Company Announcements

17 November 2022

Schroder UK Public Private Trust plc

Investment in A2 Biotherapeutics

Schroder UK Public Private Trust plc (the "Company") is pleased to announce it has made a commitment of $1.17 million (£0.99 million) to T-cell development company, A2 Biotherapeutics ("A2 Bio"), as part of its $50 million (£42 million) financing round. A2 Bio is backed by investors that include The Column Group, Vida Ventures, Samsara BioCapital, Nextech Invest, Casdin Capital, Euclidean Capital, UC Investments (Office of the Chief Investment Officer of the Regents), Hartford HealthCare Endowment, StepStone Group, Section 32 and Merck.

A2 Bio is using its next-generation cell therapy Tmod platform to revolutionize the treatment of solid tumour cancers. The company engineers T cells that target the loss of genetic material in tumours, enabling the selective killing of tumour cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.

The Company is committed to reporting on its sustainability profile and discloses, where appropriate, the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs") associated with all investments. The investment in A2 Bio is in line with SDG 3 "Good health and well-being", specifically Target 3.4 "Reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health" and Target 3.B "Support research, development and universal access to affordable vaccines and medicines".

Tim Creed and Roger Doig, Portfolio Managers of the Company, jointly commented: "A2 Bio is in line with the Company's private equity sub-strategy for backing innovative life sciences businesses, at the clinical or near-clinical stage, with high quality science, a strong financing position, alongside high-quality co-investors."

Enquiries:

Schroder Investment Management Limited