Exogene, a pioneering techbio start-up developing next-generation T-cell receptor (TCR)-based therapies for cancer, has taken new R&D laboratory and co-working space at Barclays Eagle Labs within The Oxford Trust’s Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington.
Co-founded by Federico Paoletti and Andrea Mambrini, Exogene uses deep learning and biophysical simulations to identify innovative TCRs that could transform cancer treatment.
The company’s proprietary AI platform, coupled with high-throughput TCR screening, accelerates the discovery of potential therapies for solid tumours. Its first drug candidate, targeting non-small cell lung cancer, is now in development.
The move to the Wood Centre marks the company’s graduation from the University of Oxford’s BioEscalator and reflects a key stage in its growth as it expands both its research capabilities and team.
Exogene joins a thriving cluster of early-stage firms at the Centre, including DJS Antibodies, Lumai, and PicturaBio.
“The Wood Centre for Innovation provides an ideal environment for our next stage of growth,” said Federico Paoletti, CEO and co-founder.
“The combination of cutting-edge lab facilities and a collaborative innovation community will enable us to accelerate our research and bring transformative treatments to patients.”
Steve Burgess, CEO of The Oxford Trust, added:
“We warmly welcome Exogene to our innovation community. Their cancer research is remarkable, and their ambitions a credit to them. The Wood Centre is now home to six pioneering companies driving breakthroughs in biotech and deeptech.”
The Oxford Trust is also investing £7 million in its new Aspen Building, which will provide additional high-quality laboratory and technical workspace by July 2026, supporting science and tech start-ups in Oxford’s Headington Science Cluster.
Read more: Construction begins on Aspen Building at Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington
Founded in 1985 by Sir Martin and Lady Audrey Wood, The Oxford Trust continues to nurture scientific enterprise through its innovation centres—the Wood Centre and the Oxford Centre for Innovation—and its Science Oxford education programmes, which inspire the next generation of scientists while fostering economic growth across the region.
