered the extent to which the share price performance conditions for the June 2015 
LTIP grant of options had been met. Over the three year performance period from the date of grant, the annual 
compound share price growth was 83.6%. 

The outcome was that 79.7% of the options granted in 2015 would vest and the remaining 20.3% will lapse.

The awards were also subject to a performance underpin, such that they would vest only to the extent that  
the Remuneration Committee considers that the overall performance of the business across the period justifies  
it. The Remuneration Committee reviewed performance against this underpin and concluded the overall LTIP 
payments to be appropriate. Clawback and malus provisions will apply to the awards.

The value of the awards vesting during 2018 are detailed below:

John Dawson
Peter Nolan
Tim Watts

Number of awards 
granted that vested2
43,824
26,817
28,126

Share price at the date on 
which the shares vest
1,000p
1,000p
1,000p

Value of awards on 
vesting1
£438,230
£268,167
£281,253

1.  The values are calculated by reference to the share price of 1,000p on on the last day of the averaging period.
2.  Number of shares post 30 May 2018 share consolidation.

LTIPs awarded during 2018
(subject to audit)

On 8 August 2018, the Executive Directors were awarded the following options under the Group’s LTIP scheme:

Heather Preston was appointed as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 15 March 2018. Her 2018 remuneration 
is in respect of the period from her appointment to the Board.

John Dawson 
Stuart Paynter 

Martin Diggle has elected to receive no fees for his services as a Director.

Aggregate Directors’ emoluments
Salaries
Benefits
Pension /cash alternative
LTIP
Bonuses
Non-Executive Directors fees
Total

2018
£’000
702
9
98
706
817
332
2,664

2017
£’000
806
3
121
146
871
249
2,196

The number of options awarded in August 2018 was calculated by reference to 125% (John Dawson) and 100% (Stuart 
Paynter) of salary divided by the average share price of 904p in the five business days preceding the relevant award.

The awards are nil cost options and are subject to a three year vesting period. They are exercisable from the third 
anniversary of the award, subject to the achievement of the performance condition set out below:

Average annual compound share price growth over the  
three year period starting with the date of grant*
Less than 10%
10% (i.e. 33% over 3 years)
Between 10% and 17.5%
17.5% or more (i.e. 63% over 3 years)

Percentage of the options granted that will vest

0%
20%
Calculated on a straight line basis between 17.5% and 100% 
100%

* 

 The starting share price for 8 August 2018 is 904p respectively, being the average share price over the five business days preceding the date of grant. The end share price shall  
be calculated as the average of the closing price for the three months period prior to 8 August 2021.

Number of options 
granted
52,555
23,647

Face value  
of grant
£474,572
£213,532

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
7

Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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There will also be a performance underpin, such that the awards will only vest to the extent that the Remuneration 
Committee considers that the overall performance of the business across the period justifies it. The Committee has always 
taken a prudent approach to LTIP awards, reflecting the share price at the time and the dilutive impact to shareholders, and  
to avoid the potential for windfall gains. The Committee agreed that there would be no scale back of LTIP for the 2018 award.

Stuart Paynter was also granted an award over an additional 7,235 shares (£65,404) under the Group’s LTIP scheme  
to rectify an error in the 2017 LTIP award granted on 25 September 2017.

Statement of Directors’ shareholding and share interests
(subject to audit)

The Remuneration Committee has adopted a shareholding guideline for the Executive Directors, which specifies  
a shareholding equivalent to 150% of base salary as further described in the Remuneration policy. The Remuneration 
Committee has decided to increase, with effect from 1 January 2019, the shareholding guidelines requirement for  
our Executive Directors to 200% of salary.

The value of the shares as at 31 December 2018 has been determined based on a share price of 707.2p (being the 
prevailing closing share price on 31 December 2018). Under this criteria both John Dawson and Peter Nolan (as at  
the date of cessation) meet the shareholding guidelines, with Stuart Paynter working towards meeting this guideline.

The interests in shares of the Directors who served during the year as at 31 December 2018 (or, if earlier, the date  
of their retirement) were as follows:

Executive Directors
John Dawson
Peter Nolan1
Stuart Paynter

Non-Executive Directors
Lorenzo Tallarigo
Martin Diggle 2
Andrew Heath
Stuart Henderson
Heather Preston 3

Shares held outright
2017
78,514
38,366
–

2018
88,468
45,795
1,753

Vested but
unexercised options
2017
305,586
153,639
–

2018
356,313
23,006
–

Unvested deferred
bonus plan
2017
51,773
34,742
–

2018
45,455
30,425
4,354

Unvested LTIP awards 
subject to
performance conditions
2017
174,436
107,461
57,880

2018
172,006
107,461
88,762

47,942
11,640,177
36,000
6,677
–

43,462
11,620,177
32,142
6,677
–

Reflecting best practice, the Remuneration Committee has adopted, with effect from 1 January 2019, a post-
cessation shareholding guideline. This requires that an Executive Director must retain shares with a value  
(as at cessation) equal to 100% of base salary for two years following cessation. If the Executive Director holds  
fewer than the required number of shares, he or she must retain the shares held. The guideline does not apply  
to shares which the Executive Director has purchased. The Remuneration Committee retains discretion to vary  
the post-cessation shareholding guideline in appropriate circumstances and will continue to review the guideline  
in light of developing market practice before formally enshrining it in the next policy. 

During 2018 the following options have vested and lapsed:

LTIP 
John Dawson
Stuart Paynter
Peter Nolan2

Deferred bonus 
John Dawson
Peter Nolan2
Stuart Paynter

Unvested at  
1 January 20181
174,436
57,880
107,461

Vested during  
20181
43,824
–
26,817

Unvested at  
1 January 20181
51,773
34,742
–

Lapsed during  
20181
11,161
–
6,830

Vested during  
20181
26,904
17,487
–

Awarded during 
2018
52,555
30,882
–

Unvested at  
31 December 20181
172,006
88,762
73,814

Awarded during 
2018
20,586
13,170
4,354

Unvested at  
31 December 20181
45,455
30,425
4,354

Note 1: Quantities have been amended for 50 to 1 share consolidation on 30 May 2018.
Note 2: Peter Nolan stepped down from the Board on 1 July 2018.

During 2018 John Dawson exercised 20,000 options which were due to expire during the year, realising a gain  
of £168,000.

On 18 May 2019 the performance criteria for the LTIP awards granted on 18 May 2016 will be assessed. The average 
share price for the five business days preceding 18 May 2016 was 275p and vesting conditions were set as follows:

Average annual compound share price growth over 
the three year period starting with the date of grant 
Less than 15%
15% (i.e. 52.1% over 3 years)
Between 15% and 25%
25% or more (i.e. 95.3% over 3 years)

Percentage of the options granted that will vest
0%
25%
Calculated on a straight line basis between 25% and 100%
100%

1.  Peter Nolan stepped down from the Board on 1 July 2018. His share held outright is as at the date of stepping down from the Board.
2. 
3.  Heather Preston was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 15 March 2018. 

Includes the interest of Vulpes Life Science Fund, Vulpes Testudo Fund and other parties connected to Martin Diggle.

Payment to past Directors and payments for loss of office
(subject to audit)

Peter Nolan stepped down from the Board and retired from the Group on 1 July 2018. His remuneration earned  
to that date and the bonus he has earned in respect of 2018 is included in the single figure table of remuneration  
on page 74. He will not receive any payment for loss of office or any other payments in relation to the cessation  
of his employment. Consistent with the terms of the Group’s remuneration policy and the rules of the LTIP,  
he will retain the unvested share awards made under the LTIP granted in 2016 and 2017, which will vest on their 
normal vesting dates, subject to the performance conditions. Peter will also retain the deferred bonus shares  
earned but not yet vested in respect of 2015, 2016 and 2017 bonuses. These will vest at the usual time.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0
8

Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Performance graph and comparison with CEO’s remuneration
The chart below illustrates the Company’s TSR performance since January 2009 relative to the FTSE all-share index 
and the FTSE techMARK MediScience index. The FTSE all-share index has been selected because it represents a 
broad-based measure of investment return from equities. The FTSE techMARK mediScience index, comprising 
biotech companies, provides a second benchmark that is a more specific comparator.

600

Key:

 Oxford Biomedica plc 
 FTSE all-share index 

 FTSE techMARK mediscience index
 NASDAQ Biotech index

500

400

300

200

100

0

Dec 09

Dec 10

Dec 11

Dec 12

Dec 13

Dec 14

Dec 15

Dec 16

Dec 17

Dec 18

CEO’s remuneration in last ten years

Year
CEO’s total single figure  
of remuneration 
LTIP vesting 
Annual bonus 

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

£’000
% of maximum
% of maximum

8171
0%
80%

450
0%
42%

413
0%
0%

401
40%
17%

468
0%
30%

680
0%
75%

732
100%
42%

653
50%
50%

811
25%
85%

1,294
80%
92%

1. 

 On 1 September 2009 1,500,000 (consolidated to 30,000 shares) new Ordinary Shares were allotted to John Dawson. The shares were fully paid and were a one-off share based 
bonus payment in accordance with his contract of employment for successful achievement of certain transactions with Sanofi in April 2009. The value of the shares at the closing 
mid-market price on the trading day immediately prior to issue was £172,500 and the Company bore an additional cost of £120,000 required to gross up the value of the shares for 
income tax and National Insurance. Mr. Dawson also received a regular bonus of 80% of maximum.

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Percentage change in CEO’s remuneration
The table below shows how the percentage change in the CEO’s salary, benefits and bonus between 2017 and 2018 
compares with the equivalent changes in those components for a group of employees. As 2017 and 2018 have seen 
significant changes in headcount numbers, the Committee has chosen as the comparator group all those employees 
other than the CEO who were employed throughout the whole of both 2017 and 2018.

Salary

Benefits

Bonus

Year
John Dawson
Comparator 
employee group

2018
380

8,008

2017
350

7,423

% increase
8.6%

7.9%

2018
4

88

2017
1

% increase
300%

93

(5.4%)

2018
439

832

2017
372

% increase
18%

618

35%

The increase in the CEO’s benefits is due to the provision of a car allowance initiated during the year.

CEO’s pay ratio
The table below sets out the CEO pay ratio at the 25th, median and 75th percentile employee within the organisation. 
The Group used Option A as defined in The Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018, as this 
calculation methodology for the ratios was considered to be the most accurate method. The 25th, median and 75th 
percentile pay ratios were calculated using the full time equivalent remuneration for all UK employees as at the end  
of 2018. Employees’ involvement in the Group’s performance is encouraged, with all employees eligible to participate 
in the Share Option Scheme or the LTIP. Certain employees also participate in discretionary bonus schemes. The 
Group aims to provide a competitive remuneration package which is appropriate to promote the long-term success 
of the Group and to apply this policy fairly and consistently to attract and motivate staff. The Group considers the 
median pay ratio to be consistent with the Group’s wider policies on employee pay, reward and progression.

Financial year
2018

Method
Option A

25th percentile pay ratio
1:48

Median pay ratio
1:37

75th percentile pay ratio
1:27

Pay details for the individuals are set out below:

2018
Salary (£’000)
Total remuneration (£’000)

CEO
£380
£1,294

25th percentile
£25
£27

Median
£32
£35

75th percentile
£44
£48

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
2
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Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Relative importance of spend on pay
The chart below illustrates the spend on employee remuneration compared with the Group’s key cash measures. 
Since the Group does not make dividend or other distributions, these have not been included in the table.  
The Group’s key cash measures were chosen by the Directors because they illustrate very clearly the importance  
of employee remuneration as a fundamental element of operational spend and our activities, as well as the continued 
investment of the business in its people. The key cash measure amounts were identified as being:

 — Non-payroll costs

 — Net cash used in operating activities

 — Net cash burn

 — Cash revenues

70

60

50

40

m
£

30

20

10

0

-10

Staff pay

Non-payroll costs

Cash generated from / (used in) 
operations

Net cash burn

Cash revenues

  2016
  2017 
  2018

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Statement of voting at AGM
At the 2018 AGM, the 2017 Directors’ remuneration report was approved by shareholders as follows:

Resolution
Approval of the Directors’ 
remuneration report

Votes for 
(including 
discretionary)

% for

Votes against

% against

Total votes cast 
(excluding votes 
withheld)

Votes withheld 
(abstentions)

1,989,086,555

99.7%

4,411,157

0.2%

1,993,497,712

1,733,366

At the 2018 AGM, the 2018 Directors’ remuneration policy was approved by shareholders as follows:

Resolution
Approval of the Directors’ 
remuneration report

Votes for 
(including 
discretionary)

% for

Votes against

% against

Total votes cast 
(excluding votes 
withheld)

Votes withheld 
(abstentions)

1,930,039,150

97.2%

56,288,698

2.8%

1,986,327,848

8,903,541

Advisers to the Committee
Deloitte LLP acted as adviser to the Committee during 2018 Deloitte is a founding member of the Remuneration 
Consultants Group and adheres to its Code of Conduct in relation to executive remuneration consulting in the UK. 
Deloitte’s fees for advice to the Committee during 2018 were £7,325 plus VAT. The advice received from Deloitte LLP 
was both objective and independent. Deloitte also advised the Group in relation to the operation of its share plans 
during 2018.

The Committee reviewed the potential conflicts of interest and the safeguards against them and is satisfied  
that Deloitte does not have any such interests or connections with the Group that may impair independence. 

Andrew Heath
Chair, Remuneration Committee

14 March 2019

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Directors’ remuneration policy 

Policy table

Executive Directors
Base salary 
To provide a base
salary which is sufficient 
to attract and retain 
executives of a suitable 
calibre.

Base salaries are initially set by reference 
to market information at the time of 
appointment and taking into account 
the experience and previous package  
of the new Director.

Base salaries are normally reviewed 
annually taking into account a number 
of factors which may include (but are 
not limited to):
− 
− 

 underlying Group performance;
 role, experience and individual 
performance;
 competitive salary levels and market 
forces; and
 pay and conditions elsewhere  
in the Group.

− 

− 

Any changes are normally effective 
from 1 January.

Benefits
To provide benefits
on a market competitive 
basis.

Retirement benefits
To provide funding  
for retirement.

Share ownership 
guidelines
To align Executives  
with Shareholders and 
provide an ongoing 
incentive for continued 
performance.

Benefits are provided in line with market 
practice and may include medical 
insurance, life assurance, permanent 
health insurance, provision of a 
company car or a car allowance and 
other appropriate benefits determined 
by the Committee. Additional benefits 
may be provided based on individual 
circumstances. These may include,  
for example, travel expenses. 

The Group operates a defined 
contribution scheme for all employees 
including Executive Directors.

In appropriate circumstances, such as 
where contributions exceed the annual 
or lifetime allowance. Executive 
Directors may be permitted to take a 
cash supplement instead of some or all 
of the contributions to a pension plan.

Shares which are fully owned with  
no outstanding vesting criteria count 
towards the shareholding guideline 
together with deferred annual bonus 
shares (on a net of tax basis).

Executive Directors will be required to 
retain half of any post-tax awards which 
vest under the long-term incentive 
plans, and deferred shares under the 
annual bonus, until the share ownership 
guideline has been satisfied.

While there is no maximum salary, increases 
will normally be line with the level of salary 
increase awarded (in percentage of salary 
terms) to other employees in the Group.

While no formal performance conditions 
apply, an individual’s performance in role 
is taken into account in determining any 
salary increase.

Salary increases above this level may be 
awarded in certain circumstances, such 
as, but not limited to:
− 

 where an Executive Director has 
been promoted or has had a change 
in scope or responsibility;
 an individual’s development or 
performance in role (e.g. to align a 
newly appointed Executive 
Director’s salary with the market 
over time);
 where there has been a change in 
market practice; or
 where there has been a change  
in size and/or complexity of  
the business.

− 

− 

− 

Such increases may be implemented 
over such time period as the 
Committee deems appropriate. 

There is no predetermined maximum 
but the totals are reviewed annually  
by the Remuneration Committee.

Not applicable.

15% of base salary.

Not applicable.

Executive Directors are required to build 
and maintain 150% of salary minimum 
level of shareholding.

Not applicable.

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Component and purpose

Operation

Maximum potential and payment at threshold

Performance targets and metrics

Sharesave Scheme
To create alignment with 
the Group and promote 
a sense of ownership.

Executive Directors are entitled to 
participate in a tax qualifying all 
employee Sharesave Scheme under 
which they may make monthly savings 
contributions over a period of three or 
five years linked to the grant of an 
option over the Company’s shares with 
an option price which can be at a 
discount of up to 20% to the market 
value of shares at grant (or such other 
discount as may be permitted by the 
applicable legislation from time to time). 

Participation limits and the level
of discount permitted in setting the 
exercise price are those set by the UK tax 
authorities from time to time.

Not subject to performance measures  
in line with HMRC practice.

Annual bonuses are determined  
by the Committee.

The maximum bonus opportunity  
will not exceed 125% of base salary.

The performance metrics and targets  
are decided annually by the Committee 
taking into account the strategic needs 
of the business.

Given the nature of the business, these 
objectives and metrics may change 
significantly each year.

There is no minimum bonus earned  
if threshold performance is not met.

Annual bonus
To incentivise and 
reward delivery of the 
Group’s objectives.

Delivery of 50% of any 
bonus payment via 
deferred shares aligns 
the incentive package 
with shareholders’ 
interests.

Long Term Incentive 
Plan (LTIP)
To augment shareholder 
alignment by providing 
Executive Directors
with longer term 
interests in shares whilst 
requiring challenging 
performance before LTIP 
awards vest.

50% of the bonus is delivered as cash.

50% of the bonus is delivered through 
deferred shares which ordinarily vest in 
three equal instalments on the first, 
second and third anniversaries of the 
award. The deferred shares are not 
subject to further performance targets. 
Deferred share awards may be made 
under an HMRC EMI plan where 
appropriate. Bonus awards are 
discretionary and can be removed or 
adjusted at the Committee’s discretion.

Dividend equivalents may be attached 
to the deferred shares over the deferral 
period. These dividend equivalents may 
be delivered in cash or shares and may 
assume the reinvestment of dividends 
into shares on a cumulative basis.

Recovery provisions apply as 
summarised at the foot of this table.

At the discretion of the Committee, 
annual grants of conditional nominal 
cost share options which vest subject  
to the achievement of specified 
performance targets, typically assessed 
over a three year performance period.

Awards granted under the LTIP may 
include dividend equivalents earned 
between the grant and vesting date. 
These dividend equivalents may be 
delivered in cash or shares and may 
assume the reinvestment of dividends 
into shares on a cumulative basis.

Awards have been made under an 
HMRC EMI plan where appropriate.
Recovery provisions apply as 
summarised in the notes to the policy 
table on the next page.

The normal maximum award is 100%  
of base salary in respect of a financial 
year for Executive Directors, other than
the CEO for whom the maximum award 
is 125% of base salary. Under the share 
plan rules the overall maximum 
opportunity that may be granted in 
respect of a financial year is 200%
of base salary. The normal maximum 
award limit will only be exceeded in 
exceptional circumstances such as the 
recruitment of an Executive Director.

Performance conditions will be 
determined in advance of grant of awards 
and will be based on financial measures  
or the achievement of strategic objectives. 
Financial measures may include (but are 
not limited to) share price and revenue 
measures. For the achievement of growth 
performance in respect of a financial 
measure, no more than 25% of the award 
will vest for threshold performance and 
100% of the award will vest for maximum 
performance; for below threshold 
performance, none of the award will vest.

For strategic measures, vesting will
be determined between 0% and 100% 
depending upon the Committee’s 
assessment of the extent to which the 
measure has been achieved.

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Operation of share plans
Awards and options may be adjusted in the event of a variation of share capital or other relevant amendment in 
accordance with the rules of the Share Option Scheme, LTIP and Deferred Bonus Plan. The Company’s share plans 
may be operated in accordance with their terms, including that awards may be granted as cash based awards over  
a notional number of shares, and that share awards may be settled in cash at the election of the Committee; the 
Committee would only use these cash provisions for operational flexibility, for example if a regulatory restriction  
in any territory prevented the Company from offering shares to an Executive Director.  

Component and purpose

Operation

Maximum potential and payment  
at threshold

Performance targets and metrics

Non-Executive Directors
Non-Executive Directors’ fees 
To compensate Non-Executive 
Directors for their services to the 
Group.

Not applicable.

Non-Executive Directors’ fees are 
determined by the Group’s 
Chairman at the time of 
appointment of a Director. The 
Chairman’s fees are set by the 
other Non-Executive Directors.

Non-Executive Directors may  
be eligible to receive benefits such 
as the use of secretarial support, 
travel costs or other benefits that 
may be appropriate.

There is no overall maximum,
but fees are set taking into account 
the responsibilities of the role
and expected time commitment. 

Non-Executive Directors may 
receive a base fee and a 
supplementary fee for additional 
responsibilities such as chairing  
a Board committee.

Fees would normally be reviewed 
at the start of each three year 
period of appointment. However, 
increases in Non-Executive 
Directors’ fees may be made
at other times.

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Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Notes to the policy table

Recovery provisions
The annual bonus and LTIP are subject to malus and clawback provisions as follows: 

Annual bonus:
For up to two years following the payment of an annual bonus award the Committee may require the repayment  
of some or all of the cash award in the relevant circumstances (clawback). Unvested deferred bonus awards may  
be cancelled or reduced in the relevant circumstances (malus). For up to one year following the vesting of the first 
instalment of deferred shares the Committee may require the repayment of some or all of the deferred shares  
in the relevant circumstances (clawback).

LTIP:
The Committee has the right to reduce, cancel or impose further conditions on unvested awards in the relevant 
circumstances (malus). For up to two years following the vesting of a LTIP award the Committee may require  
the repayment of some or all of the award in the relevant circumstances (clawback).

Malus may be applied in the event of:

 — A material misstatement of the Group’s financial results;

 — An error in the information or assumptions on which the award was granted or vests including an error in assessing 

any applicable performance conditions;

 — A material failure of risk management by the Group;

 — Serious reputational damage to the Group; or

 — Material misconduct on the part of the participant. 

Clawback may be applied in the event of:

 — A material misstatement of the Group’s financial results;

 — An error in the information or assumptions on which the award was granted or vests including an error in assessing 

any applicable performance conditions; or

 — Material misconduct on the part of the participant. 

Performance targets and metrics 
Performance targets for the annual bonus are set by the Committee after taking into account the strategic needs of 
the business. A key component of the Group’s strategy is to develop gene and cell therapy products from pre-clinical 
proof of concept through to the end of Phase I or Phase II clinical studies before partnering or out-licensing. Targets 
for a particular year are therefore likely to include specific product development targets depending on the stage of 
development of each opportunity. The annual objectives are also likely to include targets related to generating 
recurring revenues such as manufacturing or development services to third parties.

The performance metrics for the LTIP are determined to ensure that the most appropriate targets are set for the 
Group’s situation at the time; awards to be granted in 2019 will be subject to measures based on share price growth 
and revenue.

The Committee retains the ability to adjust or set different performance measures if events occur (such as a change in 
strategy, a material acquisition and/or a divestment of a Group business, or a change in prevailing market conditions) 
which cause the Committee to determine that the measures are no longer appropriate and that amendment is 
required so that they achieve their original purpose.

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Corporate governance 
Directors’ remuneration report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Service contracts and policy on payment for loss of office
Executive Directors’ service contracts are subject to 12 months’ notice from both the Group and from the Director. 
Directors may be required to work during the notice period or be paid in lieu of notice if not required to work for  
the full notice period.

The details of service contracts and letters of appointment of those who served as Directors during the year are:

Service contracts
John Dawson
Peter Nolan
Stuart Paynter

Letters of appointment
Lorenzo Tallarigo
Martin Diggle
Andrew Heath
Stuart Henderson
Heather Preston

Contract date
10 October 2008
1 May 2002
29 August 2017

Date of appointment
1 February 2016
4 October 2015
1 January 2016 
1 June 2016
15 March 2018

Unexpired term at  
31 December 2018
N/A
N/A
N/A

Unexpired term at  
31 December 2018
1 month
34 months
0 months
5 months
27 months

Notice period
12 months
12 months
12 months

Notice period
3 months
3 months
3 months
3 months
3 months

All Directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first opportunity after their appointment, and in line  
with the revised Corporate Governance Code, thereafter, to re-election on an annual basis.

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The principles on which the determination of payments for loss of office will be approached are set out below:

Payment in lieu of notice

Annual Bonus

Policy
Contractual termination payments may not exceed the Director’s current salary and benefits (including pension 
contributions and any applicable salary supplement) for the notice period. 

This will be at the discretion of the Committee on an individual basis and the decision as to whether or not
to award a bonus in full or in part will be dependent on a number of factors, including the circumstances of  
the individual’s departure and their contribution to the business during the bonus period in question. Any bonus 
amounts paid will typically be pro-rated for time in service during the bonus period and will, subject to 
performance, be paid at the usual time (although the Committee retains discretion to pay the bonus earlier
in appropriate circumstances). The Committee has discretion to pay the whole of any bonus earned for the year  
of departure and preceding year in cash.

Deferred Bonus Plan

The extent to which any unvested award will vest will be determined in accordance with the rules of the Deferred 
Bonus Plan.

Unvested awards will normally lapse on cessation of employment. However, if a participant leaves due to death, 
ill-health, injury, disability, the sale of his employer or any other reason, at the discretion of the Committee, the 
Committee shall determine whether the award will vest at cessation or at the normal vesting date. In either case,
the extent of vesting will be determined by the Committee, taking into account, unless the Committee determines 
otherwise, the period of time elapsed from the date of grant to the date of cessation relative to the deferral period. 
Awards may then be exercised during such period as the Committee determines. Awards which have already 
vested at the date of cessation may be exercised for such period as the Committee determines.

LTIP

The extent to which any unvested award will vest will be determined in accordance with the rules of the LTIP.

Unvested awards will normally lapse on cessation of employment. However, if a participant leaves due to
death, ill-health, injury, disability, the sale of his employer or any other reason at the discretion of the Committee, 
the Committee shall determine whether the award will vest at cessation or at the normal vesting date. In either 
case, the extent of vesting will be determined by the Committee taking into account the extent to which the 
performance condition is satisfied and, unless the Committee determines otherwise, the period of time elapsed 
from the date of grant to the date of cessation relative to the performance period. Awards may then be exercised 
during such period as the Committee determines. Awards which have already vested at the date of cessation may 
be exercised for such period as the Committee determines.

Change of control

The extent to which unvested awards under the Deferred Bonus Plan and LTIP will vest will be determined  
in accordance with the rules of the relevant plan.

Other payments

Awards under the Deferred Bonus Plan will vest in full in the event of a takeover, merger or other relevant 
corporate event.

Awards under the LTIP will vest early on a takeover, merger or other relevant corporate event. The Committee will 
determine the level of vesting taking into account the extent to which the performance condition is satisfied and, 
unless the Committee determines otherwise, the period of time elapsed from the date of grant to the date of the 
relevant corporate event relative to the performance period.

Payments may be made either in the event of a loss of office or a change of control under the Sharesave Scheme, 
which is governed by its rules and the legislation relating to such tax qualifying plans. There is no discretionary 
treatment for leavers or on a change of control under this scheme.

In appropriate circumstances, payments may also be made in respect of accrued holiday, outplacement  
and legal fees.

The Committee retains discretion to make additional exit payments where such payments are made in good faith 
in discharge of an existing legal obligation (or by way of damages for breach of such an obligation) or by way  
of settlement or compromise of any claim arising in connection with the termination of a Director’s office  
or employment.

By order of the Board

Andrew Heath
Chair, Remuneration Committee

14 March 2019

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9

Directors’ report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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The Directors present their Annual report and audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended  
31 December 2018 as set out on pages 104 to 144. This report should be read in conjunction with the corporate 
governance report on pages 52 to 68.

Discussions regarding financial information contained in this Annual report may contain forward-looking statements 
with respect to certain of the plans, current goals and expectations relating to the future financial condition, business 
performance and results of the Group and Company. By their nature, all forward looking statements involve risk  
and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances that are beyond the control of the Group  
and Company. Readers are cautioned that, as a result, the actual future financial condition, business performance  
and results of the Group may differ materially from the plans, goals and expectations expressed or implied in such 
forward looking statements.

Strategic report
The Strategic report including the outlook for 2019 on page 37, is on pages 20 to 49. The Directors consider that  
the Annual report and accounts, taken as a whole, are fair, balanced and understandable. In reaching this conclusion,  
the Audit Committee initially discussed the requirements with the Group’s auditors when discussing the strategy for 
the 2018 audit, and the full Board reviewed the contents of the report at its 12 March 2019 meeting. Since the Board 
met seven times for routine meetings in 2018 the Directors consider that they are sufficiently well informed to be able 
to make this judgement.

Key financial performance indicators (KPIs)
Key financial performance indicators are outlined in the Chief Financial Officer’s review on pages 38 to 43.

Corporate governance
The Group’s statement on corporate governance is included in the corporate governance report on pages 52 to 68.

Risk management
The Group’s exposure to risks is set out on pages 52 to 58 (principal risks and uncertainties) and on page 121  
(note 3: financial risk management).

Dividends
The Directors do not recommend payment of a dividend (2017: £nil).

Directors
Details of the Directors of the Company who were in office during the year and up to the date of signing the financial 
statements are detailed on pages 60 to 61 and page 70. The contracts of employment of the Executive Directors are 
subject to a twelve months’ notice period. The Directors’ remuneration and their interests in the share capital of the 
Company at 31 December 2018 are disclosed in the Directors’ remuneration report on pages 69 to 89.

Appointment and replacement of Directors
Directors may be appointed by an ordinary resolution at any general meeting of shareholders, or may be appointed 
by the existing Directors, provided that any Director so appointed shall retire at the next annual general meeting 
(AGM) and may offer himself for re-election. In order to ensure that we comply with the revised Corporate 
Governance Code all Directors will retire at each annual general meeting and may offer themselves for re-election.  
A Director may be removed in the following ways: by an ordinary resolution at a general meeting; if he or she is 
prohibited by law from being a Director; in the event of bankruptcy; if he or she is suffering from specified mental 
disorders; if he or she is absent without consent for more than six months; or by request in writing by all the other 
Directors. Any Director may appoint another Director or another person approved by the other Directors as an 
alternate Director.

Directors’ third party indemnity provision
The Group maintains a qualifying third party indemnity insurance policy to provide cover for legal action against  
its Directors. This was in force throughout 2018 and up to the date of approval of the financial statements.

Share capital

Structure of the Company’s capital
The Company’s share capital comprises a single class of 1p ordinary shares, each carrying one vote and all ranking 
equally with each other. Following the adoption of new articles of association in 2010, the authorised share capital  
of the Company is unlimited. 

On 30 May 2018, Oxford Biomedica consolidated its existing ordinary shares of 1 pence each to 65,701,073 new 
consolidated ordinary shares of 50 pence each. At 31 December 2018 the Company had 66,103,528 shares in issue, 
all allotted and fully paid. There are no restrictions on the transfer of shares in the Company or on voting rights.  
All shares are admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange.

Rights to issue and buy back shares
Each year at the AGM the Directors seek rights to allot shares. The authority, when granted lasts for 15 months  
or until the conclusion of the next AGM if sooner. At the last AGM held on 29 May 2018, authority was given  
to allot up to 21,893,424 shares (that number being one third of total issued share capital of the Company at the time), 
subject to the normal pre-emption rights reserved to shareholders contained in the Companies Act 2006, and  
to allot up to a further 21,893,424 shares, solely in a rights issue. Authority was also given, subject to certain 
conditions,to waive pre-emption rights over up to 6,568,024 shares, being 10% of the shares then in issue.  
No rights have been granted to the Directors to buy back shares. 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
2 Corporate governance 

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Directors’ report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Substantial shareholdings
At 15 February 2019, the latest practical date prior to approval of the Directors’ report, the Company had been notified 
of the following shareholdings amounting to 3% or more of the ordinary share capital of the Company.

Shareholder
Vulpes Investment Management
M&G Investments
Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management
Cannaccord Genuity Wealth Management
Mr. S Shah
Aviva Investors
Interactive Investor Sharedealing

Number of ordinary shares
11,640,177
11,598,648
3,727,030
3,684,136
2,897,000
2,811,681
2,328,085

Percentage of issued share capital
17.6%
17.5%
5.6%
5.6%
4.4%
4.3%
3.5%

No other person has reported an interest in the ordinary shares of the Company required to be notified  
to the Company. No person holds shares carrying special rights with regard to control of the Company.

Employees
In accordance with s172 of the Companies Act 2006, the Group communicates and consults regularly with 
employees throughout the year. Employees’ involvement in the Group’s performance is encouraged, with  
all employees eligible to participate in the share option scheme or the LTIP. Certain employees participate  
in discretionary bonus schemes.

The Group’s aim for all members of staff and applicants for employment is to fit the qualifications, aptitude and ability  
of each individual to the appropriate job, and to provide equal opportunity regardless of sex, religion or ethnic origin. 
The Group does all that is practicable to meet its responsibility towards the employment and training of disabled people.

Further details on employees, health and safety, environmental matters and corporate social responsibility are in the 
corporate responsibility statement on pages 44 to 49.

Employee share schemes
The Group has established an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) to hold shares purchased in order to settle shares 
awarded to Executive Directors and other senior managers under the 2013 Deferred Bonus Plan. The EBT currently 
holds 116,724 shares on which all the related options have vested. See note 25 of the consolidated financial 
statements for further information.

Agreements that take effect, alter, or terminate because of a takeover bid or on change of control. There are no such 
agreements that the Directors consider are material. There are no agreements providing for compensation for loss  
of office for Directors or employees in the event of a takeover bid.

Going concern
The Group held £32.2 million of cash at the end of 2018. During 2018 the Group generated positive operational cash 
flows, and although the Group is making a further strategic investment in extending our bioprocessing capacity, the 
Group expects to generate sufficient operational cash flow to continue its growth strategy. Taking this into account, 
in conjunction with currently known and probable cash flows, the Directors consider that the Group has sufficient 
cash resources and cash inflows to continue its activities for at least twelve months from the date of these financial 
statements and have therefore prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis.

Although the UK’s decision to leave the European Union may significantly affect the fiscal, monetary and regulatory 
landscape in the UK,the Group has assessed the future impact of Brexit on its operations to be minor. Further details 
of our contingency planning is provided on page 58.

Viability statement

Assessment of prospects
In accordance with provision C.2.2 of the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Directors have assessed the prospects 
of the Group over the three years to December 2021. They believe three years to be appropriate due to the inherent 
significant uncertainties of forecasting beyond this time horizon given the nature of the business sector in which the 
Group operates. The assessment has been informed by the strategy adopted by the Board in 2016 and the evolution 
of the business over the last twelve months.

The Group’s strategy is to exploit its LentiVector platform to develop gene and cell therapy products in its own 
portfolio and to support the development of other companies’ products. The Group is generating growing revenues 
and other operating income from licensing its platform technology, generating upfront receipts and royalties, and 
from fees for providing process development and bioprocessing services to other companies. Over the three years  
to December 2021 the Directors believe that revenues from licensing its technology to third parties and from providing 
process development and bioprocessing services to its partners will be sufficient to create a sustainable Group.

Assessment of viability
The main area of risk to the viability of the Group within the three-year period to December 2021 is that the Group 
fails to generate sufficient revenue from the process development and bioprocessing services it provides to third 
parties to cover its operational spend and loan interest payments. In particular, should the commercial supply 
requirements of Novartis, in terms of the global roll-out of Kymriah fall substantially short of current expectations,  
this would have a materially negative impact on the Group. However, the Group has started to mitigate this risk  
by signing new commercial contracts with Axovant, Bioverativ (Sanofi) and the UK Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy 
consortium which will bolster our commercial development and bioprocessing pipelines. We continue to develop 
our technology so as to retain a leadership position within the field . Orchard Therapeutics has again grown in 
importance having IPO’d at the end of the year in anticipation of the commercial launch of its strategic product 
portfolio which we continue to support in a bioprocessing and commercial development capacity.

Although the loan is repayable in the viability period, the Directors are confident that the Group will be able  
to refinance the loan at the same or more favourable terms than those currently in place. The Directors have  
also assumed that regulatory approval for our bioprocessing facilities remains in place across the period.

The Directors anticipate that the Group has reasonable prospects for attracting further new customers and generating 
additional revenues in line with the increased revenues across the past five years. The Group’s financial forecasts 
developed reflect these assumptions and therefore the Directors have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation, 
although not a certainty, that the Group will be able to continue in operation and meet its liabilities as they fall due over 
the three-year period to December 2021. If additional revenues were to fall below the Director’s expectations,  
the Group might need to secure alternative sources of financing to continue to fund its operations.

Amendment of the Company’s articles of association
Amendment of the Company’s articles may be made by special resolution at a general meeting of shareholders.

Compliance with Listing Rule 9.8.4R
The Directors have reviewed the requirements of LR 9.8.4R. The majority of these do not apply to the Group  
but the following are applicable.

Listing Rule
LR 9.8.4 (5) and (6)

LR 9.8.4 (7) and (8)

Information required
Arrangement under which a 
Director has waived current or 
future emoluments.
Allotment of shares other than to 
existing shareholders in proportion 
to holdings.

Response
Martin Diggle has elected to receive no fees for his services as Director 
(page 76).

Allotment of shares on exercise of options by employees under approved 
share schemes (note 25, page 138).

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Directors’ report
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities in respect of the financial statements
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual report and the Group and parent Company financial 
statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare Group and parent Company financial statements for each financial 
year. Under that law they are required to prepare the Group financial statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRSs as adopted by the EU) and applicable law  
and have elected to prepare the parent Company financial statements on the same basis. 

Under company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give  
a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and parent Company and of their profit or loss for that period. 
In preparing each of the Group and parent Company financial statements, the Directors are required to: 

 — select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

 — make judgements and estimates that are reasonable, relevant and reliable; 

 — state whether they have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU; 

 — assess the Group and parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable,  

matters related to going concern; and 

 — use the going concern basis of accounting unless they either intend to liquidate the Group or the parent Company 

or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. 

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the 
parent Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the parent 
Company and enable them to ensure that its financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are 
responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements 
that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and have general responsibility for taking 
such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the Group and to prevent and detect fraud  
and other irregularities. 

Under applicable law and regulations, the Directors are also responsible for preparing a Strategic Report, Directors’ 
Report, Directors’ Remuneration Report and Corporate Governance Statement that complies with that law and those 
regulations. 

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included 
on the Group’s website. Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements 
may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Responsibility statement of the Directors in respect of the annual financial report 
We confirm that to the best of our knowledge: 

 — the financial statements, prepared in accordance with the applicable set of accounting standards, give a true  
and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company and the undertakings 
included in the consolidation taken as a whole; and 

 — the Directors’ report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position  
of the issuer and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together with a description of 
the principal risks and uncertainties that they face. 

We consider the annual report and accounts, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced and understandable and provides the 
information necessary for shareholders to assess the Group’s position and performance, business model and strategy.

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Statement as to disclosure of information to auditors
In accordance with s418 of the Companies Act 2006, so far as each Director is aware, there is no relevant audit 
information of which the Group and Company’s auditors are unaware, and each Director has taken all the steps that 
he ought to have taken as a Director in order to make himself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish 
that the Group and Company’s auditors are aware of that information.

Independent auditors
During 2017 a tender process was completed with KPMG LLP being appointed as independent auditors. 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP continued in office until the release of the 2017 financial statements, after  
which KPMG LLP took up office.

Greenhouse gas emissions report
Details on greenhouse gas emissions are set out in the corporate social responsibility section on page 47.

Annual General Meeting 
The Annual General Meeting will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday 29 May 2019 at the London offices  
of Covington & Burling LLP.

By order of the Board

Stuart Paynter
Company Secretary

14 March 2019

Company registered number: 03252665

Stuart Paynter was appointed  
a Director and Chief Financial Officer  
in August 2017 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
6
9

Independent auditors’ report 
To the members of Oxford Biomedica plc

1. Our opinion is unmodified
We have audited the financial statements of Oxford Biomedica plc (“the Company”) for the year ended 31 December 
2018 which comprise the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the Group and parent Company balance 
sheets, the Group and parent Company statements of cash flows, the Group and parent Company statements of changes 
in equity attributable to owners of the parent, and the related notes, including the accounting policies in note 1.

In our opinion:
 — the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the parent Company’s  

affairs as at 31 December 2018 and of the Group’s profit for the year then ended;

 — the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with International Financial  

Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRSs as adopted by the EU);

 — the parent Company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted  

by the EU and as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

 — the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006  

and, as regards the Group financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation.

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”) and applicable law. 
Our responsibilities are described below. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is a sufficient and 
appropriate basis for our opinion. Our audit opinion is consistent with our report to the audit committee.

We were first appointed as auditor by the shareholders on 29 May 2018. The period of total uninterrupted engagement 
is for the financial year ended 31 December 2018. We have fulfilled our ethical responsibilities under, and we remain 
independent of the Group in accordance with, UK ethical requirements including the FRC Ethical Standard as applied 
to listed public interest entities. No non-audit services prohibited by that standard were provided.

Overview
— Materiality: Group financial statements as a whole: £570k, 0.85% of revenue.

— Coverage: 100.0% of Group revenue.

— Key audit matters (recurring risks):

  1.  Revenue recognition.

  2.   Recoverability of parent Company’s investment in and debt due from subsidiaries.  

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2. Key audit matters: including our assessment of risks of material misstatement
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in the audit of the 
financial statements and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to 
fraud) identified by us, including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy; the allocation of 
resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. We summarise below the key audit matters, 
in arriving at our audit opinion above, together with our key audit procedures to address those matters and, as required 
for public interest entities, our results from those procedures. These matters were addressed, and our results are based 
on procedures undertaken, in the context of, and solely for the purpose of, our audit of the financial statements as  
a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and consequently are incidental to that opinion, and we do not provide  
a separate opinion on these matters.

The risk

Our response

Accounting treatment

Our procedures included:

Revenue
Product and technology licenses, milestone 
receivables and payments and process 
development.

Refer to page 110 (accounting policy) and page 
117 (critical accounting judgement).

The Company enters into a number of multiple 
element contracts with differing terms. There 
are inherent judgements required to be made 
by the Group in the following areas:
—  Identification of performance obligations  
of the contract, primarily the license fees, 
milestones and commercial development 
work,

—  Assessing the allocation of the total 

transaction price to each performance 
obligation with reference to their stand-
alone selling price, including consideration  
of FTE rates applied, and

—  Whether revenue for each performance 

obligation satisfies the criteria for recognition 
over time or at a point in time.

—  Accounting analysis: Evaluation of the 

Group’s revenue accounting policy against 
the accounting standard.

—  Testing application: Assessing and 

challenging the Group’s judgements made, 
in line with accounting policies and with 
reference to significant contracts, including:

  —  The identification of the goods or services 
promised in the contract and whether 
they are distinct and therefore separate 
performance obligations,

  —  The stand-alone selling prices of 
individual components through 
benchmarking across the Group’s other 
customer contracts, and

  —  The revenue recognition over time  

or point in time with reference to the 
contract terms, nature of goods and 
services being provided and Group’s 
accounting policy.

—  Assessing transparency: Assessing the 

adequacy of the Group’s disclosures about 
the judgements involved in the recognition 
of revenue.

Our results: We found the Group’s revenue 
recognition and related disclosures of the 
judgements to be acceptable. 

Our procedures included:

—  Comparing valuations: Comparing the 

carrying amount of the investment and loans 
with the expected value of the business based 
on the market capitalisation of the Group.

Our results: We found the Group’s assessment 
of the recoverability of the investment in and 
loan to subsidiaries to be acceptable.

Investments and loans
(£91.8 million).

Refer to page 115 (accounting policy) and page 
129 (financial disclosures).

Recoverability of parent Company’s 
investment in and debt due from subsidiaries:

Low risk, high value.

The carrying amount of the parent Company’s 
investment and loan in the sole trading 
subsidiary represents 98.8% of the Company’s 
total assets. Their recoverability is not at a  
high risk of significant misstatement or subject 
to significant judgement. However, due to  
their materiality in the context of the parent 
Company financial statements, this is 
considered to be the area that had the greatest 
effect on our overall parent Company audit. 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
8
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Independent auditors’ report 
To the members of Oxford Biomedica plc

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3. Our application of materiality and an overview of the scope of our audit
Materiality for the Group financial statements as a whole was set at £570k, determined with reference to a benchmark 
of revenue (of which it represents 0.85%. We consider total revenue to be the most appropriate benchmark as  
it provides a more stable measure year on year than group profit before tax. Materiality for the parent Company 
financial statements as a whole was set at £540k, determined with reference to a benchmark of Company total 
assets, of which it represents 0.6%. We agreed to report to the Audit Committee any corrected or uncorrected 
identified misstatements exceeding £28k, in addition to other identified misstatements that warranted reporting  
on qualitative grounds. Of the group’s 3 components, we subjected 2 to full scope audits for group purposes.  
The components within the scope of our work accounted for 100% of group revenue, profit before tax and  
total assets. The Group team approved the component materialities, which were set at £540k for both inscope 
components. The work on all of the components, including the audit of the parent Company, was performed  
by the Group team. 

£570k 
Whole financial statements materiality

£540k 
Materiality at 2 components

  Revenue

 Group materiality

£28k 
Misstatements reported to the  
Audit Committee

Revenue
£66.8m (2017: £37.6m)

Group Materiality
£570k

4. We have nothing to report on going concern
The Directors have prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis as they do not intend to liquidate  
the Company or the Group or to cease their operations, and as they have concluded that the Company’s and the 
Group’s financial position means that this is realistic. They have also concluded that there are no material uncertainties 
that could have cast significant doubt over their ability to continue as a going concern for at least a year from the date 
of approval of the financial statements (“the going concern period”).

Our responsibility is to conclude on the appropriateness of the Directors’ conclusions and, had there been a material 
uncertainty related to going concern, to make reference to that in this audit report. However, as we cannot predict all 
future events or conditions and as subsequent events may result in outcomes that are inconsistent with judgements 
that were reasonable at the time they were made, the absence of reference to a material uncertainty in this auditor’s 
report is not a guarantee that the Group and the Company will continue in operation.

In our evaluation of the Directors’ conclusions, we considered the inherent risks to the Group’s and Company’s 
business model, including the impact of Brexit, and analysed how those risks might affect the Group’s and Company’s 
financial resources or ability to continue operations over the going concern period. The risks that we considered 
most likely to adversely affect the Company’s available financial resources over this period were: 

 — The reliance on future receipts from both current and new customers,

 — Capital expenditure commitments, and

 — Current covenant compliance and the ability to refinance.

As these were risks that could potentially cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, 
we considered sensitivities over the level of available financial resources indicated by the Company’s financial forecasts 
taking account of reasonably possible (but not unrealistic) adverse effects that could arise from these risks individually 
and collectively and evaluated the achievability of the actions the Directors consider they would take to improve the 
position should the risks materialise. We also considered less predictable but realistic second order impacts, such  
as the impact of Brexit, which could result in a rapid reduction of available financial resources.

Based on this work, we are required to report to you if: 

 — we have anything material to add or draw attention to in relation to the Directors’ statement in note 1 to the 

financial statements on the use of the going concern basis of accounting with no material uncertainties that may 
cast significant doubt over the Group and Company’s use of that basis for a period of at least twelve months from 
the date of approval of the financial statements; or

 — the related statement under the Listing Rules set out on page 92 is materially inconsistent with our audit 

knowledge.

We have nothing to report in these respects, and we did not identify going concern as a key audit matter. 

5. We have nothing to report on the other information in the Annual report
The Directors are responsible for the other information presented in the Annual report together with the financial 
statements. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, accordingly, we do 
not express an audit opinion or, except as explicitly stated below, any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our 
responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether, based on our financial statements 
audit work, the information therein is materially misstated or inconsistent with the financial statements or our audit 
knowledge. Based solely on that work we have not identified material misstatements in the other information.

Strategic report and Directors’ report
Based solely on our work on the other information:

 — we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report and the Directors’ report;

 — in our opinion the information given in those reports for the financial year is consistent with the financial 

statements; and

 — in our opinion those reports have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

Directors’ remuneration report
In our opinion the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited has been properly prepared  
in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

Disclosures of principal risks and longer-term viability
Based on the knowledge we acquired during our financial statements audit, we have nothing material to add or draw 
attention to in relation to:

 — the Directors’ confirmation within the viability statement on page 93 that they have carried out a robust assessment 
of the principal risks facing the Group, including those that would threaten its business model, future performance, 
solvency and liquidity;

 — the Principal risks facing the business disclosures describing these risks and explaining how they are being 

managed and mitigated; and

 — the Directors’ explanation in the viability statement of how they have assessed the prospects of the Group, over 
what period they have done so and why they considered that period to be appropriate, and their statement as  
to whether they have a reasonable expectation that the Group will be able to continue in operation and meet its 
liabilities as they fall due over the period of their assessment, including any related disclosures drawing attention  
to any necessary qualifications or assumptions.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

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Independent auditors’ report 
To the members of Oxford Biomedica plc

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Under the Listing Rules we are required to review the viability statement. We have nothing to report in this respect.

Our work is limited to assessing these matters in the context of only the knowledge acquired during our financial 
statements audit. As we cannot predict all future events or conditions and as subsequent events may result in 
outcomes that are inconsistent with judgments that were reasonable at the time they were made, the absence  
of anything to report on these statements is not a guarantee as to the Group’s and Company’s longer-term viability.

Corporate governance disclosures
We are required to report to you if:

 — we have identified material inconsistencies between the knowledge we acquired during our financial statements 
audit and the Directors’ statement that they consider that the annual report and financial statements taken as  
a whole is fair, balanced and understandable and provides the information necessary for shareholders to assess  
the Group’s position and performance, business model and strategy; or

 — the section of the annual report describing the work of the Audit Committee does not appropriately address matters 

communicated by us to the Audit Committee. We are required to report to you if the Corporate Governance 
Statement does not properly disclose a departure from the eleven provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code 
specified by the Listing Rules for our review.

We have nothing to report in these respects.

6. We have nothing to report on the other matters on which we are required to report by exception
Under the Companies Act 2006, we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:

 — adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent Company, or returns adequate for our audit 

have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

 — the parent Company financial statements and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited  

are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

 — certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

 — we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

We have nothing to report in these respects.

7. Respective responsibilities

Directors’ responsibilities
As explained more fully in their statement set out on page 94, the Directors are responsible for: the preparation of the 
financial statements including being satisfied that they give a true and fair view; such internal control as they 
determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, 
whether due to fraud or error; assessing the Group and parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, 
disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern; and using the going concern basis of accounting unless 
they either intend to liquidate the Group or the parent Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic 
alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or other irregularities (see below), or error, and to issue our opinion  
in an auditor’s report. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but does not guarantee that an audit 
conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements  
can arise from fraud, other irregularities or error and are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could 
reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements.

A fuller description of our responsibilities is provided on the FRC’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities.

Irregularities – ability to detect
We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the 
financial statements from our general commercial and sector experience and through discussion with the Directors 
and other management (as required by auditing standards), and discussed with the Directors and other management 
the policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations. We communicated identified laws and 
regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.

The potential effect of these laws and regulations on the financial statements varies considerably.

Firstly, the group is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect the financial statements including financial 
reporting legislation (including related companies legislation), distributable profits legislation and taxation legislation.

We assessed the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related 
financial statement items.

Secondly, the group is subject to many other laws and regulations where the consequences of non-compliance 
could have a material effect on amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for instance through the 
imposition of fines or litigation or the loss of the group’s licence to operate. We identified the following areas as  
those most likely to have such an effect: those related to the pharmaceutical industry imposed by the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recognising the regulated 
nature of the Group’s activities. Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance 
with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the Directors and other management and inspection of regulatory  
and legal correspondence, if any.

These limited procedures did not identify actual or suspected non-compliance.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some 
material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit 
in accordance with auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations 
(irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently 
limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remained  
a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, 
misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance  
and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.

8. The purpose of our audit work and to whom we owe our responsibilities
This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the 
Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company’s members those 
matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent 
permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company and the Company’s 
members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Charles le Strange Meakin (Senior Statutory Auditor)  
for and on behalf of KPMG LLP, Statutory Auditor
Chartered Accountants

Botanic House 
98-100 Hills Rd 
Cambridge 
CB2 1JZ

14 March 2019

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
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1 

Introducing  

  Oxford Biomedica

  11  Sector and technology  

  overview

  12  Gene and cell therapy sector
  13  LentiVector delivery platform
  16  Products

  19  Strategic report
  20   Our business model 
  22  Operational highlights
  23  Financial highlights
  24  Chairman’s statement
  26    Chief Executive Officer's review
  30  Management team
  32  2018 performance review
  36  Delivery of our 2018 objectives
  37  Objectives for 2019
 Financial review
  38 
  44  Corporate responsibility

  51  Corporate governance 
  52 

  Principal risks, uncertainties  
and risk management 
  59  The Board of Directors
  62  Corporate governance report
  69  Directors’ remuneration report
  90  Directors’ report

  96 

 Independent auditors’ 
report

 103  Group financial statements
 104 

 Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income

  105  Balance sheets
 106  Statements of cash flows
  107 

 Statements of changes in  
equity attributable to owners  
of the parent
 Notes to the consolidated  
financial statements

 108 

 145  Other matters
  145 
 Glossary
  148  Advisers and contact details

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4 Group financial statements 

0
1

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Group financial statements 
Balance sheets
as at 31 December 2018

Continuing operations
Revenue
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Research, development and 
bioprocessing costs
Administrative expenses
Other operating income
Revaluation of investments
Operating profit / (loss)
Finance income
Finance costs
Profit / (loss) before tax
Taxation
Profit / (loss) and total comprehensive 
income / (expense) for the year
Basic earnings / (loss)  
per ordinary share
Diluted earnings / (loss)  
per ordinary share

Note

4

4

13

4

6

6

8

27

9

9

There was no other comprehensive income or loss in either year.

The loss for the year is attributable to the owners of the parent.

2018
£’000
66,778
(22,763)
44,015

(29,714)
(7,433)
1,064
5,983
13,915
71
(8,972)
5,014
2,527

2017
£’000
37,590
(18,442)
19,148

(21,611)
(7,276)
1,774
2,297
(5,668)
38
(6,131)
(11,761)
2,744

7,541

(9,017)

11.57p

(14.50p)

10.89p

(14.50p)

Assets
Non-current assets
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Investments and loans
Deferred tax assets

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Current tax assets
Cash and cash equivalents

Current liabilities
Trade and other payables
Contract liabilities and deferred income

Net current assets/(liabilities)
Non-current liabilities
Loans
Provisions
Contract liabilities and deferred income
Deferred tax liability

Net assets
Equity attributable to owners  
of the parent
Ordinary share capital
Share premium account
Other reserves
Accumulated losses
Total equity

Note

11

12

13

22

14

15

8

16

17

18

19

20

18

22 

23

24

28

27

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Group

2018
£’000

117
31,791
10,966
–
42,874

4,251
30,585
 2,446
32,244
69,526

11,422
17,084
28,506
41,020

41,153
1,287
6,434
279
49,153
34,741

2017
£’000

97
25,370
2,954
–
28,421

3,332
17,088
2,232
14,329
36,981

8,690
13,072
21,762
15,219

36,864
630
–
–
37,494
6,146

Company
2018
£’000

2017
£’000

–
–
91,786
1,129
92,915

–
–
–
11
11

164
–
164
( 153 )

–
–
–
–
–
92,762

–
–
72,350
–
72,350

–
9
–
31
40

81
–
81
(41)

–
–
–
–
–
72,309

33,034
172,074
3,509
(173,876)
34,741

31,076
154,224
3,509
(182,663)
6,146

33,034
172,074
10,731
( 123,077)
92,762

31,076
154,224
9,599
(122,590)
72,309

The Company’s registered number is 03252665.

The Company made a loss for the year of £446,000 (2017: £1,207,000).

The financial statements on pages 108 to 144 were approved by the Board of Directors on 14 March 2019  
and were signed on its behalf by:

John Dawson
Chief Executive Officer

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0
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6 Group financial statements 
Statements of cash flows
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Group financial statements 
Statements of changes in equity attributable to owners of the parent
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Cash flows  
from operating activities
Cash generated from / (used in) 
operations
Tax credit received
Overseas tax paid
Net cash generated from/(used in) 
operating activities

Cash flows  
from investing activities
Loan to subsidiary
Purchases of property, plant  
and equipment
Purchases of intangible assets
Interest received
Net cash used in investing activities

Cash flows  
from financing activities
Proceeds from issue of  
ordinary share capital
Costs of share issues
Interest paid
Loans received
Loans repaid
Net cash generated from/ (used in)  
financing activities

Net increase / (decrease)  
in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents  
at 1 January
Cash and cash equivalents  
at 31 December

Note

29

12

11

23, 24

24

19

16

Group

2018
£’000

2017
£’000

Company
2018
£’000

2017
£’000

9,214
3,654
–

(1,533)
4,530
(18)

(1,483)
–
–

(1,308)
–
–

12,868

2,979

(1,483)

(1,308)

–

–

(18,304)

(4,575)

(10,103)
(45)
52
(10,096)

(1,969)
–
38
(1,931)

–
–
–
(18,304)

–
–
–
(4,575)

21,184
(1,376)
(4,665)
–
–

385
–
(10,800)
38,897
(30,536)

21,143
(1,376)
–
–
–

15,143

(2,054)

19,767

385
–
–
–
–

385

17,915

(1,006)

(20)

(5,498)

14,329

15,335

32,244

14,329

31

11

5,529

31

Notes

Ordinary 
shares 
£’000
30,879

Share 
premium 
account 
£’000
154,036

Reserves

Merger 
£’000
2,291

Treasury 
£’000
(102)

–
–

–
–

Group
At 1 January 2017
Year ended 31 December 2017:
Loss for the year
Total comprehensive expense for the year
Transactions with owners:
Share options

Proceeds from shares issued
Value of employee services

Issue of warrants
Vesting of deferred share award
At 31 December 2017

23, 24

27

28

27

197
–
–
–
31,076

188
–
–
–
154,224

Warrant 
£’000
–

Accumulated
losses
£’000
(174,489)

–
–

(9,017)
(9,017)

–
–
1,218
–
1,218

–
945
–
(102)
(182,663)

–
–

7,541
7,541

Total 
equity
£’000
12,615

(9,017)
(9,017)

385
945
1,218
–
6,146

7,541
7,541

–
–
–
–
1,218

–
1,246
–
–
( 173,876 )

724
1,246
20,460
( 1,376 )
34,741

–
–

–
–
–
–
2,291

–
–

–
–
–
–
2,291

–
–

–
–
–
102
–

–
–

–
–
–
–
–

–
–

–
–

246
–
1,712
–
33,034

478
–
18,748
( 1,376 )
172,074

Year ended 31 December 2018:
Income for the year
Total comprehensive income for the year
Transactions with owners:
Share options

Proceeds from shares issued
Value of employee services
Issue of shares excluding options
Cost of share issues
At 31 December 2018

Company
At 1 January 2017

Year ended 31 December 2017:
Loss for the year
Total comprehensive expense for the year
Transactions with owners:
Share options

Proceeds from shares issued
Credit in relation to employee  
share schemes
Issue of warrants
At 31 December 2017

Year ended 31 December 2018:
Loss for the year
Total comprehensive expense for the year
Share options

Proceeds from shares issued
Credit in relation to  
employee share schemes

Issue of shares excluding options
Cost of share issues
At 31 December 2018

23, 24

27

28

24

Notes

10

23, 24

26, 28

23, 24

10

23, 24

26, 28

28

24

Ordinary 
shares 
£’000
30,875

Share 
premium 
account 
£’000
154,036

Reserves

Merger 
£’000
1,580

Warrant 
£’000
–

Accumulated
losses
£’000
(121,383)

Other 
£’000
6,052

Total 
equity
£’000
71,164

–
–

–
–

197

188

–
–

–

–
–
31,076

–
–
154,224

–
–
1,580

–
–

–
–

246

478

–
1,712
–
33,034

–
18,748
( 1,376 )
172,074

–
–

–

–
–

–
–

–

–
1,218
1,218

–
–

–

–
–

–
–

–

(1,207)
(1,207)

(1,207)
(1,207)

–

385

749
–
6,801

–
–
(122,590)

–
–

–

1,132
–

(446)
(446)

–

(41)
–

749
1,218
72,309

(446)
(446)

724

1,091
20,460
( 1,376 )
92,762

1,580

1,218

7,933

( 123,077 )

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
0
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

1. Accounting policies
Oxford Biomedica plc (the Company) is a public company limited by shares, incorporated and domiciled in England, 
and listed on the London Stock Exchange. The consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018 
comprise the results of the Company and its subsidiary undertakings (together referred to as the Group).

The Company’s principal subsidiary is Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited.

The Group is a gene and cell therapy research and development business which is also building a revenue-generating 
business providing bioprocessing and process development services to third parties. The Group currently has no 
marketed pharmaceutical products.

Basis of preparation
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below.  
These policies have been consistently applied to all the financial years presented, unless otherwise stated.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (’IFRS’)  
and IFRS Interpretations Committee (’IFRS IC’) interpretations as adopted by the European Union and with the 
Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies reporting under IFRS. The financial statements have been prepared 
under the historic cost convention as modified by the revaluation of financial assets at fair value through profit and loss.

As more fully explained in the Directors’ report on pages 90 to 95 and below, the going concern basis has been 
adopted in preparing the financial statements.

A summary of the more important Group accounting policies are set out below.

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain critical accounting 
estimates. It also requires management to exercise its judgement in the process of applying the Group’s accounting 
policies. The areas involving a higher degree of judgement or complexity, or where assumptions and estimates are 
significant to the financial statements, are disclosed in note 2.

Going concern
The Group held £32.2 million of cash at the end of 2018. During 2018 the Group generated positive operational cash 
flows, and although the Group is making a further strategic investment in extending our bioprocessing capacity, the 
Group expects to generate sufficient operational cash flow to continue its growth strategy. Taking this into account, 
in conjunction with currently known and probable cash flows, the Directors consider that the Group has sufficient 
cash resources and cash inflows to continue its activities for at least twelve months from the date of these financial 
statements and have therefore prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis.

Although the UK’s decision to leave the European Union may significantly affect the fiscal, monetary and regulatory 
landscape in the UK,the Group has assessed the future impact of Brexit on its operations to be minor. Further details 
of our contingency planning is provided on page 58.

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Accounting developments
The Group has adopted the following IFRSs in these financial statements. 

 — IFRIC 22 Foreign Currency Transactions and Advance Consideration (non material impact).

 — IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (non material impact).

 — Amendments to IFRS 2: Classification and Measurement of Share-based Payment Transactions Contracts  

(non material impact). 

 — IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (note 2).

The following new IFRSs have been endorsed but are not yet effective:

 — IFRS 16 Leases (note 1).

 — IFRIC 23 Uncertainty over Income Tax Treatments. 

 — Amendments to IFRS 9 Financial Instruments. 

Standards issued but not yet effective
A number of new standards are effective for the annual period beginning after 1 January 2019 and earlier application 
is permitted; however the Group has not early adopted the new or amended standards in preparing these 
consolidated financial statements.

Of those standards that are not yet effective, IFRS 16 is expected to have a material impact on the Group financial 
statements in the period of initial application.

IFRS 16 ’Leases’
The Group is required to adopt IFRS 16 ’Leases’ from 1 January 2019. The Group has assessed the estimated impact 
that initial application of IFRS 16 will have on its consolidated financial statements, as described below. The actual 
impacts of adopting the standard on 1 January 2019 may change because the new accounting policies are subject  
to change until the Group presents its first financial statements that include the date of initial application.

IFRS 16 introduces a single, on-balance sheet lease accounting model for lessees. A lessee recognises a right-of-use 
asset representing its right to use the underlying asset and a lease liability representing it obligation to make lease 
payments. There are recognition exemptions for the short-term leases and low-value items. Lessor accounting remains 
similar to the current standard – i.e. lessors continue to classify leases as either a finance or operating lease.

IFRS 16 replaces existing leases guidance, including IAS 17 ’Leases’, IFRIC 4 ’Determining whether an Arrangement 
contains a Lease’, SIC-15 ’Operating Leases – Incentives’ and SIC-27 ’Evaluating the Substance of Transactions 
involving the Legal Form of a Lease’.

Leases in which the Group is a Lessee
The Group will recognise new assets and liabilities for its operating leases of laboratory office facilities and equipment 
(see note 31). The nature of expenses related to those leases will now change because the Group will recognise a 
depreciation charge for right-of-use assets and interest expense on lease liabilities.

Previously, the Group recognised operating lease expenses on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, and 
recognised assets and liabilities only to the extent that there was a timing difference between actual lease payments 
and the expense recognised.

Based on information currently available, the Group estimates that it will recognise additional lease liabilities of 
£10,057,760 and right of use assets of £9,820,408 with a retained earnings impact of £237,352 at 1 January 2019. 

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
0
1
1

Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Transition
The Group plans to apply IFRS 16 initially on 1 January 2019, using the modified retrospective approach. Therefore, 
the cumulative effect of adopting IFRS 16 will be recognised as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained 
earnings at 1 January 2019, with no restatement of comparative information.

The Group plans to apply the practical expedients to grandfather the definition of a lease on transition. This means 
that it will apply IFRS 16 to all contracts entered into before 1 January 2019 and identified as leases in accordance  
with IAS 17 and IFRIC 4.

Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements comprise the Company and its subsidiary undertakings for the year to  
31 December each year. Subsidiaries are entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by the Group. Subsidiaries  
are consolidated from the date at which control is transferred to the Group. Control exists where the Group has the 
power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. The 
Group does not currently have any associates.

All intragroup transactions and balances are eliminated on consolidation.

Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method. The cost of an acquisition is measured as the 
fair value of the assets transferred, equity instruments issued, and liabilities incurred or assumed at the date of exchange.

Identifiable assets acquired, and liabilities and contingent liabilities assumed in a business combination are measured 
initially at their fair values at the acquisition date, irrespective of the extent of any minority interest. Any excess of the 
cost of the acquisition over the fair value of the Group’s share of the identifiable net assets acquired is recorded as 
goodwill. If the cost of acquisition is less than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary acquired, the difference 
is recognised directly in the statement of comprehensive income. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the 
financial statements of subsidiaries to bring accounting policies used into line with those of the Group.

The Group and Company have elected not to apply IFRS 3 ’Business combinations’ retrospectively to business 
combinations which took place prior to 1 January 2004, namely the acquisition in 1996 of 100% of the issued share 
capital of Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited that has been accounted for by the merger accounting method.

Foreign currencies
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate of exchange ruling at the transaction date. 
Assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are retranslated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance 
sheet date. Differences arising due to exchange rate fluctuations are taken to the statement of comprehensive 
income in the period in which they arise.

Revenue
Revenue comprises income derived from bioprocessing of clinical product for partners, fees charged for providing 
development services to partners, product and technology licence transactions, royalties, options, and funded 
research and development programmes.

Platform
Bioprocessing of clinical/commercial product for partners is recognised on a percentage of completion basis over 
time as the processes are carried out. Progress is determined based on the achievement of verifiable stages of the 
process. The gross amount due from customers on all partnerships in progress for which costs incurred plus 
recognised profits exceed progress billings is presented as a contract asset separately on the balance sheet. 
Consideration received in excess of the stage of completion will be deferred until such time as it is appropriate  
to recognise the revenue.

Revenues for providing process development activities to partners are recognised during the period in which  
the service is rendered on a percentage of completion basis.

Technology licences that have been established by the group have all been determined as “right to use” licences, 
rather than “right to access” licences. As such, the revenue from these licences is recognised at the point in time  
at which the licence transfers to the customer.

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Milestones relating to bioprocessing or process development activities have been identified as separate performance 
obligations as they involve the transfer of a distinct good or service, determined with reference to conditions 
stipulated in the relevant agreements or contracts. Each milestone is determined as either binary or non-binary. 

Milestones that are considered to be binary relate to the achievement of specific events rather than the provision  
of, for example, support. Incentives related to the achievement of specific deliverables are considered to be binary 
incentives and will be recognised in full once it is deemed highly probable that the obligation will be met.

Milestones related to the provision of support services are considered to be non-binary incentives and are recognised 
on a percentage of completion basis, but taking into account the likelihood of achievement of the deliverable. 
Amounts receivable on delivery of a milestone performance obligation represents variable consideration and have 
been allocated to the relevant performance obligation.

Options to technology licences are recognised when the customer exercises the option to obtain that licence.

Non-cash revenues are recognised at fair value through profit and loss.

Product
Product licences that have been established by the Group have all been determined as “right to use” licences, rather 
than “right to access” licences. As such, the revenue from these licences is recognised at the point in time at which 
the licence transfers to the customer. 

Amounts receivable in respect of milestone payments are considered to be separate performance obligations which 
are binary and will be recognised in full once it is deemed highly probable that the specific performance obligations 
stipulated in the licence agreement have been met. Payments linked to “success” such as regulatory filing or approval, 
or achievement of specified sales volumes, are recognised in full when the relevant event has occurred.

Non-binary milestones are recognised on a percentage of completion basis in the period in which related costs are 
incurred, or over the estimated period to completion of the relevant phase of development or associated clinical trials. 
Amounts receivable on delivery of a milestone performance obligation represents variable consideration and have 
been allocated to the relevant performance obligation.

Royalty revenue is recognised as the underlying sales occur.

Research and development revenue and associated costs are recognised over time. Progress is determined based  
on the cost-to-cost method.

Cost of sales
Cost of sales comprises the cost of bioprocessing clinical product for partners and royalties arising on partners’ 
licences.

The cost of bioprocessing clinical product for partners includes the raw materials, labour costs, overheads and other 
directly attributable costs. Costs are recognised on a percentage of completion basis dependent on the stage of 
completion of the contract. Costs incurred in excess of the stage of completion are recognised as work in progress 
until such time as it is appropriate to recognise the cost.

The Group’s products and technologies include technology elements that are licensed from third parties. Royalties 
arising from such partners’ licences are treated as cost of sales. Where royalties due have not been paid they are 
included in accruals. Where revenue is spread over a number of accounting periods, the royalty attributable to the 
deferred revenue is included in prepayments.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
2
1
1

Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Research, development and bioprocessing
Research, development and bioprocessing expenditure is charged to the statement of comprehensive income  
in the period in which it is incurred.

Revaluation of equity instruments
Gains and losses on the revaluation of equity instruments are recognised at fair value in the statement  
of comprehensive income.

Expenditure incurred on development projects is recognised as an intangible asset when it is probable that the project 
will generate future economic benefits, considering factors including its commercial and technological feasibility, 
status of regulatory approval, and the ability to measure costs reliably. Development expenditure which has been 
capitalised and has a finite useful life is amortised from the commencement of the commercial production of the 
product on a straight-line basis over the period of its expected benefit. No such costs have been capitalised to date  
as there was insufficient certainty about the recognition criteria having been met at the point the expenditure had 
been incurred. Other development expenditure is recognised as an expense when incurred.

Employee benefit costs
Employee benefit costs, notably holiday pay and contributions to the Group’s defined contribution pension plan,  
are charged to the statement of comprehensive income on an accruals basis. The assets of the pension scheme  
are held separately from those of the Group in independently administered funds. The Group does not offer any 
other post-retirement benefits.

Share based payments
The Group’s employee share option schemes, long term incentive plans, save as you earn scheme and deferred 
bonus plans allow group employees to acquire shares of the Company subject to certain criteria. The fair value  
of options granted is recognised as an expense of employment in the statement of comprehensive income with  
a corresponding increase in equity. The fair value is measured at the date of grant and spread over the period during 
which the employees become unconditionally entitled to the options. The fair value of options granted under the 
share option schemes and share save scheme is measured using the Black-Scholes model. The fair value of options 
granted under the LTIP schemes, which includes market condition performance criteria, is measured using a Monte 
Carlo model taking into account the performance conditions under which the options were granted. The fair value  
of options granted under the deferred bonus plan is based on the market value at the date of grant of these options.

At each financial year end, the Group revises its estimate of the number of options that are expected to become 
exercisable based on forfeiture such that at the end of the vesting period the cumulative charge reflects the actual 
options that have vested, with no charge for those options which were forfeit prior to vesting. When share options  
are exercised the proceeds received are credited to equity.

Leases
Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards 
of ownership to the lessee. No leases have been classified as finance leases. All other leases are classified as operating 
leases. Costs in respect of operating leases are charged to the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line 
basis over the lease term.

Grants
Income from government and other grants is recognised over the period necessary to match them with the related 
costs which they are intended to compensate. Grant income is included as other operating income within the 
statement of comprehensive income, and the related costs are included within research, development and 
bioprocessing costs, and administrative expenses. Where grant income received exceeds grant income recognised,  
it is included within deferred income on the balance sheet, whilst where grant income recognised exceeds grant 
income received, it is included within other receivables on the balance sheet.

Finance income and costs
Finance income and costs comprise interest income and interest payable during the year, calculated using the 
effective interest rate method. It also includes the revaluation of external loans denominated in a foreign currency.

Taxation
The Group is entitled to claim tax credits in the United Kingdom for certain research and development expenditure. 
The credit is paid in arrears once tax returns have been filed and agreed. The tax credit earned in the period, based  
on an assessment of likely receipt, is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income with the corresponding 
asset included within current assets in the balance sheet until such time as it is received.

The Group also receives a Research and Development Expenditure Credit (’RDEC’) which is accounted for  
as a reduction in research, development and bioprocessing costs in the statement of comprehensive income,  
and within trade and other receivables in the balance sheet. 

Current tax, including UK corporation tax and foreign tax, is provided at amounts expected to be paid (or recovered) 
using the tax rates and laws that have been enacted, or substantially enacted, by the balance sheet date.

Deferred tax is calculated in respect of all temporary differences identified at the balance sheet date. Temporary 
differences are differences between the carrying amount of the Group’s assets and liabilities and their tax base. 
Deferred tax liabilities may be offset against deferred tax assets within the same taxable entity or qualifying local tax 
group. Any remaining deferred tax asset is recognised only when, on the basis of all available evidence, it can be 
regarded as probable that there will be suitable taxable profits within the same jurisdiction in the foreseeable future 
against which the deductible temporary difference can be utilised.

Deferred tax is measured at the average tax rates that are expected to apply in the periods in which the asset is 
realised or liability settled, based on tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantially enacted by the balance 
sheet date.

Measurement of deferred tax liabilities and assets reflects the tax consequence expected to fall from the manner  
in which the asset or liability is recovered or settled.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
4
1
1

Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Intangible assets

Initial recognition
Intellectual property and in-process research and development acquired through business combinations are 
recognised as intangible assets at fair value. Other acquired intangible assets are initially recognised at cost.

Amortisation
Where the intangible asset has a finite life, amortisation is charged on a straight-line basis over the remaining useful 
economic life from the time they become available for use. Where the useful life of the intangible asset cannot be 
determined, the asset is carried at cost but tested annually for impairment. Intangible assets are amortised over the 
length of the patent life; current lives range from 5 to 19 years.

Impairment
The carrying value of non-financial assets is reviewed annually for impairment or earlier if an indication of impairment 
occurs and provision made where appropriate. Charges or credits for impairment are passed through the statement 
of comprehensive income.

For the purposes of assessing impairments, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately 
identifiable cash flows or cash-generating units. Impairment losses are recognised for the amount by which each 
asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value 
less costs to sell, and value in use. Where the asset is no longer being developed by the Group fair value less costs of 
disposal is used as the recoverable amount. Value in use is calculated using estimated discounted future cash flows. 
Key assumptions in the discounted cash flow calculations are whether:

 — The product is developed by a collaborative partner who funds all future development costs and markets  

the product.

 — The Group receives an initial licence fee, milestone payments and royalties on sales.

 — The cash flow projections include estimates for selling price, royalty rates, population growth, disease incidence 

and market penetration.

 — The resulting cash receipts are discounted at an appropriate discount rate.

 — The cash flow projections are a long-term view, based on the expected patent life. Due to the length of the 

development cycle for innovative medicines, this period is significantly longer than five years.

The key assumptions are management estimates, based where possible on available information for similar products. 
Due to the novelty and early stage of development of the Group’s products, it is not possible to benchmark these 
assumptions against past experience.

Impairment and amortisation charges are included within research, development and bioprocessing costs in the 
statement of comprehensive income.

Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost, together with any incidental expenses of acquisition, less 
depreciation. Cost includes the original purchase price of the asset and any costs attributable to bringing the asset  
to its working condition for its intended use.

Depreciation is calculated to write off the cost of property, plant and equipment less their estimated residual values 
on a straight-line basis over the expected useful economic lives of the assets concerned. Depreciation of an asset 
begins when it is available for use. The principal annual rates used for this purpose are:

Freehold property
Leasehold improvements

Office equipment and computers
Bioprocessing and laboratory equipment

10%
10% 
(or the remaining lease term if shorter)
20 – 33%
20%

The assets’ residual values and useful lives are reviewed annually.

The bioprocessing plants are reviewed annually for impairment triggers and, where necessary, a full impairment 
review is performed.

Provisions for the anticipated cost of restoring the leasehold properties to their original condition are recognised as 
leasehold improvements within fixed assets.

Investments in subsidiaries
Investments are carried at cost less any provision made for impairment. Options over the Company’s shares have 
been awarded to employees of subsidiary companies. In accordance with IFRS2, the Company treats the value  
of these awards as a capital contribution to the subsidiaries, resulting in an increase in the cost of investment.

Investments in subsidiary undertakings, including shares and loans, are carried at cost less any impairment provision. 
Such investments are subject to review, and any impairment is charged to the statement of comprehensive income.

At each year end the Directors review the carrying value of the Company’s investment in subsidiaries. Where the 
review performed concludes that there is a material and sustained shortfall in the market capitalisation, or a significant 
and sustained change in the business resulting in a decrease in market capitalisation, the Directors consider this to be 
a trigger of an impairment review as set out in IAS 36, and the carrying value of the Company’s investments in 
subsidiaries is adjusted. The Directors consider that reference to the market capitalisation of the Group is an 
appropriate external measure of the value of the Company’s subsidiaries for this purpose.

At year end the Directors will assess the requirement to write back a portion or all of any impairment previously 
recognised on its investment in subsidiaries. Factors which will be taken into account with regards to this decision  
will be the Groups track record of improved financial results across the last three to four years, as well as the 
expectation of future impairments being required after a write back was accounted for.

Intellectual property rights comprise third party patent rights that have been purchased by the Group. No in-house 
research and development or patent costs are included in intangible assets.

Financial assets

Investments
Other investments held by the Group are classified as fair value through profit and loss.

Bank deposits
Bank deposits with original maturities between three months and twelve months are included in current assets and 
are classified as available for sale financial assets. After initial recognition, available for sale investments are measured 
at their fair value.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
6
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is determined using the weighted average 
method. The cost of finished goods and work in progress comprises raw materials, direct labour, other direct costs 
and related production overheads (based on normal operating capacity). It excludes borrowing costs. Net realisable 
value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less applicable variable selling expenses.

Trade receivables
Trade receivables are recognised initially at the transaction price as these assets do not have significant financing 
components and are subsequently measured at amortised cost. The Group recognises loss allowances for trade 
receivables under the expected credit loss model as established by evidence that the Group will not be able to collect 
all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.

Contract assets
Contract assets relates to the Group’s rights to consideration for work completed but not billed at the reporting  
date for commercial development work and bioprocessing batches. The contract assets are transferred to trade 
receivables when the rights become unconditional. This usually occurs when the Group issues an invoice  
to the customer.

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, bank deposits repayable on demand, and other short term highly 
liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Deposits
Deposits consists of amounts held in escrow and is included within other receivables within the Balance Sheet until 
such time as the restrictions relating to these items have been lifted.

Trade payables
Trade payables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective 
interest method. Trade payables are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not,  
they are presented as non-current liabilities.

Contract liabilities and deferred Income
The contract liabilities primarily relate to the advance consideration received from the customers for commercial 
development work and bioprocessing batches, as well as options, grants and funded research and development 
activities. 

Financial liability: loans
On initial recognition, external loans are measured at fair value plus directly attributable transaction costs.

On subsequent measurement, external loans are measured at amortised cost under the effective interest rate 
method. The effective interest rate method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial liability  
and allocating the interest expense over the relevant period. The calculation of the effective interest rate takes  
into account the estimated cash flows which consider all the contractual terms of the financial instrument,  
including any embedded derivatives which are not subject to separation.

If the Group assesses that a loan has elements of both a liability and an equity component, the Group will account for 
the loan as a compound financial instrument separating out the individual elements into financial liabilities or equity 
instruments. The liability and the equity components should be presented separately on the balance sheet. On initial 
recognition, the issuer of a compound instrument first measures the liability component at its fair value. The equity 
component is measured as the residual amount that results from deducting the fair value of the liability component 
from the initial carrying amount of the instrument as a whole. This method is consistent with the requirements for 
initial measurement of a financial liability in IFRS 9, and the definitions in IAS 32, and the framework of an equity 
instrument as a residual interest.

Provisions
Provisions for the anticipated cost of restoring the leasehold properties to their original condition are recognised  
when the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation as a result of past events; it is probable that an outflow 
of resources will be required to settle the obligation; and the amount has been reliably estimated.

Provisions are not recognised for future operating losses. Provisions are measured at the present value of the 
expenditure expected to be required to settle the obligation using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects the current 
market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the obligations. The increase in the provision 
due to the passage of time is recognised as finance costs.

Share capital
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Costs of share issues are charged to the share premium account.

Merger reserve
A merger reserve is used where more than 90% of the shares in a subsidiary are acquired and the consideration 
includes the issue of new shares by the Company, thereby attracting merger relief under s612 and s613 of the 
Companies Act 2006.

Warrant reserve
The warrant reserve comprises warrants exercisable on the enlarged Group’s share capital which have been  
fair valued and are exercisable over a period of time.

2. Critical accounting judgements and estimates
In applying the Group’s accounting policies, management is required to make judgements and assumptions 
concerning the future in a number of areas. Actual results may be different from those estimated using these 
judgements and assumptions. We do not believe that there are any key sources of estimation uncertainty.  
The critical accounting judgements are set out below.

IFRS 15
The Group has implemented a new accounting standard, IFRS 15 ’Revenue from contracts with customers’, from  
1 January 2018.

The new standard provides a single principles-based approach to the recognition of revenue from all contracts with 
customers and requires revenue to be recognised when or as performance obligations in a contract are performed. 

The Group has adopted IFRS 15 applying the modified retrospective approach. No cumulative adjustment to equity 
was required at 1 January 2018 as there was no change in the way performance obligations have been recognised 
due to the implementation of IFRS 15, other than as identified below. In accordance with the requirements of the 
Standard, where the modified retrospective approach is adopted, prior year results are not restated.

In application of the standard the Group has identified three key areas of judgement within the existing collaboration 
agreements, firstly in relation to the number of distinct performance obligations contained within each collaboration 
agreement which include a licence, bioprocessing and process development activities within a single contract, 
secondly the appropriate allocation of revenue to each performance obligation to represent the stand-alone selling 
price of the obligation, and thirdly the appropriate recognition at a point-in-time or over time. The sales royalties 
contained within the collaboration agreements qualify for the royalty exemption available under IFRS 15 and will 
continue to be recognised as the underlying sales are made.

As part of the IFRS 15 revenue analysis performed, the Group is planning to recognise partially funded research  
and development incomes, previously recognised within other operating income in the statement of comprehensive 
income, within revenue in this statement, in line with the development of this service within the business. In 2018,  
the Group recognised £0.2 million (2017: £0.5 million) of this type of income. There are not expected to be any  
other material impacts on reported revenue, and the prior period will not be restated.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
8
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Revenue recognition
During 2018 the Group entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Bioverativ (Sanofi). As part of this 
agreement, the Group has recognised revenues as follows:

 — £4.0 million upon granting of a license to our Lentivector technology, 

 — The provision of process development services and scale-up activities for its lentiviral vector haemophilia products 

which have been recognised as the work is completed. 

As part of the collaboration the Group is entitled to recognise future revenues in terms of:

 — The provision of process development services and scale-up activities for its lentiviral vector haemophilia products 

as the work is completed,

 — Process development, technology transfer, product, regulatory and sales milestones which will be recognised 

upon achievement of the milestone,

 — Bioprocessing income on a percentage of completion basis as the manufacturing is completed,

 — Royalties based on underlying sales and technology access fees over the period in which the technology is 

provided. 

During 2018 the Group entered into a license agreement with Axovant. As part of this agreement, the Group has 
recognised revenues as follows:

 — £4.1 million upon granting of a license to our Lentivector technology, 

 — £10.2 million upon granting of an exclusive license to our OXB-102 (now AXO-LENTI-PD) and ProSavin products,

 — The transfer of know-how and ongoing clinical development as the work is completed,

 — The provision of process development services and scale-up activities for its lentiviral vector OXB-102  

(AXO-LENTI-PD) product which have been recognised as the work is completed, 

 — Provision of existing stock of OXB-102 as that stock has been made available to Axovant.

As part of the license agreement the Group is entitled to recognise future revenues in terms of:

 — The transfer of know-how and ongoing clinical development as the work is completed,

 — The provision of process development services, scale-up activities, and technology transfer activities for its lentiviral 

vector OXB-102 (AXO-LENTI-PD) product as the work is completed,

 — Manufacturing and process development, diligence, product, regulatory and sales milestones which will be 

recognised upon achievement of the milestone,

 — Bioprocessing income on a percentage of completion basis as the manufacturing is completed,

 — Royalties based on underlying sales. 

During 2018 the Group entered into a process development collaboration agreement with the UK Cystic Fibrosis 
Gene Therapy Consortium (GTC) and Imperial Innovations to develop a long-term therapy for patients with cystic 
fibrosis (CF). Concurrently with this, a separate option and license agreement has been signed between Oxford 
Biomedica and Boehringer Ingelheim. As part of these agreements, the Group has recognised revenues as follows:

As part of the license agreement the Group is entitled to recognise future revenues in terms of:

 — The granting of a license to our Lentivector technology,

 — The provision of process development services, scale-up activities, and technology transfer activities for its lentiviral 

vector cystic fibrosis product as the work is completed,

 — Product development, technology transfer, regulatory and sales milestones which will be recognised upon 

achievement of the milestone,

 — Bioprocessing income on a percentage of completion basis as the manufacturing is completed,

 — Royalties based on underlying sales.

In 2018 the Group received £0.5 million from our insurer with regards to a loss suffered due to a temperature 
excursion on a customer stock shipment included within revenues in 2017. 

Under the 2017 Novartis contract an up-front fee of $10 million was due for a three year minimum capacity 
reservation covering the period from 2017 to 2019. The Group have determined that this revenue should  
be recognised over the capacity reservation term based on the number of batches completed per year, capped  
at the minimum capacity requirement per year per the contract. In 2018 the Group have therefore recognised 
revenues of £2.8 million (2017: £2.0 million) with regards to this item.

In 2017 the Group recognised a contractually agreed milestone for $1.8 million for the provision of support  
to Novartis in preparation of their suspension process clinical submission. Although the milestone was formally 
agreed by Novartis in January 2018, the Group concluded that the criteria for revenue recognition had been met  
on the basis that they had completed the procedures and the submission had been through the first levels of review 
with Novartis. Accordingly, a total of $1.8 million (£1.3 million) was recognised as revenue in 2017.

In 2017 the Group was due a contractually agreed step milestone from Novartis based on the increased scale-up  
of their suspension process. Dependent on productivity the Group could be awarded up to $4 million. $250,000  
was recognised in 2016. During 2017 the Group achieved the target scale up and submitted documents supporting this. 
This was formally accepted by Novartis in January 2018. The Group concluded that the criteria for revenue recognition 
had been met on the basis that they had achieved the scale up, and the submission had been through the first levels  
of review with Novartis. Accordingly, the remaining $3.8 million (£2.8 million) of revenue was recognised in 2017.

Contract balances
The following table provides information about receivables, contract assets and contract liabilities from contracts  
with customers.

Trade Receivables
Contract Assets
Contract Liabilities

2018  
£’000
15,408
8,886
(18,485)

2017  
£’000
5,705
8,681
(13,072)

The contract assets relates to the Group’s rights to consideration for work completed but not billed at the reporting 
date for commercial development work and bioprocessing batches. The contract assets are transferred to receivables 
when the rights become unconditional. This usually occurs when the Group issues an invoice to the customer.

 — The provision of process development services and scale-up activities for its lentiviral vector cystic fibrosis product 

which have been recognised as the work is completed. 

The contract liabilities primarily relate to the advance consideration received from the customers for commercial 
development work and bioprocessing batches, for which revenues are recognised on a percentage of completion basis. 

No revenue was recognised in 2018 for performance obligations satisfied in previous periods.

No information is provided about remaining performance obligations at 31 December 2018 that have an original 
expected duration of one year or less, as allowed by IFRS 15.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
0
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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Performance obligations and revenue policies
Revenue is measured based on the consideration specified in a contract with a customer. 

The following table provides information about the nature and timing of the satisfaction of performance obligations 
in contracts with customers, including significant payment terms, and the related revenue recognition policies. For 
services set out below, payment terms are negotiated on a customer by customer basis, however this is typically 
between 30 and 60 days.

Nature and timing of satisfaction  
of performance obligations
Bioprocessing of clinical and commercial 
product for partners. 

The Group has determined that for the 
bioprocessing of product, the customer controls 
all of the work in progress as the product is being 
manufactured. This is because those products 
are made under exclusive licence.
Revenues for providing process development 
activities to partners.

Milestone receivables relating to bioprocessing  
or process development activities. 

Milestones are determined by specific conditions 
stipulated in the relevant agreements or 
contracts.

Product and technology licences. 

The licences establish rights to the intellectual 
property and know-how of the Group.

Milestone payments relating to product licences. 

Milestones are determined by specific conditions 
stipulated in the relevant agreements or contracts.

Royalties.
Research and development funding.

Revenue recognition under IFRS 15
Revenue and associated costs are recognised 
over time as the processes are carried out. 
Progress is determined based on the 
achievement of verifiable stages of the process.

Revenue recognition under IAS 18
Revenue was recognised on a ’percentage 
of completion’ basis dependent on the stage of 
completion of the process at the reporting date. 

Un-invoiced amounts are presented as  
contract assets.

Revenue is recognised over time as the services 
are provided on a percentage of completion 
basis.
When a contract with a customer is identified, 
each milestone is determined as either binary or 
non-binary. Milestones that are considered to be 
binary relate to the achievement of specific 
events rather than the provision of, for example, 
support: 

Revenue was recognised during the period  
in which the service is rendered on a percentage  
of completion basis.
Milestones related to the achievement of specific 
deliverables were recognised on a probability 
adjusted basis once most of the work or 
identifiable deliverables have been completed 
and when there is a high probability that the 
incentive will be received. 

A binary milestone will be recognised in full 
once it is deemed highly probable that the 
obligation will be met.

Non-binary milestones are recognised on a 
percentage of completion basis.
The licences that have been established by the 
Group have all been determined as “right to use” 
licences, rather than “right to access” licences.

As such, the revenue from these licences is 
recognised at the point in time at which the 
licence transfers to the customer.
When a contract with a customer is identified, 
each milestone is determined as either binary  
or non-binary. Milestones that are considered  
to be binary relate to the achievement  
of specific events rather than the provision  
of, for example, support: 

A binary milestone will be recognised in full 
once it is deemed highly probable that the 
obligation will be met.

Non-binary milestones are recognised  
on a percentage of completion basis.

Recognised as the underlying sales occur.
Revenue and associated costs are recognised 
over time. Progress is determined based on the 
cost-to-cost method.

Milestones related to the provision of support 
services are recognised on a percentage of 
completion basis, but taking into account the 
likelihood of achievement of the deliverable.

Where the amount received was non-refundable 
and there were no ongoing commitments from 
the Group and the licence had no fixed end date, 
the Group recognised revenue in full on 
execution of the licence.

Milestone payments were recognised as revenue 
when the specific conditions stipulated in the 
licence agreement have been met. 

Payments linked to “success” such as regulatory 
filing or approval, or achievement of specified 
sales volumes, are recognised in full when the 
relevant event occurred. 

Otherwise, amounts receivable were recognised 
in the period in which related costs incurred,  
or over the estimated period to completion of 
the relevant phase of development or associated 
clinical trials.
Recognised as the underlying sales occur.
Other income was recognised over a period that 
corresponds with the performance of the funded 
research and development activities.

Going concern
Management and the Directors have had to make estimates and important judgements when assessing the going 
concern status of the Group. The conclusions of these estimates and judgements are reported in several places  
in this annual report including the Directors Report (page 90) and note 1 to the financial statements (page 108).

3. Financial risk management

Financial risk factors
The Group has a simple corporate structure with the Company and its only operating subsidiary both being  
UK domiciled. Monitoring of financial risk is part of the Board’s ongoing risk management, the effectiveness  
of which is reviewed annually. The Group’s agreed policies are implemented by the Chief Financial Officer,  
who submits reports at each board meeting. The Group does not use financial derivatives, and it is the Group’s  
policy not to undertake any trading in financial instruments.

(a) Foreign exchange risk
In 2018 the Group’s revenues were mostly receivable in Sterling and US Dollars, and certain of its expenditures  
were payable in Euros and US Dollars. The majority of operating costs are denominated in Sterling but most  
of the finance costs and any related future repayment of capital will be in Dollars (please refer to Interest rate  
risk for further details with regards to the Oaktree loan). A 10% difference in the £/$ exchange rate would have  
had an impact of approximately £3,054,000 (2017: £336,000) on net revenue over the year and would lead  
to an unrealised foreign exchange gain/loss of £4.1 million (2017: £3.3 million) on the outstanding loan balance.

The Group also has exposure to the £/€ exchange rate due to the need to fund expenditure denominated in Euros. 
Had the pound been 10% weaker in relation to the Euro, the increased cost in 2018 would have been approximately 
£156,000 (2017: £37,000). The Group’s policy is to hold the majority of its funds in Sterling and US Dollars. No other 
hedging of foreign currency cash flows is undertaken.

(b) Interest rate risk
On 29 June 2017 the Group established a $55 million loan facility with Oaktree Capital Management. $50 million  
of the facility was drawn down as at 30 June 2017 while the remaining $5 million of the loan facility was drawn down 
in July 2017. The fair value of the loan net of capitalised legal and associated finance costs at 31 December 2018  
is accounted for as a £41.2 million (2017: £36.9 million) balance within loans, and the fair value of the warrants  
of £1.2 million is accounted for as equity.

The Group’s policy is to maximise interest receivable on deposits, subject to maintaining access to sufficient liquid 
funds to meet day to day operational requirements and preserving the security of invested funds. With the current low 
level of bank interest rates, interest receivable on bank deposits in 2018 was just £71,000 (2017: £38,000).

If interest rates had been 1% higher in 2018 the impact on cash interest paid would have been £555,000  
(2017: £403,000).

(c) Credit risks
Cash balances are mainly held on short and medium-term deposits with financial institutions with a credit rating  
of at least A, in line with the Group’s policy to minimise the risk of loss.

Trade debtors are monitored to minimise the risk of loss (note 15).

Derivative financial instruments and hedging
There were no material derivatives at 31 December 2018 or 31 December 2017 which have required separation,  
and hedge accounting has not been used.

Fair value estimates
The fair value of short term deposits with a maturity of one year or less is assumed to be the book value.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
2
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Capital Management
The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern  
in order to provide returns to shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders, and to maintain an optimal capital 
structure to minimise the cost of capital. There have been no covenant breaches in relation to the loan agreements  
in place during the year.

Group
Net debt
Equity
Debt/equity

2018  
£’000
8,909
34,741
26%

2017  
£’000
22,535
6,146
367%

4. Segmental analysis
The chief operating decision-makers have been identified as the Senior Executive Team (SET), comprising the 
Executive Directors, Chief Project and Development Officer, Chief Technical Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, Chief 
Business Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief People Officer. The SET monitors the performance of the Group 
in two business segments:

(i)   Platform – this segment consists of the revenue generating bioprocessing and process development activities 

undertaken for third parties. It also includes internal technology developments and technical intellectual property.

(ii)  Product – this segment consists of the clinical and preclinical development of in vivo and ex vivo gene and cell 

therapy products which are owned by the Group, or out-licensed to customers.

During 2017 a change was made to the business segments monitored by SET to better reflect the way the business is 
being managed. Internal technology projects to develop new potentially saleable technology, improve our current 
processes and bring development & manufacturing costs down is now included within the newly named ’Platform’ 
segment (previously ’Partnering’), rather than forming part of the “Product“ segment (previously ’R&D’).

Revenues, Operating EBITDA and Operating profit/(loss) by segment
Revenues, Operating EBITDA and Operating profit/(loss) represent our measures of segment profit & loss as they are  
a primary measure used for the purpose of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance  
of segments.

2018
Revenue
Other operating income
Operating EBITDA¹
Depreciation, amortisation and share based payment
Revaluation of investments
Operating profit
Net finance cost
Profit before tax

2017
Revenue
Other operating income
Operating EBITDA¹
Depreciation, amortisation and share based payment
Revaluation of investments
Operating profit/(loss)
Net finance cost
Loss before tax

Platform 
 £’000
55,004
645
9,743
(4,358)
5,983
11,368

Platform 
 £’000
37,590
1,774
2,917
(5,035)
2,297
179

Product 
£’000
11,774
419
3,637
(1,090)
–
2,547

Product 
£’000
–
–
(4,786)
(1,061)
–
(5,847)

Total  
£’000
66,778
1,064
13,380
(5,448)
5,983
13,915
(8,901)
5,014

Total  
£’000
37,590
1,774
(1,869)
(6,096)
2,297
(5,668)
(6,093)
(11,761)

1. 

 Operating EBITDA, being earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation, revaluation of investments and the share based payment charge, is considered by the Directors  
to give a fairer view of the year-on-year comparison of trading performance.

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Other operating income of £1.1 million (2017: £1.8 million) includes grant income of £0.4 million (2017: £0.8 million) 
which is used to fund clinical and pre-clinical development and is included within the Product segment. Grant 
income to develop our supply chain capabilities of £0.5 million (2017: £0.2 million) is included within the Platform 
segment. 2018 includes £0.2 million (2017: £0.8 million) of partially funded development income.

Costs are allocated to the segments on a specific basis as far as possible. Costs which cannot readily be allocated 
specifically are apportioned between the segments using relevant metrics such as headcount or direct costs.

A geographical split of operating loss is not provided because this information is not received or reviewed  
by the chief operating decision-maker and the origin of all revenues is the United Kingdom.

A segmental or geographical split of assets and liabilities is not provided because this information is not received  
or reviewed by the chief operating decision-maker. All assets are located within the United Kingdom.

Disaggregation of revenue 
Revenue is disaggregated by the type of revenue which is generated by the commercial arrangement.  
Revenue shown in the table below is denominated in GBP and is generated in the UK. 

2018
Bioprocessing/Commercial 
development 
Licence fees & Milestones 
Total 

2017
Bioprocessing/Commercial 
development 
Licence fees & Milestones 
Total 

Platform 
 £’000

39,034
15,970 
55,004 

Platform 
 £’000

31,849 
5,741 
37,590 

Product 
£’000

1,470
10,304 
11,774 

Product 
£’000

– 
–
–

Total  
£’000

40,504 
26,274 
66,778 

Total  
£’000

31,849 
5,741
37,590

Our customer base includes Novartis, Axovant, Bioverativ (Sanofi) and Orchard Therapeutics which each generated 
more than 10% of the Group’s revenue in 2018.

Revenue by geographical location
The Group’s revenue derives wholly from assets located in the United Kingdom. Analysed by location the Group’s 
revenues derive predominantly from Europe with a large increase in rest of world (United States) revenues in 2018:

Revenue by customer location
Europe
Rest of world
Total revenue

2018  
£’000
41,542
25,236
66,778

2017  
£’000
36,398
1,192
37,590

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

5. Employees and Directors

7. Expenses by nature

The monthly average number of persons (including Executive Directors) employed by the Group during the year was:

By activity
Office and management
Research, development  
and bioprocessing
Total

Employee benefit costs
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs (note 30)
Share based payments (note 26)
Total employee benefit costs

Key management compensation
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs
Share based payments
Total

2018  
Number
27

2017  
Number
24

350
377

2018  
£’000
20,444
2,411
1,277
1,091
25,233

2018  
£’000
3,267
788
186
572
4,814

271
295

2017  
£’000
14,771
1,616
958
749
18,094

2017  
£’000
2,334
395
158
420
3,307

The key management figures above include Executive and Non-Executive Directors and the other members of the 
Senior Executive Team. Further information about the remuneration of individual Directors, including the highest paid 
Director, is provided in the audited part of the Directors’ remuneration report on page 74 which forms part of these 
financial statements.

The Company had no employees during the year (2017: zero).

6. Finance income and costs

Group
Finance income:
Bank interest receivable
Total finance income

Finance costs:
Unwinding of discount in provisions (note 20)
Revaluation of liabilities in foreign currency
Interest payable
Total finance costs
Net finance income

2018  
£’000

2017  
£’000

71
71

(8)
(2,744)
(6,220)
(8,972)
(8,901)

38
38

(8)
3,291
(9,414)
(6,131)
(6,093)

Up to 29 June 2017, interest payable consisted of the cash interest paid on the Oberland loan facility at 10.5%, as well 
as the remaining 4.5% previously accrued to provide a return of 15% per annum to Oberland. The Group also incurred 
a loss on early extinguishment of the Oberland facility of £3.9 million included within interest payable of £9.4 million. 

On 29 June 2017 the Group re-financed its loan facility at a lower cash cost with a new $55.0 million facility with Oaktree 
Capital Management. The new facility provides for increased funding together with a lower interest rate of 9% plus  
US$ three month LIBOR. The loan balance has increased from £36.9 million at 31 December 2017 to £41.2 million at  
31 December 2018 due to the devaluation of sterling against the dollar, and interest accrued on the capitalised balance.

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Group

2018
£’000
25,223

4,332
25
–

9,825
30
(1,305)

2017
£’000
18,094

4,113
262
971

7,833
143
287

Company
2018
£’000
365

2017
£’000
280

–
–
–

–
–
–

–
–
–

–
–
–

Notes

5

12

11

11

Employee benefit costs
Depreciation of property, plant  
and equipment
Amortisation
Impairment of intangible assets
Raw materials and consumables 
used in bioprocessing
Operating lease payments
Net (profit)/loss on foreign exchange

Company employee benefit costs of £365,000 (2017: £280,000) relates to Non-Executive costs paid  
by Oxford Biomedica UK Ltd and recharged to the Company.

Depreciation is charged to research, development and bioprocessing costs in the statement of comprehensive 
income.

During the year the Group (including its subsidiaries) obtained services from the Group’s auditors and their associates 
as detailed below:

Services provided  
by the Group’s current auditors
Fees payable for the audit of the parent company and consolidated financial statements
Fees payable for other services:

The audit of the Company’s subsidiaries
Review of interim results
Other services

Total

Services provided  
by the Group’s previous auditors
Fees payable for the audit of the parent company and consolidated financial statements
Fees payable for other services:

The audit of the Company’s subsidiaries
Additional fees relating to prior year audit
Other services
Tax compliance services

Total

Group

2018
£’000
25

2017 
£’000
–

125
20
8
178

Group

2018
£’000
–

–
25
14
–
39

–
–
–
–

2017 
£’000
25

120
15
35
5
200

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
6
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

8. Taxation

The Group is entitled to claim tax credits in the United Kingdom for certain research and development expenditure. 
The amount included in the statement of comprehensive income for the year ended 31 December 2018 comprises 
the credit receivable by the Group for the year less overseas tax paid in the year. The United Kingdom corporation  
tax research and development credit is paid in arrears once tax returns have been filed and agreed. The tax credit 
recognised in the financial statements but not yet received is included in current tax assets in the balance sheet. 
The amounts for 2018 have not yet been agreed with the relevant tax authorities.

Current tax
United Kingdom corporation tax research and development credit
Overseas taxation

Adjustments in respect of prior periods:
United Kingdom corporation tax research and development credit
Current tax

Deferred tax
Relating to the origination of timing allowances
Adjustments in respect of prior periods
Deferred tax
Taxation Credit

Group

2018
£’000
(2,278)
–
(2,278)

(528)
(2,806)

312
(33)
279
(2,527)

2017
£’000
(2,232)
18
(2,214)

(530)
(2,744)

–
–
–
(2,744)

The adjustment of current tax in respect of prior year of £528,000 (2017: £530,000) relates to a higher than 
anticipated tax receipt. 

The Company has no tax liability, nor is it entitled to tax credits (2017: £nil).

The tax credit for the year is higher (2017: higher) than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK. The differences 
are explained below:

Profit/(Loss) on ordinary activities before tax
Profit/(Loss) on ordinary activities before tax multiplied  
by the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 19.00% (2017: 19.25%)
Effects of:
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes 
R&D relief mark-up on expenses
Income not taxable
Tax deduction for share options less than share option accounting charge
Recognition of previously unrecognised tax losses
Tax rate changes
Deferred tax not recognised
Overseas tax
Tax losses carried forward to future periods
Adjustments in respect of prior periods
Total tax credit for the year

Group

2018
£’000
5,014

2017
£’000
(11,761)

Company
2018
£’000
(1 ,575)

2017
£’000
(1,207)

953

(2,264)

(299)

(232)

264
(1,880)
(32)
(387)
(963)
(33)
(358)
–
–
(91)
(2,527)

645
(1,333)
(442)
(134)
–
–
–
14
1,326
(556)
(2,744)

–
–
–
–
(963)
133
–
–
–
–
(1,129)

–
–
–
–
–
_
–
–
232
–
–

At 31 December 2018, the Group had tax losses to be carried forward of approximately £91.1 million  
(2017: £89.5 million). Of the Group tax losses, £91.1 million (2017: £89.5 million) arose in the United Kingdom. 

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9. Basic earnings / (loss) and diluted earnings per ordinary share
The basic earnings / (loss) per share of 11.57p (2017: 14.50p loss) has been calculated by dividing the earnings / (loss)  
for the period by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the year ended 31 December 2018 
(65,188,414; 2017: 61,913,343 adjusted for share consolidation (note 23)).

The diluted earnings per share of 10.89p has been calculated by dividing the earnings for the period by the weighted 
average number of shares in issue during the period after adjusting for the dilutive effect of the share options and 
warrants outstanding at 31 December 2018 (69,242,901).

There were no potentially dilutive options in the prior period. There is therefore no difference between the basic loss 
per ordinary share and the diluted loss per ordinary share in the prior period.

10. Loss for the financial year
As permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006, the Company’s statement of comprehensive income has 
not been included in these financial statements. The Company’s loss for the year was £446,000 (2017: £1,207,000).

11. Intangible assets
Intangible assets comprise intellectual property rights.

Cost at 1 January
Additions
Cost at 31 December

Accumulated amortisation and impairment
At 1 January
Amortisation charge for the year
Impairment charge for the year
At 31 December
Net book amount at 31 December

2018
£’000
5,591
45
5,636

5,494
25
–
5,519
117

2017
£’000
5,591
–
5,591

4,261
262
971
5,494
97

During 2017, there was a write down of the Prime Boost technology and poxvirus patent intangible asset after 
Bavarian Nordic’s Prostvac product failed in its phase III study.

During 2018, the Group purchased a domain name for £45,000.

For intangible assets regarded as having a finite useful life amortisation commences when products underpinned  
by the intellectual property rights become available for use. Amortisation is calculated on a straight-line basis over  
the remaining patent life of the asset. Amortisation of £25,000 (2017: £262,000) is included in ’Research, 
development and bioprocessing costs’ in the statement of comprehensive income.

An intangible asset is regarded as having an indefinite useful life when, based on an analysis of all of the relevant 
factors, there is no foreseeable limit to the period over which the asset is expected to generate net cash inflows  
for the entity. There are currently no assets with indefinite useful lives.

The Company had no intangible assets at 31 December 2018 or 31 December 2017.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

12. Property, plant and equipment

13. Investments and loans

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Cost
At 1 January 2018
Additions at cost
At 31 December 2018

Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2018
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2018

Net book amount at 31 December 2018

Freehold
property
£’000

Leasehold 
improvements
£’000

Office 
equipment and 
computers
£’000

Bioprocessing 
and laboratory 
equipment
£’000

21,171
112
21,283

4,306
2,018
6,324

14,959

4,689
3,046 1
7,735

978
472
1,450

6,285

3,179
1,909
5,088

1,862
554
2,416

2,672

6,651
5,686
12,337

3,174
1,288
4,462

7,875

Total
£’000

35,690
10,753
46,443

10,320
4,332
14,652

31,791

1. 

Included within additions to leasehold improvements is £2,396,000 of assets under construction, representing ongoing construction works at the OxBox bioprocessing facility.

Cost
At 1 January 2017
Additions at cost
Disposals
At 31 December 2017

Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2017
Charge for the year
Disposals
At 31 December 2017

Net book amount at 31 December 2017

Freehold
property
£’000

Leasehold 
improvements
£’000

Office 
equipment and 
computers
£’000

Bioprocessing  
and laboratory 
equipment
£’000

20,902
269
–
21,171

2,306
2,000
–
4,306

16,865

6,970
9
(2,290)
4,689

2,798
470
(2,290)
978

3,711

1,651
1,528
–
3,179

877
985
–
1,862

1,317

6,488
163
_
6,651

2,516
658
–
3,174

3,477

Total
£’000

36,011
1,969
(2,290)
35,690

8,497
4,113
(2,290)
10,320

25,370

The Company had no property, plant and equipment at 31 December 2018 or 31 December 2017.

Investments: Group
On 29 November 2016, as part of a strategic alliance with Orchard Therapeutics, the Group received 735,000  
ordinary shares in Orchard Therapeutics as consideration for the licenses granted under the agreement.

Additional shares valued at £2.0 million were awarded to the Group on the achievement of certain milestones, being 
188,462 ordinary shares in February 2018 and a further 188,462 ordinary shares in August 2018.These shares awarded  
were recognised as revenue during the year upon achievement of the milestones. As Orchard Therapeutics was a private 
company at the time, the shares awarded were not valued based on observable market data, but rather the value  
of the most recent placing of shares by Orchard Therapeutics prior to the milestone being achieved.

Additional ordinary shares may be issued to Oxford Biomedica should the Group achieve the remaining milestones.

In November 2018, Orchard Therapeutics converted each of its shares of capital stock into 0.8003 shares. These were 
then re-designated as Ordinary shares, resulting in the number of shares owned by Oxford Biomedica being adjusted  
from 1,111,924 to 889,872. Subsequently, in November 2018, Orchard Therapeutics floated on Nasdaq.

At year end the investment was revalued based on the 31 December 2018 share price of $15.73, and a gain  
of £6.0 million (2017: £2.3 million) was recognised during the year. The aggregate fair value of the equity  
investment in Orchard Therapeutics is £11.0 million (2017: £3.0 million).

At 1 January
Recognition of milestones
Revaluation of investments
At 31 December

Investments & Loans: Company

Shares in group undertakings 
At 1 January and 31 December

Financial assets: Loans to group undertakings
At 1 January
Loan advanced in the year
At 31 December
Total investments in shares and loans to group undertakings

Accumulated impairment
At 1 January and 31 December
Net book amount at 31 December

Capital contribution in respect of employee share schemes
At 1 January
Additions in the year (note 26)
At 31 December

Total investments and loans

2018
£’000
2,954
2,029
5,983
10,966

2017
£’000
657
–
2,297
2,954

2018
£’000

2017
£’000

15,182

15,182

176,432
18,304
194,736
209,918

170,639
5,793
176,432
191,614

126,065
83,853

126,065
65,549

6,801
1,132
7,933

6,052
749
6,801

91,786

72,350

The application of the expected credit loss model has had no significant impact on the level of impairment of the loan  
to group undertakings as the market value of the Group, of which OxfordBiomedica (UK) Ltd as the operational company 
makes up almost all of the value, considerably exceeds the value of the loan and investment made by the parent company.

The loan to Oxford Biomedica (UK) has no fixed terms of repayment.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Interests in subsidiary undertakings

15. Trade and other receivables

1
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Country of 
incorporation

Description of  
shares held

Proportion of nominal value 
of issued shares held by the 
Group and Company

Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited

Great Britain

1p ordinary shares

Oxxon Therapeutics Limited

Great Britain

1p ordinary shares

100%

100%

Nature of business
Gene therapy research  
and development

Dormant

The registered office of both subsidiaries is Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford, OX4 6LT.

In addition, during 2014, the Group set up the Oxford Biomedica Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) to hold market-purchased 
shares to settle the 2013 deferred bonus share awards made to Executive Directors and employees (note 25).

All of the above subsidiaries have been consolidated in these financial statements.

At each year end the Directors review the carrying value of the Company’s investment in subsidiaries. Where there  
is a material and sustained shortfall in the market capitalisation, or a significant and sustained change in the business 
resulting in a decrease in market capitalisation, the Directors consider this to be a trigger of an impairment review  
as set out in IAS 36. Where the impairment review performed concludes that the carrying value of the investment  
in subsidiaries is too high, it is adjusted. The Directors consider that reference to the market capitalisation of the 
Group is an appropriate external measure of the value of the Group for this purpose. Following an impairment review 
at 31 December 2018 no impairment charge was assessed to be required. Cumulative impairment of £126.1 million 
has been recognised up to 31 December 2018.

14. Inventories

Group
Raw Materials
Work-in-progress
Total inventory

2018
£’000
2,422
1,829
4,251

2017
£’000
1,895
1,437
3,332

Inventories are raw materials held for commercial bioprocessing purposes and work-in-progress inventory related  
to contractual bioprocessing obligations.

During 2018, the Group wrote off £233,000 (2017: £53,000) of inventory which is not expected to be used  
in production or sold onwards. The Company holds no inventories.

Trade receivables
Contract assets
Other receivables
Other tax receivable
Prepayments
Total trade and other receivables

Group

2018
£’000
15,408
8,886
4,307
1,144
840
30,585

2017
£’000
5,705
8,681
23
1,288
1,391
17,088

Company
2018
£’000
–
–
–
–
–
–

2017
£’000
–
–
–
–
9
9

The fair value of trade and other receivables is the current book values. The application of the expected credit loss 
model has had no significant impact on the level of impairment of receivables.

Included in the Group’s trade receivables balance are debtors with a carrying amount of £1,768,000 (2017: £65,000) 
which were past due at the reporting date, all of which have since been received.

Other receivables have increased due to £4.0 million of deposits held in escrow as part of the new discovery  
and innovation facility and OxBox lease arrangements. 

Ageing of past due but not impaired trade receivables:

0–30 days
30–60 days
60+ days

2018 
£’000
–
–
1,768
1,768

2017
£’000
65
–
–
65

Contract assets of £8.9 million (2017: £8.7 million) arises where work has been undertaken which is recoverable from 
third parties, but which has not yet been invoiced. The balance mainly relates to commercial development milestones 
which have been accrued as the specific conditions stipulated in the license agreement have been met, and 
commercial development work orders accrued on a percentage complete basis which will be invoiced as the related 
work package completes.

The carrying amounts of the Group’s trade and other receivables are denominated in the following currencies:

Sterling
US Dollar

2018
£’000
28,098
2,487
30,585

2017
£’000
16,684
404
17,088

The Company’s receivables are all denominated in Sterling.

The maximum exposure to credit risk at the reporting date is the fair value of each class of receivable above.  
The Group does not hold any collateral as security.

16. Cash and cash equivalents
The Group is required under the Oaktree Facility to maintain cash and cash equivalents of not less than $2.5 million 
(£2.0 million) while the Oaktree Facility is outstanding (2017: $5 million, £3.7 million).

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

17. Trade and other payables

Trade payables
Other taxation and social security
Accruals
Total trade and other payables

Group

2018
£’000
3,746
770
6,906
11,422

2017
£’000
3,682
579
4,429
8,690

Company
2018 
£’000
–
–
164
164

2017
£’000
–
–
81
81

Accruals have increased significantly from the prior year as a result of purchases of equipment and leasehold 
improvements for the new OxBox facility. 

18. Contract liabilities and deferred Income
Contract liabilities arises when the Group has received payment for services in excess of the stage of completion  
of the services being provided.

Contract liabilities has increased from £13.1 million at the end of 2017 to £18.5 million (of which £1.8 million  
is Non-current) at the end of 2018 due to £0.5 million of options and £5.0 million of process development income  
from new customers.

Contract liabilities consists primarily of deferred bioprocessing and process development revenue, and is expected  
to be released as the related performance obligations are satisfied over the period as described below: 

Years
Contract liabilities
Bioprocessing income
Process development income
Licence fees, options and milestones
Deferred Income
Lease incentives
Grant
Total

0-1 
£’000

0-3 
£’000

0-5 
£’000

0-10 
£’000

9,074
–
168

–
–
9,242

1,504
7,085
–

–
–
8,589

–
–
500

–
–
500

–
–
154

2,250
2,783
5,187

Total

10,578
7,085
822

2,250
2,783
23,518

19. Loans
The Oberland Facility was fully repaid on 29 June 2017 at a cost of £36.3 million including the accrued interest  
and loss on early extinguishment of £5.3 million.

On 29 June 2017 the Group completed a new $55 million debt facility with Oaktree Capital Management ("Oaktree").  
The facility has been used to redeem the debt facility with Oberland Capital Healthcare.

The Oaktree loan is repayable no later than 29 June 2020 although it may be repaid, at the Group’s discretion, at any 
time subject to early prepayment fees and an exit fee. The loan carries an interest rate of 9.0% plus US$ three month 
LIBOR, subject to a minimum of 1%. Subject to achieving certain conditions, the interest rate could reduce by 0.25%  
in the second year and a further 0.25% in the third year. The loan was issued at an original discount of 2.5%, and under 
the agreement the Company has issued 2,687,025 (post consolidation) warrants to Oaktree (note 28). The terms also 
include financial covenants relating to the achievement of revenue targets and a requirement to hold a minimum of  
$2.5 million (2017: $5 million) cash at all times.

On initial recognition, the Oaktree loan, net of the expenses incurred in the refinancing which are treated as prepaid 
expenses, was fair valued at £37.7 million. The loan balance has increased to £41.2 million due to accrued interest  
and the impact of foreign exchange movements.

The Oaktree facility is secured by a pledge over substantially all of the Group’s assets.

20. Provisions

Group

At 1 January
Unwinding of discount
Utilisation of provision
Additional provision recognised
At 31 December

Current
Non-current
Total provisions

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2018
£’000

630
8
–
649
1,287

2018
£’000
–
1,287
1,287

2017
£’000

622
8
–
–
630

2017
£’000
–
630
630

The dilapidations provisions relate to the anticipated costs of restoring the leasehold Yarnton and new discovery and 
innovation facility properties in Oxford, UK to their original condition at the end of the lease terms in 2024 and 2028 
respectively, discounted using the rate per the Bank of England nominal yield curve. The equivalent rate was used in 
2017. The provisions will be utilised at the end of the leases if they are not renewed.

The Group has signed a lease on a new facility in Oxford, UK (OxBox) that is near its Windrush laboratories.  
The new facility is 84,000 sq. ft (7,800 sqm). The Group’s planned Phase I and Phase 2 expansion will fit out around 
45,000 sq. ft (4,200 sqm) for four GMP clean room suites and two fill and finish suites as well as offices, warehousing 
and QC laboratories, with space available for future expansion. This new facility is still under construction and 
therefore it is not currently possible to accurately estimate the restoration costs.

The Company had no provisions at 31 December 2018 or 31 December 2017.

21. Financial instruments
The Group and Company’s financial instruments comprise cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables, 
loans, and trade and other payables. Additional disclosures are set out in the corporate governance statement and  
in note 3 relating to risk management.

The Group had the following financial instruments at 31 December each year:

Cash and cash equivalents (note 16)
Trade receivables and other 
receivables (note 15)
Investments (note 13)
Trade and other payables excluding 
tax (note 17)
Loans (note 19)

Financial assets at fair value 
through profit & loss

2018
£’000
–

–
10,966

–
–
10,966

2017
£’000
–

–
2,954

–
–
2,954

Loans &  
receivables
2018
£’000
32,244

29,281
–

–
–
61,525

2017
£’000
14,329

14,409
–

–
–
28,738

Amortised costs, loans  
& other liabilities

2018
£’000
–

–
–

10,652
41,153
52,108

2017
£’000
–

–
–

8,111
36,864
44,975

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Floating rate instant access deposits earned interest at prevailing bank rates.

Sterling
US Dollars

2018

2017
Year average Year average
Weighted 
average rate
0.49%
0.66%

Weighted 
average rate
0.48%
1.45%

In accordance with IFRS 9 ’Financial instruments: the Group has reviewed all contracts for embedded derivatives that 
are required to be separately accounted for if they meet certain requirements set out in the standard. There were no 
such derivatives identified at 31 December 2018 or 31 December 2017.

Fair value
The Directors consider that the fair values of the Group’s financial instruments do not differ significantly from their 
book values.

The carrying amounts of the Group’s cash and cash equivalents are denominated in the following currencies:

Sterling
US Dollar

2018
£’000
3,560
28,684
32,244

2017
£’000
3,843
10,486
14,329

Financial assets classified as level 1 in hierarchy
The investment in Orchard Therapeutics is classified as at fair value through profit and loss. Please refer to note 13  
for further information.

There has been a change in the valuation level of the investment in Orchard Therapeutics from level 3 to level 1 prior 
to the year end due to the company having IPO’d in November 2018.

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Maturity analysis of the Group’s financial liabilities
The following table analyses the contractual undiscounted cash flows payable, as well as the carrying value and  
fair value of Group borrowings at the date of the statement of financial position. Contractual cash flows in respect  
of interest payments are calculated using interest rates applicable at the date of the statement of financial position.

The Group also has short-term receivables and payables that arise in the normal course of business and these  
are not included in the following table. Any cash flows based on floating interest rates are based on interest rates 
prevailing at 31 December:

2018
Oaktree Capital Management
Interest
Capital

2017
Oaktree Capital Management
Interest
Capital

Due 
within 
1 year
£’000

Due 
between 1 
and 2 years
£’000

Due 
between 2 
and 3 years
£’000

Total 
payments to 
maturity
£’000

4,354
–
4,354

2,111
43,886
45,997

–
–
–

6,465
43,886
50,351

Due 
within 
1 year
£’000

Due 
between 1 
and 2 years
£’000

Due 
between 2 
and 3 years
£’000

Total 
payments to 
maturity
£’000

4,144
–
4,144

4,043
–
4,043

1,996
41,494
43,490

10,183
41,494
51,677

Carrying 
value
£’000

–
41,153
41,153

Carrying 
value
£’000

–
36,864
36,864

All contractual payments are in US dollars. Interest payments are floating rate payments whilst the capital repayment 
at the end of the term is fixed.

Reconciliation in liabilities from financing activities

At 1 January
Interest payable
Foreign exchange movement
Cash interest paid
Oberland loan repayment
Oaktree facility drawn down
Warrants recognised separately (note 28)
At 31 December 2018 (note 19)

2018 
£’000
36,864
6,210
2,744
(4,665)
–
–
–
41,153

2017 
£’000
34,389
9,414
(3,282)
(10,800)
(30,536)
38,897
(1,218)
36,864

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

22. Deferred taxation
The Company and the Group have recognised deferred tax balances as at 31 December 2018 (2017: £nil).  
In light of the Group's history of losses, recovery of the whole deferred tax asset is not sufficiently certain, and 
therefore only a portion of the asset has been recognised.

The main rate of corporation tax in the UK reduced from 20% to 19% with effect from 1 April 2017 and will reduce 
further to 17% with effect from 1 April 2020.

Group – recognised
Deferred tax (assets)/liabilities 

At 1 January 2018
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
At 31 December 2018

At 1 January 2017
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
At 31 December 2017

Company – recognised
Deferred tax (assets)/liabilities

At 1 January 2018
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
At 31 December 2018

At 1 January 2017
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
At 31 December 2017

Group – not recognised
Deferred tax (assets)/liabilities – not recognised

At 1 January 2018
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
At 31 December 2018

At 1 January 2017
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
At 31 December 2017

Revaluation 
of 
investments
£’000

–
 1,408
1,408

–
–
–

Revaluation 
of 
investments
£’000

–
–
–

–
–
–

Tax losses
£’000

–
(1,129) 
(1,129)

–
–
–

Tax losses
£’000

–
(1,129) 
(1,129)

–
–
–

Total
£’000

–
 279 
 279

–
–
–

Total
£’000

–
(1,129) 
(1,129)

–
–
–

Tax 
depreciation
£’000

(1,071)
285 
(786)

(1,281)
210
(1,071)

Provisions
£’000

Tax losses
£’000

Share options
£’000

Total
£’000

(133)
(5) 
(138)

(255)
122
(133)

(16,378)
(150) 
(16,528)

(16,025)
(353)
(16,378)

(148)
 (1,564)
(1,712)

(288)
140
(148)

(17,730)
(1,434) 
(19,164)

(17,849)
119
(17,730)

23. Ordinary share capital

Group and Company 
Issued and fully paid
Ordinary shares of 1p each
At 1 January – 3,107,704,224 (2017: 3,088,047,310) shares
Allotted for cash in placing and subscription – 174,346,817 (2017: nil) shares
Share consolidation (3,285,053,650 1p shares converted to 65,701,073 50 p shares)
Allotted on exercise of share options – 462,507 (2017: 393,138 adjusted for 
consolidation) shares
At 31 December – 66,103,528 (2017: 62,154,084 adjusted for consolidation) shares

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2018
£’000

31,076
1,712
–

246
33,034

2017
£’000

30,879
–
–

197
31,076

In March 2018 the Company raised £20.5 million gross proceeds by way of a placing of 174,346,817 ordinary shares  
at a price of 11.7 pence per share. Net proceeds after expenses were £19.1 million.

On 30 May 2018, Oxford Biomedica consolidated its existing ordinary shares of 1 pence each to 65,701,073  
new consolidated ordinary shares of 50 pence each.

24. Share premium account

Group and Company 
At 1 January
Premium on shares issued for cash in placing and subscription
Premium on exercise of share options
Costs associated with the issue of shares
At 31 December

2018
£’000
154,224
18,748
478
(1,376)
172,074

2017
£’000
154,036
–
188
–
154,224

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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25. Options over shares of Oxford Biomedica plc
The Company has outstanding share options that were issued under the following schemes:

 — The 2007 Share Option Scheme (approved February 2007).

 — The 2015 Executive Share Option Scheme (approved May 2015).

 — The 2007 Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) (approved February 2007). 

 — The 2015 Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) (approved May 2015).

 — The 2013 Deferred Bonus Plan (approved February 2014).

 — The 2015 Deferred Bonus Plan (approved May 2015).

 — The 2015 Save As You Earn Scheme (approved May 2015).

Share options are granted to Executive Directors and selected senior managers under the Company’s Long Term 
Incentive Plans (LTIP) and Deferred Bonus Plan, and to other employees under the Share Option Schemes and Save 
as You Earn Scheme. All option grants are at the discretion of the Remuneration Committee.

Options granted under the 2007 and 2015 LTIPs to Directors and other senior managers are subject to market condition 
performance criteria and will vest only if, at the third anniversary of the grant, the performance criteria have been met. 
Failure to meet the minimum performance criteria by the third anniversary results in all the granted options lapsing.

The performance criteria are described in the Directors’ remuneration report. LTIP awards made to date are exercisable 
at either par or a nil cost on the third anniversary of the date of grant, and lapse 10 years after being granted.

Options granted under the 2007 Share Option Scheme have fixed exercise prices based on the market price at the 
date of grant. They are not subject to market condition performance criteria and the lives of the options are ten years, 
after which the options expire. Options granted prior to 2012 cannot normally be exercised before the third 
anniversary of the date of grant. Options granted under the 2007 Scheme during 2012 to 2014, with one exception, 
vest in tranches of 25% from the first to fourth anniversaries of the grant dates.

Options granted under the 2015 Executive Share Option Scheme have fixed exercise prices based on the market price 
at the date of grant. They are not subject to market condition performance criteria and the lives of the options are ten 
years, after which the options expire. Options granted under the 2015 Scheme cannot normally be exercised before 
the third anniversary of the date of grant.

Options granted under the 2015 Save As You Earn Scheme have fixed exercise prices based on the market price at the 
date of grant. They are not subject to market condition performance criteria and the lives of the options are ten years, 
after which the options expire. Options cannot be exercised before the third anniversary of the date of grant.

Share options outstanding at 31 December 2018 have the following expiry date and exercise prices:

Options granted to employees under the Oxford Biomedica 2007 and 2015 Share Option Schemes

2018 Number of shares
–
–
12,211
22,406
40,314
47,114
101,7572
221,2562
340,9952
271,5062
1,057,559

2017 Number of shares1
6,000
2,051
23,139
38,126
65,426
80,308
175,8592
236,1052
379,1102
–
1,006,124

Exercise price per share
290p
305p
270p to 290p
115p to 155p
80p to 140p
100p to 200p
490p
275p
495p
904p

Date from which exercisable
Vested
Vested
Vested
Vested
Vested
Vested
13/03/18 to 01/06/18
16/05/19 to 13/10/19
13/07/20
07/08/21

Expiry date
13/10/18
25/03/19
15/03/21 to 04/10/21
08/05/22 to 21/12/22
22/05/23 to 19/11/23
03/06/24 to 17/10/24
13/03/25 to 10/06/25
16/05/26 to 13/10/26
13/07/27
07/08/28

Note 1 – Restated following 50 to 1 share consolidation.
Note 2 – Options granted under the 2015 Executive share option scheme.

Options granted to employees under the Oxford Biomedica 2015 Save As You Earn Scheme

2018 Number of shares 2017 Number of shares1
67,022
152,054
80,001
–
299,077

27,078
144,466
77,283
114,731
363,558

Note 1 – Restated following 50 to 1 share consolidation.

Exercise price per share
310p
145p
330p
725p

Date from which exercisable
01/10/18
13/10/19
12/10/20
10/10/21

Expiry date
01/10/25
13/10/26
12/10/27
10/10/28

Options granted under the Oxford Biomedica 2007 and 2015 Long Term Incentive Plans
2018 Number of shares 2017 Number of shares3
Date from which exercisable
Vested
20,000
–
Vested
217,600
142,000
Vested
127,170
72,679
Vested
107,339
93,349
210,9152
113,158 2
Vested
178,9111,2
178,909 1,2
16/05/19
224,0251,2
231,2561,2
17/07/20 to 25/09/20
04/08/21
–
196,912
1,085,960
1,028,263

Exercise price per share
50p
50p
50p
50p
0p
0p
0p
0p

2,449,380

2,391,161

Note 1 – These LTIP awards will vest provided that performance conditions specified in the Directors’ remuneration report are met. 
Note 2 – Options granted under the 2015 LTIP.
Note 3 – Restated following 50 to 1 share consolidation.

Expiry date
13/10/18
30/06/22
12/06/23
20/6/24 to 17/10/24
10/01/25
16/05/26
17/07/27 to 25/09/27
04/08/28

Deferred Share Awards
The Executive Directors and certain other senior managers have been awarded deferred bonuses in the form of share 
options. These options will vest provided that the managers are still employed by the Group on certain specified 
future dates and are exercisable at nil p on either the first three anniversaries of the grant or the third anniversary of 
the grant dependent on the option conditions. Options with a value of £267,000 vested during 2018 (2017: £314,000).

The options granted under the 2013 Deferred Bonus Plan will be satisfied by market-purchased shares held by the 
Oxford Biomedica Employee Benefit Trust (EBT). As at 31 December 2018, all shares held by the EBT had vested. The 
EBT is consolidated at year end with the shares held in trust accounted for as part of the treasury reserve within equity 
(note 28). During the year no shares (2017: 1,325,035) from the EBT were exercised.

The options granted under the 2015 Deferred Bonus Plan will be satisfied by new issue shares at the time of exercise.

Options granted to employees under the Oxford Biomedica 2013 and 2015 Deferred Bonus Plan

2018 Number of shares 2017 Number of shares1
116,724
99,966
103,484
63,808
–
383,982

116,723
78,907
81,257
53,900
48,422
379,209

Note 1 – Restated following 50 to 1 share consolidation.

Exercise price per share
0p
0p
0p
0p
0p

Date from which exercisable
Vested
Vested
14/05/17 to 14/05/19
11/07/18 to 11/07/20
04/08/19 to 04/08/21

Expiry date
15/06/24 & 14/10/24
04/05/25
14/05/26
11/07/27
04/08/28

National Insurance liability
Certain options granted to UK employees could give rise to a national insurance (NI) liability on exercise.  
A provision of £437,000 (2017: £168,000) is included in accruals for the potential NI liability accrued  
to 31 December on exercisable options that were above water, based on the year-end share price  
of 707.20p (2017: 8.85p pre-consolidation) per share.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

26. Share based payments
The fair values of options granted during the year were calculated using the following assumptions:

Share options (Model used: Black Scholes)
Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Vesting period (years)
Total number of shares under option
Expected volatility (weighted average)
Expected life (years)
Risk free rate (weighted average)
Fair value per option

Save As You Earn scheme awards (Model used: Black Scholes)
Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Vesting period (years)
Total number of shares under option
Expected volatility (weighted average)
Expected life (years)
Risk free rate (weighted average)
Fair value per option

LTIP awards (Model used: Monte Carlo)
Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Vesting period (years)
Total number of shares under option
Expected volatility (weighted average)
Expected life (years)
Risk free rate (weighted average)
Fair value per option

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Options awarded  
7 August 2018
888.1p
903.8p
3
270.553
58%
3
0.81%
342.06p

Options awarded  
10 October 2018
805.20p
724.66p
3
115,476
57%
3
1.04%
338.43p

LTIPs awarded  
7 August 2018
888.10p
0.0p
3
204,147
58%
3
0.81%
505.86p

The tables below show the movements in the Share Option Scheme, Save As You Earn Scheme and the LTIP  
during the year, together with the related weighted average exercise prices.

Excluding the LTIP & Deferred Bonus awards which are exercisable at par/nil value, the weighted average exercise 
price for options granted during the year was 850.1p (2017: 470p).

462,507 options were exercised in 2018 (2017: 393,138), including 53,174 of deferred bonus options (2017: 56,316).

The total charge for the year relating to employee share-based payment plans was £1,132,000 (2017: £749,000),  
all of which related to equity-settled share based payment transactions.

Share options excluding LTIP
Outstanding at 1 January
Forfeited
Granted
Cancelled
Exercised
Share consolidation
Granted
Forfeited
Exercised
Cancelled

Outstanding at 31 December

Exercisable at 31 December
Exercisable and where market price exceeds  
exercise price at 31 December

LTIP awards (options exercisable at par value 1p or nil cost)
Outstanding at 1 January
Exercised
Share consolidation
Granted
Expired
Exercised

Outstanding at 31 December

Exercisable at 31 December

Range of exercise prices
LTIP:
Exercisable at par or at nil cost
Deferred bonus:
Exercisable at par or at nil cost
Options:
50p to 150p
150p to 250p
250p to 350p
350p+

Note 1 – Restated following 50 to 1 share consolidation.

Number
65,260,044
(2,174,134)
166,857
(180,674)
(2,056,185)
(59,795,959)
386,029
(28,985)
(149,191)
(6,685)

1,421,117

250,880

250,880

2018
Weighted average  
exercise price
6.7p
8.0p
10.5p
5.8p
3.3p
6.8p
633.4p
474.9p
337.7p
156.1p

Number
50,841,737
–
–
–
–
–
24,120,663
(4,202,453)
(4,439,429)
(1,060,474)

419.2p

65,260,044

299.7p

9,478,677

299.7p

9,478,677

2018 
Number
54,297,969
(300,000)
(52,918,024)
204,147
(42,811)
(213,018)

1,028,263

421,186

2017
Weighted average  
exercise price
5.1p
–
–
–
–
–
9.4p
6.7p
2.8p
5.0p

6.7p

3.0p

3.0p

2017 
Number
70,826,153
–
–
11,201,233
(14,002,687)
(13,726,730)

54,297,969

23,605,450

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price

Number 
of shares

2018
Weighted average 
remaining  
life (years) 
Contractual

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price1

Number 
of shares1

2017
Weighted average 
remaining  
life (years)
Contractual

15p 1,028,263

0p

379,209

132p
175p
290p
659p

215,881
38,419
337,828
828,989
2,828,589

8.1

6.9

6.8
4.4
7.5
8.8

20p 1,085,960

0p

383,982

125p
175p
285p
495p

270,270
65,644
414,318
554,969
2,775,143

7.0

7.6

7.5
5.4
8.1
8.9

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2
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Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

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27. Accumulated losses

At 1 January
Profit/(Loss) for the year
Share based payments
Vesting of deferred share award
At 31 December

Group

2018 
£’000
(182,663)
7,541
1,2461
–
(173,876)

2017
£’000
(174,489)
(9,017)
945
(102)
(182,663)

Company
2018
£’000
(122,590)
(446)
(41)
–
(123,077)

2017
£’000
(121,383)
(1,207)
–
–
(122,590)

Note 1 –  The credit to accumulated losses is made up out of the charge for the year relating to employee share-based payment plans of £1,132,000 (2017: £749,000) (note 26), £267,000 

(2017: £314,000) related to the vesting of deferred share awards made to Executive Directors and senior managers, less £153,000 (2017: 118,000) in relation to the exercise  
of 53,174 (2017: 56,316 post consolidation) of these deferred share awards (note 25).

Neither the Company nor its subsidiary undertakings had reserves available for distribution at 31 December 2018  
or 31 December 2017.

28. Other reserves

Group

Warrant 
reserve
£’000

Merger 
reserve
£’000

Treasury
reserve
£’000

At 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018

1,218

2,291

–

Group

At 1 January 2017
Issue of warrants
At 31 December 2017

Warrant 
reserve
£’000

Merger 
reserve
£’000

Treasury
reserve
£’000

–
1,218
1,218

2,291
–
2,291

(102)
102
–

Total
£’000

3,509

Total
£’000

2,189
1,320
3,509

The Group merger reserve at 31 December 2018 and 2017 comprised £711,000 arising from the consolidation  
of Oxford Biomedica (UK) Ltd using the merger method of accounting in 1996, and £1,580,000 from the application 
of merger relief to the purchase of Oxxon Therapeutics Limited in 2007.

All shares previously held in the treasury reserve have now vested leaving a balance of nil (2017: nil) (note 25).

Under the Oaktree loan agreement the Company has issued 2,687,025 warrants (post consolidation) to Oaktree, 
equivalent to 4.4% of the enlarged Group’s share capital. The warrants are exercisable at the nominal share price of 1p 
and may be exercised at any time over the next ten years. The warrants have been fair valued at £1.2 million net of 
related expenses and this amount has been credited to the warrant reserve.

Company
At 1 January 2018
Credit in relation to employee share schemes
At 31 December 2018

At 1 January 2017
Credit in relation to employee share schemes
Issue of warrants
At 31 December 2017

Warrant
reserve
£’000
1,218
–
1,218

–
–
1,218
1,218

Merger
reserve
£’000
1,580
–
1,580

1,580
–
–
1,580

Share
Scheme
Reserve
£’000
6,801
1,132
7,933

6,052
749
–
6,801

Total
£’000
9,599
1,132
10,751

7,632
749
1,218
9,599

Options over the Company’s shares have been awarded to employees of subsidiary companies. In accordance  
with IFRS 2 ’Share-based Payment’ the expense in respect of these awards is recognised in the subsidiaries’ financial 
statements (see note 26). In accordance with IFRS 2 the Company has treated the awards as a capital contribution  
to the subsidiaries, resulting in an increase in the cost of investment of £1,132,000 (2017: £749,000) (see note 13)  
and a corresponding credit to reserves.

29. Cash flows from operating activities

Continuing operations
Operating profit/(loss)
Adjustment for:
Depreciation
Amortisation of intangible assets
Charge for impairment
Charge in relation to employee share schemes
Non-cash gains

Changes in working capital:

(Increase)/decrease in trade and other receivables
Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables
Increase in contract liabilities and deferred income
Increase/(decrease) in provisions
Increase in inventory

Net cash used in operations

Group

2018 
£’000

2017
£’000

Company
2018
£’000

2017
£’000

13,915

(5,668)

(1,575)

(1,207)

4,332
25
–
1,246
(8,012)

(14,559)
2,732
10,446
8
(919)
9,214

4,113
262
971
945
(2,297)

(11,183)
2,687
9,759
8
(1,130)
(1,533)

–
–
–
–
–

9
83
–
–
–
(1,483)

–
–
–
–
–

(6)
(95)
–
–
–
(1,308)

Non cash gains include equity stakes in Orchard Therapeutics granted on completion of milestones (£2.0 million), 
and a gain of £6.0 million (2017: £2.3 million) on the revaluation of the equity investment at the end of the year.

30. Pension commitments
The Group operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its Directors and employees. The assets of the 
scheme are held in independently administered funds. The pension cost charge of £1,277,000 (2017: £958,000) 
represents amounts payable by the Group to the scheme. Contributions of £186,000 (2017: £138,000), included  
in accruals, were payable to the scheme at the year-end.

31. Operating lease commitments – minimum lease payments
The future aggregate minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Group
Not later than one year
Later than one year and not later than five years
Over five years
Total lease commitments

2018
£’000
842
4,532
8,532
13,906

2017
£’000
94
330
144
568

The Group leases equipment under non-cancellable operating lease agreements. The Group continues to lease the 
manufacturing site at Yarnton, Oxford under a non-cancellable operating lease agreement. The Group entered into  
a lease for the new discovery and innovation facility property and a lease on a new facility (Oxbox) that is near to its 
Windrush laboratories in Oxford, UK. The leases have various terms, escalation clauses and renewal rights.

The Company had no operating lease commitments during the year (2017: none).

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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SAR 421869: Usher syndrome type 1B
SAR 421869 is a gene-based therapy for the treatment  
of Usher syndrome 1B. The disease is caused by a 
mutation of the gene encoding myosin VIIA (MY07A), 
which leads to progressive retinitis pigmentosa combined 
with a congenital hearing defect. SAR 421869 intends to 
address vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa by using 
the Company’s LentiVector platform technology to 
deliver a corrected version of the MYO7A gene. A single 
administration of the product could provide long-term  
or potentially permanent correction.

OXB-202: corneal graft rejection
OXB-202 is a gene-based treatment for the prevention  
of corneal graft rejection. Corneal grafting arises from  
a need to remove and replace pathology arising in the 
cornea causing ’clouding’. Although one of the most 
successfully transplanted tissues, a significant number  
of grafts are rejected due to vascularisation. OXB-202 
uses the Company’s LentiVector platform technology  
to deliver endostatin and angiostatin ex vivo to  
donor corneas prior to transplant in order to block 
vascularisation and to prevent graft rejection.

OXB-302 (CAR-T 5T4): cancer
OXB-302 aims to destroy cancerous cells expressing  
the 5T4 tumour antigen. It uses the Group’s LentiVector 
platform and 5T4 antigen to target cancer cells expressing 
5T4 tumour antigen expressed on the surface of most 
solid tumours and some haematological malignancies.

4
4
1

Group financial statements 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Other matters 
Glossary

32. Contingent liabilities and capital commitments
The Group had commitments of £15,723,000 for capital expenditure for leasehold improvements, plant and  
equipment not provided for in the financial statements at 31 December 2018 (2017: £850,000). The largest part  
of the 2018 commitment relates to the leasehold improvements, and plant and equipment of the new OxBox 
bioprocessing facility.

33. Related party transactions 

Identity of related parties
The Group consists of a parent, Oxford Biomedica plc, one wholly-owned trading subsidiary (Oxford Biomedica (UK) 
Limited), the principal trading company, and one dormant subsidiary (Oxxon Therapeutics Limited), which was 
acquired and became dormant in 2007 when its assets and trade were transferred to Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited. 
The registered address for the Company and all of its subsidiaries is Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT.

During the year, OcQuila (UK) Ltd was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company.  
In November 2018 it was sold. It remained dormant from incorporation to date of sale.

The parent company is responsible for financing and setting group strategy. Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited carries 
out the Group strategy, employs all the UK staff including the Directors, and owns and manages all of the Group’s 
intellectual property. The proceeds from the issue of shares by the parent are passed from Oxford Biomedica plc  
to Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited as a loan, and Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited manages group funds and makes 
payments, including the expenses of the parent company.

Company: transactions with subsidiaries
Purchases:
Parent company expenses paid by subsidiary

Warrants:
Issue of warrants for shares as part of consideration for loan obtained by subsidiary

Cash management:
Cash loaned by parent to subsidiary

2018
£’000

2017
£’000

(1,370)

(976)

–

1,218

19,674

5,551

The loan from Oxford Biomedica plc to Oxford Biomedica (UK) Limited is unsecured and interest free. The loan has 
no fixed repayment terms and is not expected to be repaid within 12 months of the year end. The year-end balance 
on the loan was:

Company: year-end balance of loan
Loan to subsidiary

2018
£’000
194,736

2017
£’000
176,432

The investment in the subsidiary, of which the loan forms part, has been impaired by £126 million (note 13)  
in previous years.

In addition to the transactions above, options over the Company’s shares have been awarded to employees  
of subsidiary companies. In accordance with IFRS 2, the Company has treated the awards as a capital contribution  
to the subsidiaries, resulting in a cumulative increase in the cost of investment of £7,892,000 (2017: £6,801,000).

There were no transactions (2017: none) with Oxxon Therapeutics Limited.

Company: transactions with related parties
There is an outstanding balance of £10,767 (2017: £5,000) owed to Lorenzo Tallarigo at year end. This was paid  
in January 2019. There were no other outstanding balances in respect of transactions with Directors and connected 
persons at 31 December 2018 (2017: none). Key person remuneration can be seen in note 5 of the financial 
statements.

Oxford Biomedica specific terminology

LentiVector platform
Oxford Biomedica’s LentiVector platform technology  
is an advanced lentiviral vector based gene delivery 
system which is designed to overcome the safety  
and delivery problems associated with earlier generations 
of vector systems. The technology can stably deliver 
genes into cells with up to 100% efficiency and can 
integrate genes into non-dividing cells including neurons 
in the brain and retinal cells in the eye. In such cell types, 
studies suggest that gene expression could be maintained 
indefinitely. The LentiVector platform technology also has 
a larger capacity than most other vector systems  
and can accommodate multiple therapeutic genes.

OXB-102: Parkinson’s disease
OXB-102 is a gene-based treatment for Parkinson’s 
disease, a progressive movement disorder caused  
by the degeneration of dopamine producing nerve cells 
in the brain. OXB-102 uses the Company’s LentiVector 
platform technology to deliver the genes for three 
enzymes that are required for the synthesis of dopamine. 
The product is administered locally to the region  
of the brain called the striatum, converting cells into  
a replacement dopamine factory within the brain,  
thus replacing the patient’s own lost source of the 
neurotransmitter. 

OXB-201: “wet” age-related macular degeneration
OXB-201 is a gene-based treatment for neovascular  
“wet” age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and 
diabetic retinopathy (DR). OXB-201 aims to preserve and 
improve the vision of patients through anti-angiogenesis; 
blocking the formation of new blood vessels. The 
product uses the Company’s LentiVector platform 
technology to deliver two anti-angiogenic genes, 
endostatin and angiostatin, directly to the retina.

SAR 422459: Stargardt disease
SAR 422459 is a gene-based therapy for the treatment  
of Stargardt disease. The disease is caused by a mutation 
of the ABCR gene which leads to the degeneration of 
photoreceptors in the retina and vision loss. SAR 422459 
uses the Company’s LentiVector platform technology  
to deliver a corrected version of the ABCR gene. A single 
administration of the product directly to the retina could 
provide long-term or potentially permanent correction.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
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Other matters 
Glossary

Terminology not specific to Oxford Biomedica

AAV
Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) is a small virus which 
infects humans and some other primate species.

Biologics License Application (BLA)
The BLA is a request for permission to introduce  
or deliver for introduction, a biological product into  
the US market.

CAR-T therapy
Adoptive transfer of T cells expressing Chimeric  
Antigen Receptors (CAR) is an anti-cancer therapeutic  
as CAR-modified T cells can be engineered to target 
virtually any tumour associated antigen.

Cell therapy
Cell therapy is defined as the administration of live whole 
cells in a patient for the treatment of a disease often  
in an ex vivo setting.

Clinical trials (testing in humans)
Clinical trials involving new drugs are commonly 
classified into three phases. Each phase of the drug 
approval process is treated as a separate clinical trial.  
The drug-development process will normally proceed 
through the phases over many years. If the drug 
successfully passes through all phases it may be approved 
by the regulatory authorities:

 — Phase I: screening for safety.

 — Phase II: establishing the efficacy of the drug,  

usually against a placebo.

 — Phase III: final confirmation of safety and efficacy.

CTL019
CTL019 is a CAR-T cell therapy for patients with B cell 
cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL),  
B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), adult disease 
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and diffuse large  
B cell lymphoma.

DLBCL
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a cancer  
of B cells, a type of white blood cell responsible for 
producing antibodies. It is the most common type  
of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among adults.

DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that carries 
genetic information.

Ex Vivo
Latin term used to describe biological events that take 
place outside the bodies of living organisms.

FDA
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible  
for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, 
effectiveness, quality, and security of human and 
veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products, 
and medical devices.

Gene therapy
Gene therapy is the use of DNA to treat disease  
by delivering therapeutic DNA into a patient’s cells which 
can be in an ex vivo or in vivo setting. The most common 
form of gene therapy involves using DNA that encodes  
a functional, therapeutic gene to replace a mutated gene. 
Other forms involve directly correcting a mutation,  
or using DNA that encodes a therapeutic protein drug  
to provide treatment.

GxP, GMP, GCP, GLP
GxP is a general term for Good (Anything) Practice.  
GMP, GCP and GLP are the practices required to conform 
to guidelines laid down by relevant agencies for 
manufacturing, clinical and laboratory activities.

Innovate UK
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency. Its role is to 
stimulate innovation, working with business and other 
partners, in order to accelerate economic growth.

In Vitro
Latin term (for within the glass) refers to the technique  
of performing a given procedure in a controlled 
environment outside of a living organism.

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In Vivo
Latin term used to describe biological events that take 
place inside the bodies of living organisms.

IP
Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creative work  
which can be treated as an asset or physical property. 
Intellectual property rights fall principally into four main 
areas; copyright, trademarks, design rights and patents.

Lentiviral vectors
Gene delivery vector based on lentiviruses.

Definitions of non-GAAP measures

Operating EBITDA
Operating EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Tax, 
Depreciation, Amortisation, revaluation of investments 
and share based payments) is a non-GAAP measure and 
is often used as a surrogate for operational Cash flow.

Operating EBIDA
Operating EBIDA is an internal measure used by the 
Group, defined as Operating EBITDA with the R&D tax 
credit included.

Gross income
Gross income is the aggregate of Revenue and  
Other operating income.

Adjusted Operating expenses
Being Operating espenses before Depreciation, 
Amortisation and Share based payments and the 
revaluation of investments.

Cash burn
Cash burn is net cash generated from operations plus  
net interest paid plus capital expenditure.

Pre-clinical studies
Pre-clinical studies (also known as non-clinical studies)  
is the stage of research that takes place before clinical 
trials can begin during which important feasibility, iterative 
testing and drug safety data is collected.

r/r paediatric ALL
Relapsed or refractory (r/r) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia 
(ALL) is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow  
in children and young adults make too many immature  
B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) that are 
resistant to treatment.

UK Corporate Governance Code (the Code)
The UK Corporate Governance Code is published  
by the UK Financial Reporting Council and sets out 
standards of good practice in relationship to board 
leadership and effectiveness, remuneration, 
accountability and relations with shareholders.

Viral vectors
Are tools commonly based on viruses used by molecular 
biologists to deliver genetic material into cells.

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018

 
 
 
 
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Other matters 
Advisers and contact details

Contact details

Oxford Biomedica plc 
Headquarters:
Windrush Court
Transport Way 
Oxford OX4 6LT 
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 783 000

Other locations:
Harrow House
County Trading Estate 
Transport Way 
Cowley 
Oxford OX4 6LX 
United Kingdom

Unit 5
Oxford Industrial Park 
Yarnton 
Oxford OX5 1QU 
United Kingdom

OxBox
Unit A, Plot 7000 
Alec Issigonis Way 
Oxford Business Park North 
Oxford OX4 2JZ 
United Kingdom

enquiries@oxb.com 
www.oxb.com

Advisers

Financial adviser and broker
Peel Hunt
Moor House 
120 London Wall 
London EC2Y 5ET 
United Kingdom

Financial adviser and joint broker
WG Partners
85 Gresham Street 
London EC2V 7NQ 
United Kingdom

Financial and corporate 
communications
Consilium Strategic Communications
41 Lothbury 
London EC2R 7HG 
United Kingdom

Registered independent auditors
KPMG LLP
Botanic House 
98-100 Hills Rd 
Cambridge CB2 1JZ 
United Kingdom

Solicitors
Covington & Burling LLP
265 Strand 
London WC2R 1BH 
United Kingdom

Registrars
Link Asset Services 
The Registry 
34 Beckenham Road 
Beckenham 
Kent BR3 4TU 
United Kingdom

Company secretary 
and registered office
Stuart Paynter
Windrush Court 
Transport Way 
Oxford OX4 6LT 
United Kingdom

This report has been designed  
and produced by scientific branding 
experts thinkerdoer:

www.thinkerdoer.co.uk

Credits:
Facilities and portrait photography 
by Philip Gatward.

www.philipgatward.com

Printed by Pureprint Group using 
their pureprint environmental print 
technology, a guaranteed, low 
carbon, low waste, independently 
audited process that reduces the 
environmental impact of the 
printing process. Pureprint Group  
is a CarbonNeutral company and  
is certified to Environmental 
Management System, ISO 14001 
and registered to EMAS, the Eco 
Management and Audit Scheme.

www.pureprint.com

The papers used for the production 
of this 2018 report are certified by 
the Forest Stewardship Council 

www.fsc-uk.org

Oxford Biomedica plc  |  Annual report and accounts 2018 
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Oxford Biomedica plc
Windrush Court, Transport Way 
Oxford OX4 6LT, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 783 000 
enquiries@oxb.com

www.oxb.com