Following the sale-and-leaseback purchase of Oxford Biomedica's Oxford headquarters in 2022, life sciences specialist Kadans Science Partner has announced a development deal for the property next door.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Kadans will acquire the freehold of Windrush Innovation Centre in Oxford, from Tozi Limited. Kadans intends to demolish the existing building and create over 60,000 ft2 of new high specification laboratory and office space in partnership with the tenant, Oxford Biomedica.
James Sheppard, managing director (UK & Ireland) at Kadans said: ‘We are delighted to continue to be building our portfolio in Oxford. The development at Windrush Innovation Centre will provide much needed, high specification, laboratory space in the Oxford market.
'We look forward to a continued productive relationship with the tenant, Oxford Biomedica, as they build their position as a quality and innovation-led viral vector CDMO.’
In November 2022, Kadans inked a sale and leaseback deal for Windrush Court, the adjacent property, which Oxford Biomedica currently uses as its headquarters.
Freddie Owen, partner at Knight Frank, commented: ‘Knight Frank are delighted to advise Kadans on another exciting acquisition in Oxford. After successfully acquiring Oxford Biomedica’s HQ facility in 2022, this new development located next door will be a great addition to the South Oxford life science cluster’.
The cluster is anchored by the University of Oxford which was recently named the number 1 university in the world, according to the Times World University Ranking 2022.
The Oxford cluster spans a whole range of life sciences enterprise including drug discovery, diagnostics, medical devices, regenerative medicine and genomics.
Tozi Limited commented ‘In keeping with our approach across our entire portfolio, we have always maintained a productive and open relationship with the tenant Oxford Biomedica, helping to facilitate planning permission for the brand new state of the art R&D campus.’
With the acquisition of Windrush Innovation Centre the Kadans portfolio now comprises over 50 buildings and numerous projects under development in the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain.
Kadans aspires to partner with universities, venture capital firms and innovative organisations to create one strong knowledge-sharing ecosystem of scientific enterprise across Europe.
Kadans was supported in the transaction by Knight Frank and Mills & Reeve acted as legal advisors for Kadans. Cyril Leonard advised the vendor and Cripps acted as legal advisors.
