Larry Ellison Boosts Investment in Oxford Nanopore as Takeover Protection Lapses

US technology mogul Larry Ellison has significantly increased his shareholding in Oxford Nanopore Technologies, emerging as one of the company’s most substantial investors through his Californian investment vehicle, EIT Oxford Holdings.

Regulatory filings with the London Stock Exchange revealed on Wednesday that Ellison’s stake has surpassed 9 per cent, marking a considerable rise from the initial 3 per cent position established in August. The 80-year-old Oracle founder and chairman, ranked by Forbes as the world’s fourth-wealthiest individual with a £222 billion fortune, is strengthening his presence in the gene sequencing enterprise.

Oracle maintains a separate 3.7 per cent stake in the FTSE 250 company, dating back to Oxford Nanopore’s 2021 London listing. The ownership landscape includes other prominent investors such as Novo Holdings, IP Group, and Tencent Holdings.

The timing of Ellison’s increased investment coincides with the recent expiration of an anti-takeover share previously held by Gordon Sanghera, Oxford Nanopore’s co-founder and chief executive. Sanghera, 64, who has steered the company since its 2005 inception as an Oxford University spin-out, witnessed the company’s initial £3.4 billion valuation diminish, with shares now trading at less than one-third of the 425p issue price.

The company’s innovative DNA and RNA sequencing devices, including portable solutions, have gained traction beyond academic research, penetrating industrial, clinical, and biopharmaceutical sectors. Despite this progress, short-sellers have intensified their positions, with three hedge funds collectively holding a 3.6 per cent stake.

Ellison’s investment strategy extends beyond Oxford Nanopore, encompassing a £1 billion-plus investment in the Oxford branch of the Ellison Institute, scheduled for completion in 2027. The institute’s ambitious plans include substantial research programmes across health sciences, climate change, and artificial intelligence, led by Professor Sir John Bell and supported by notable figures including Sir Tony Blair.