Xyme, a next-generation enzyme design company, has moved into the newly completed Inventa building at Oxford’s West End, taking up 5,600 sq ft of research and office space. The lease was secured by developer Mission Street in partnership with real estate investor BGO.
Founded in 2024 by biotech veteran Andrew Hopkins CBE, Xyme leverages AI, quantum chemistry, and experimental data to engineer novel enzymes with potential applications across therapeutics and agriculture. The company’s new base at Inventa provides access to a state-of-the-art innovation environment just minutes from Oxford city centre.
“Inventa is perhaps the best-connected commercial research building in Oxford,” said Hopkins. “The internal and external spaces are designed to foster collaboration, something we value immensely as we scale our scientific efforts.”
Artem Korolev, founder and CEO of Mission Street, said the move exemplifies the kind of R&D-driven companies the West End development is designed to attract. “Our work with Xyme has been highly collaborative, ensuring that the fit-out and facility design align with their growth ambitions,” he noted.
Completed in 2024, Inventa marks the first phase of Mission Street’s West End innovation district. It was purpose-built to meet the evolving needs of Oxford’s life sciences sector. Planning permission for Phase Two, Fabrica, was granted in December 2023, with construction now underway. Once complete, Fabrica will deliver a further 183,000 sq ft of lab and office space across five storeys.
With Xyme’s arrival, Oxford’s West End continues to solidify its position as a hub for biotech innovation. The district pairs cutting-edge infrastructure with proximity to the academic and clinical resources of one of the world’s top research cities.
