REG - Mercia Asset Mgt PLC - Direct investment Tozaro raises £6.0million

Mercia Asset ManagementAnnouncement

16/02/2026 07:00

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RNS Number : 0316T  Mercia Asset Management PLC  16 February 2026

RNS
                                                                                                                               16
February 2026

Mercia Asset Management PLC

 

("Mercia" or the "Company" or the "Group")

 

Mercia direct investment Tozaro raises £6.0million

 

Mercia Asset Management PLC (AIM: MERC), the regionally focused, private
capital asset manager with c.£2.0billion of assets under management, is
pleased to announce that Tozaro Limited ("Tozaro"), a UK-based biotech company
and one of the Group's direct investments, has completed a £6.0million
funding round to support the commercialisation of its Smart Polymer™
technology.

 

The funding round was led by Mercia through a combination of direct investment
(£1.3million) and investment by its third-party managed funds, alongside
participation from existing third-party co-investors. Following this funding
round, Mercia holds a fully diluted 11.9% direct investment in Tozaro.

 

The new funding will initially enable focus on improving the production of
viral vectors used in advanced cell and gene therapies ("CGT"). These vectors
are critical components in manufacturing life-saving treatments, where current
production methods face significant challenges around efficiency, scale and
cost.

 

Mark Payton, Chief Executive Officer of Mercia Asset Management, commented:

"There are over 70 CGT products currently on the market with over 3,400 more
in development* within a segment growing rapidly, valued at over $10bn today
and forecast to grow to over $100bn by 2034**. Growth, however, in this
exciting new generation of biological therapeutics is being held back by the
high cost of their production. Tozaro is developing an approach that will
significantly reduce this cost without shouldering the risk of clinical
development of the therapeutic itself. Tozaro has made significant commercial
progress during the past year, moving from platform development into
meaningful engagement with downstream processing partners and potential
customers."

 

 

*https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/strengthening-pathways-for-cell-and-gene-therapies

 

**https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/cell-and-gene-therapy-market-114130#:~:text=The%20global%20cell%20and%20gene,share%20of%2040.10%25%20in%202025.

 

-Ends-

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 Mercia Asset Management PLC                                 +44 (0)330 223 1430

 Mark Payton, Chief Executive Officer

 Martin Glanfield, Chief Financial Officer

 www.mercia.co.uk (http://www.mercia.co.uk)

 Canaccord Genuity Limited (NOMAD and Joint Broker)          +44 (0)20 7523 8000
 Simon Bridges, Andrew Potts, Harry Rees

 Singer Capital Markets (Joint Broker)                       +44 (0)20 7496 3000
 Charles Leigh-Pemberton

 FTI Consulting                                              +44 (0)20 3727 1051
 Tom Blackwell, Thomas Lodge
 mercia@fticonsulting.com (mailto:mercia@fticonsulting.com)

 

About Mercia Asset Management PLC

Mercia is a private capital asset manager focused on supporting regional SMEs
to achieve their growth aspirations. Mercia provides capital across its four
asset classes of venture, debt, private equity and proprietary capital: the
Group's 'Complete Connected Capital'.

 

The Group has a strong UK footprint through its 11 regional offices, extensive
local adviser and personal networks, and university partnerships, providing it
with access to high-quality deal flow.

 

Mercia Asset Management PLC is quoted on AIM with the EPIC "MERC".

 

 

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