Our story

Who we are

Syncona invests in innovative areas of healthcare, taking a long-term view and a significant ownership stake while working in deep partnership with our companies to build global leaders in life science

We take a rigorous and disciplined approach to investing in the best life science opportunities. We seek to take significant ownership positions in our portfolio companies and form a strong partnership with founders and management to build a successful, sustainable and scalable long-term business; investing in companies with the ambition of taking products to market. Each of our companies is formed around a core asset that we believe has a commercial investment case on its own, and which in many cases can be built out into a broader pipeline addressing a larger opportunity. Fundamental to each of our investments is the treatment which can be delivered to patients. 

We have three core principles which guide our investments to drive our ultimate aim of delivering transformational treatments to patients:

How we build our portfolio

We have an expert, multi-disciplined team, a highly selective investment strategy and a long-term approach that underpins our vision of building the next generation of healthcare companies.

Source

Unconstrained, guided by the quality of the opportunity. We take a proactive approach to sourcing, drawing on premium global networks and access including the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, academic institutions and industry.

Focus areas

Innovative life science technology with the potential for dramatic efficacy in areas of high unmet need. Specialists in gene therapy, cell therapy and advanced diagnostics.

Deep diligence

Rigorous approach to verify the scientific and commercial potential of the technology and the business. Post-investment we take a hands-on, operational approach to ensuring the business’ strategy is implemented.

Investment stage

Flexible regarding point of entry in the development cycle, from pre-idea to later stage and public where Syncona has a competitive advantage. Guided by the opportunity, the strategic fit and our ability to have a significant stake through to marketed product.

Location

A core focus on the UK and Europe, with scope to capture compelling opportunities elsewhere when we have the expertise to do so and can build a globally competitive business.

Why we are different

We are a long term investor focused on maximising value through the cycle.

We are focused on building sustainable, long-term businesses and in doing so, delivering transformational treatments to patients

Syncona has a differentiated business model which combines a deep pool of capital with an expert investment team and a focused portfolio of high potential life science companies. This combination means that we have flexibility and control to take a long-term view when supporting our companies through the development cycle, with the out-return in life science coming at the point of delivering a product to market and to patients. 

Our model is particularly differentiated by our unique, strategic capital base. This deep capital pool is made up of a range of actively managed,  non-healthcare related investments in leading long only and alternative funds, invested across a range of strategies and geographies. This capital is managed with a view to it being preserved and highly liquid, making it available to be drawn down and invested in our life science portfolio when we need it, while earning a commercial return in the meantime.  

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Our productively deployed capital base gives us control and flexibility over our life science portfolio, meaning we are never a forced seller and enabling us to back our life science companies strongly over the long term.