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View AllNanoSyrinx: The nano-precision drug delivery system
NanoSyrinx is an emerging biotechnology company based at the University of Warwick’s Medical School. It uses synthetic biology approaches to develop a completely novel method for targeted drug delivery, direct to the interiors of cells. Using genetically encoded “nanosyringes”, NanoSyrinx is able to inject bioactive proteins and peptides through cell membranes for precision intracellular targeting. Using this technology, the company hopes to enable a new generation of therapeutic modalities and breathe new life in to existing ones.
Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe)
Funding: Grants: £230k; Equity: £400k, (Seed) with a further £6.2M (“Seed+”)
KEY MILESTONES
2018
Took part in ICURe
2019
Secured a £250k translational research grant for further technical validation
March 2020
Company formed
March 2020
£400k pre-seed convertible loan funding received
April 2020
£30k Midlands Innovation and Commercialisation of Research Accelerator (MICRA) grant received
June 2020
£200k Innovate UK grant received
July 2021
£6.2M oversubscribed Seed+ investment completed
March 2022
Hired Chief Scientific Officer
April 2023
Starting Series A fundraising
“About halfway through my PhD project it became clear that what my supervisor and I were working on could really help solve a real-world problem. The ICURe programme itself was good – it was fantastic to have the opportunity to travel around the world to speak to a substantial number of potential investors and partners. As a result, we were able to make several excellent connections. We travelled to Ireland, USA, Germany, Austria and around the UK, talking to people in the big pharma space. Undoubtedly ICURe gave us the opportunity to be face-to-face with the right people much faster than we ever would have been able to ‘going it alone.”
“Coming out of ICURe we knew that the space we were in was right, but we needed to have more technical validation to be fundable at that stage. It took another 18 months since then to get to a point of being spin-out ready and filing the IP but, because of the clear market pull and our understanding of what datasets were needed, we were able to secure a £250k translational research grant from the BBSRC Follow-on Fund to support this work.”
“When we went through ICURe we didn’t have a business advisor as part of our team, but in fact it was through ICURe that we met our now Chairman, Dr. Steve Taylor who has been instrumental in steering us through the commercialisation aspects of the company. We have also been able to bring in additional expertise to the company through our three investor/directors, all of whom are sector-relevant.”
“In 2021, we completed an oversubscribed “Seed+” fundraising at total of £6.2m, to fund our in vivo research which is crucial for scale up and bring some compelling assets forward. In 2022, we hired a Chief Scientific Officer, and we have grown the team to 12 people.”
“We have had some nice data coming out of the first in vivo work we’ve done with the system, and we have some more in vivo efficacy data to come this year. That will prove that we can achieve the therapeutic effect in a relevant model. Looking ahead the company will shift to a more product centric proof of concept. The in vivo data wont only prove the technology works to potential partners, it will also dictate the direction of travel for the company. It will lead to the various kinds of therapeutics to pursue in the longer term – for example, oncology, and non-therapeutic use cases as well, like gene editing enzymes.”
“We are looking to complete a Series A funding round by December 2023.”
Dr Joseph Healey, CEO and Co-Founder
NanoSyrinx
