Leading Scottish investors have provided £1.6 million of funding for life sciences company Carcinotech.

The Roslin-based MedTech specialist manufactures 3D-printed tumours developed from cancer stem cells, primary cells, and established cell lines. The tumours can then be used as part of clinical trials to discover drugs faster and more ethically than traditional methods.

The new funding will help the company accelerate commercialisation and expand into international markets.

TRICAPITAL led the investment round, succeeding initial seed round leader Gabriel Investments, alongside Eos Advisory, SIS Ventures, Gabriel, Alba Equity, and Scottish Enterprise.

Carcinotech CEO and founder Ishani Malhotra said the company will be looking to extend its commercial partnerships in Europe and North America over the next twelve months.

“Our next phase of growth will involve building international partnerships, growing the team, and appointing a scientific advisory committee to support the work of the main board,” she said.

“Carcinotech’s in vitro models are very close to clinical biopsy samples because we use patient-specific cells and isolated cells from biopsies, which allow us to develop models representing cancer heterogeneity.”

The company already has partnerships in place with industry organisations like Cancer Research UK, global pharma groups and a major US-based clinical research organisation (CRO).

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Moray Martin, Chairman and Managing Partner of The TRICAPITAL Syndicate LLP, said: “Carcinotech is one of the most exciting early-stage companies to come out of the Scottish life sciences sector in recent times. We can already see traction and momentum and look forward to actively supporting Ishani and her team as they continue to scale.”

Siobhan Moore, Investment Manager at SIS Ventures, said: “Carcinotech is a truly innovative company whose mission is to provide accessible, personalised medicine testing to individuals suffering from cancer, ultimately improving their chance of survival.

“Based in Scotland but with global ambitions, Carcinotech aligns perfectly with our aim of supporting disruptive businesses with high growth and impact potential.

“We look forward to working with Ishani and her team through this next stage of the journey, alongside our co-investors.”

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