Company announces manufacturing readiness and financing extension ahead of first-in-human clinical study
London, United Kingdom, March 5, 2026, Swarm Oncology Ltd. (“Swarm Oncology” or “Swarm” or “the Company”), a biotechnology company pioneering novel T cell therapies to achieve long-term remission in patients with advanced solid cancers, today announces the appointment of Bernhard Ehmer as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Dr. Bernhard Ehmer is a physician-scientist and veteran biotechnology executive with more than three decades of leadership in oncology drug development, regulatory strategy and corporate governance. His career spans the development and approval of multiple antibody-based oncology therapeutics, including a central role in the international registration of Erbitux® (cetuximab) at Merck KGaA and the EU approval of Removab®, the first trifunctional antibody, as CEO of Fresenius Biotech. He subsequently served as President of ImClone Systems (Eli Lilly), where he led the integration of the business into its parent company, before being appointed CEO of Biotest AG, a plasma-derived therapies company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. He currently serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Biotest AG and is a board member of Affimed NV and previously served on the board of Achilles Therapeutics, both immune-oncology companies. Dr. Ehmer also served as Chairman of Symphogen A/S until its acquisition by Servier in 2020.
The appointment coincides with Swarm completing the GMP technology transfer of its manufacturing process to Cellex Cell Professionals GmbH (“Cellex”), a leading CDMO specialising in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Cellex has now received formal German Manufacturer’s Authorisation (Herstellungserlaubnis), enabling GMP-compliant production, quality control and release of Swarm’s clinical-grade drug product for use in clinical trials. This builds on the strategic manufacturing partnership between Swarm and Cellex announced in February 2025.
In addition, Swarm has extended its seed financing round by £6.1 million, led by Delin Ventures.
Martin Olin, Chief Executive Officer of Swarm Oncology, said: “Bernhard’s appointment significantly strengthens our Board as we transition into a clinical-stage company. Completing our GMP technology transfer and securing the German Manufacturer’s Authorisation marks a critical operational milestone for Swarm. Together with the extension of our seed financing, we now have the governance, manufacturing capability and capital required to initiate our first-in-human study and deliver on the potential of our Swarm T platform.”
Bernhard Ehmer, Chairman of the Board, added: “I am excited to join Swarm Oncology at such a transformative stage in its development. The Company’s differentiated approach to T cell therapy has the potential to address fundamental challenges in solid tumours. With manufacturing readiness achieved and financing secured, Swarm is well positioned to enter clinical development, and I look forward to supporting the team as they prepare to initiate their first-in-human study.”
Upcoming conferences
Members of Swarm’s management team will attend BioEurope Spring, taking place 23–25 March 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, to discuss the Company’s clinical plans and broader development strategy.
For further information, contact:
Swarm Oncology
info@swarmoncology.bio
ICR Healthcare
Mary-Jane Elliott, Emily Johnson
SwarmOncology@icrhealthcare.com
About Swarm Oncology
Swarm Oncology is developing novel potent T cell therapies which are designed to overcome major shortcomings of immunotherapy approaches with the goal to drive solid cancers to complete remission.
