Following successful preclinical studies, Oxford BioMedica intends to progress clinical development in collaboration with the Oxford Haemophilia Centre at the Churchill Hospital under the guidance of Dr Paul Giangrande and Dr David Keeling.

Professor Alan Kingsman, Oxford BioMedica's Chief Executive, said: 'We are pleased to see the Department of Health implementing the government's decision to place gene-based medicine in the mainstream of healthcare in the UK. We are also delighted to be the only company selected to contribute to this initiative and to aid in the process of bringing products to the market that will directly benefit patients with genetic diseases.'

Oxford BioMedica was established in 1995 as a spin out from Oxford University, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The Department of Health also awarded 1.6m of the gene therapy funding to a consortium including Oxford researchers which is tackling muscular dystrophy. Read more here.