# Cytara Biologics - Full Site Content > Cytara Biologics is developing Invelis™, a pH-gated lipid-protein vesicle platform for triggered cytosolic delivery in the tumour microenvironment. This file contains the complete textual content of the website for AI assistants and crawlers that do not execute JavaScript. General enquiries: hello@cytarabio.com Investor enquiries: invest@cytarabio.com Website: https://www.cytarabio.com --- # Homepage (/) # Cytara Biologics - Precision Intracellular Delivery Solving the intracellular delivery bottleneck in solid tumour oncology and inflammatory disease. Invelis™ - A pH-responsive lipid-protein vesicle platform combining engineered lipid nanoparticles with tumour-derived exosomes for precision intracellular delivery. ## The Problem ## Delivery Is the Unsolved Bottleneck Many of the most potent compounds in oncology and inflammatory disease fail clinically not because their biology is wrong, but because they cannot reach their intracellular target at a therapeutic dose without causing unacceptable systemic harm. The delivery problem - not the drug - is the limiting factor. * ### Systemic Toxicity Trap Highly potent compounds are dose-limited by off-target toxicity before therapeutic concentrations at the tumour site are achieved - rendering entire compound classes clinically unusable despite compelling biology. * ### Endosomal Entrapment Most delivery vehicles that reach tumour cells are sequestered within endosomes and degraded before cytosolic access is achieved. Current LNP systems deliver as little as 1–2% of payload to the cytosol. * ### Off-Target Organ Accumulation Conventional lipid nanoparticles accumulate preferentially in the liver and cardiac tissue. Documented cardiac off-target effects from mRNA-LNP platforms highlight the systemic distribution risk for repeat-dose oncology programmes. * ### Distribution Is Not Delivery Current platforms optimise biodistribution, not true intracellular delivery. Reaching the tumour is not the same as reaching the cell interior - and the difference is where most therapies fail. ## Our Solution ## Invelis™ Platform Invelis™ is a lipid-protein vesicle delivery platform - a composite vesicle formed by fusing engineered lipid nanoparticles with allogeneic tumour-derived exosomes. The result is a delivery system that combines the homotypic tumour tropism of exosomes with the engineering precision of LNPs, triggered by the acidic conditions unique to the tumour microenvironment. * ### TME pH-Triggered Activation The tumour microenvironment is characteristically acidic (pH 6.5–6.8) compared with healthy tissue (pH 7.2–7.4). The Invelis™ engineered surface protein is designed to activate at this pH differential - triggering membrane fusion selectively at the tumour site, with payload remaining sequestered in normal tissue. * ### Direct Membrane Fusion Upon activation, Invelis™ fuses directly with the target cell membrane, delivering payload to the cytosol without endosomal entrapment - bypassing the endosomal escape bottleneck that limits conventional LNP and exosome platforms. * ### Payload-Agnostic Architecture The lipid-protein vesicle core accommodates small molecules, nucleic acids, and protein payloads within a consistent outer vesicle structure - functioning as a platform rather than a single-asset programme. * ### Manufacturing-First Design Built around microfluidic mixing from inception - producing tighter particle size distributions, superior batch-to-batch reproducibility, and a GMP translation pathway that does not require process redesign at scale. Current Validation Focus - H2 2026 In vitro cytosolic delivery efficiency quantification · Head-to-head comparison against LNP and exosome-only platforms · Mechanism confirmation: direct membrane fusion vs endosomal escape · Early biodistribution profiling ## Competitive Landscape ## Intracellular Delivery: Structural Comparison Most delivery platforms optimise biodistribution. Invelis™ is engineered to get the therapeutic to where it is needed. | | Invelis™ (Cytara) | Lipid Nanoparticles | ADCs | Viral Vectors | Exosome-only Platforms | | :-------------------- | :--------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------ | :------------------------------ | :----------------------------------- | | Intracellular access | Direct membrane fusion - bypasses endosomes | Endosomal escape required (~1–2% efficiency) | Receptor-mediated, endosomal trafficking | Receptor-mediated entry | Endosomal uptake dominant | | Tumour selectivity | Homotypic tropism + TME pH trigger | Low - liver/cardiac bias | Moderate - antigen-dependent | Serotype-dependent | Moderate | | Cardiac off-target risk | Mitigated by selective tropism | Documented in mRNA-LNP programmes | Low | Low | Low | | Payload flexibility | Payload-agnostic architecture | RNA/DNA limited | Small molecule cytotoxins | Payload size limits | Early-stage validation | | Immunogenicity | Low - biologically derived chassis | Moderate - lipid reactogenicity, anti-PEG responses | Moderate - ADC-related toxicity | Significant constraints | Low - biologically derived | | Manufacturing | Microfluidic, GMP-first design | Established but formulation-dependent | Complex, high cost | Complex, high cost | Scalability challenges | ## Target Indications ## Where We're Starting The Invelis™ platform is designed to address any indication where the tumour microenvironment or local tissue acidosis can serve as a delivery trigger. Our near-term clinical focus is on two complementary indications with strong strategic rationale. * ### Dermatological Malignancies Superficial tumour accessibility enables localised or regional administration, reducing systemic exposure and simplifying early-phase development. The acidic microenvironment of solid skin tumours provides the pH differential required to activate Invelis™ at the target site. Our lead payload, methotrexate - a well-characterised agent already used in cutaneous malignancies - is re-encapsulated for precision intracellular delivery, decoupling its potency from its systemic toxicity profile. * ### Inflammatory Arthritis Inflamed synovial tissue in active rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis exhibits localised acidosis driven by immune cell metabolic activity - a pH shift that mirrors the tumour microenvironment. Intra-articular depot administration of Invelis™ formulated at high viscosity enables sustained local release of encapsulated anti-inflammatory payload, opening a lower-regulatory-risk development pathway alongside the oncology programme. ## Team ## The Team to Execute Combined expertise across GMP-scale translation and mechanistic cell biology uniquely positions Cytara Biologics to bridge discovery and clinical delivery. * ### Rob Johnston CEO & Founder Over ten years of experience in GMP-scale translation and advanced therapy commercialisation, spanning process development, clinical supply strategy, and regulatory positioning. Founded Cytara Biologics to address the precision delivery gap in solid tumour oncology, bringing a manufacturing-first philosophy to platform design from inception. * ### Dr. Emre Sayan Scientific Advisor & Fractional CSO Associate Professor at the University of Southampton. Research expertise spanning tumour cell biology and extracellular vesicle biology. The Invelis™ platform is grounded in work originating from Dr. Sayan's laboratory, and he leads the ongoing academic proof-of-concept programme underpinning the platform's scientific foundation. * ### Karl Keegan Finance & Equity Advisor Over twenty years of experience across the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Advises Cytara Biologics on fundraising strategy, equity structure, and strategic positioning. ## Partnerships & Collaboration ## Building Invelis™ Together Cytara Biologics is actively seeking academic, industry, and clinical partners to accelerate validation and expand the Invelis™ platform across new payloads and indications. We operate a platform licensing and co-development model designed for shared progress and shared upside. * ### Academic Collaborators Joint research with university groups in tumour biology, extracellular vesicles, and lipid nanoparticle engineering. * ### CRO & Manufacturing Preclinical CROs and GMP manufacturing partners aligned with our microfluidic, scale-out-first approach. * ### Pharma & Biotech Therapeutic developers seeking precision intracellular delivery for small molecule, nucleic acid, or protein payloads. * ### Clinical Partners Centres of excellence in dermatological oncology and inflammatory disease for early-phase clinical translation. Explore a Partnership ## Latest ### May 2026 ## We're now Cytara Biologics Same team, broader ambition. Invelis™ is a delivery infrastructure designed to work across payloads, indications, and partners. Updated platform materials available on request. Get in touch ## Investors ## Investor Relations Cytara Biologics is building delivery infrastructure for the next generation of precision therapeutics, operating a platform model designed to create value across multiple partners and indications. Detailed commercial strategy, milestones, and financial materials are shared with qualified investors under NDA. Request Investor Materials ## Contact ## Get in Touch We're always open to conversations with investors, potential collaborators, and scientific partners. * ### General enquiries hello@cytarabio.com * ### Investor enquiries invest@cytarabio.com ## Footer © 2024 Cytara Biologics. All rights reserved. --- Navigation Bar * About * Platform * Indications * Team * Partnerships * Investors * Announcements * Contact --- ## Delivery-First Platform · Early Preclinical ## The delivery problem ## has a structure. Cytara Biologics is building Invelis™ - a triggered lipid-protein vesicle platform designed to reach the cytosol of solid tumour cells. Reliably. At scale. Explore the Platform → Partner With Us * $30B+ invested in oncology delivery - with the same three failure modes still unsolved * 1–2% cytosolic escape achieved by current-generation LNPs * 1 triggered delivery system designed from the ground up for the TME: Invelis™ ## The Problem ## Three ceilings. One paradigm. Three structural failures of the current delivery paradigm - visible across every modality, every indication, every funding cycle. * ### Cost Ceiling $400K–$4M per patient CAR-T and gene therapy manufacture at $400K–$4M per patient. The complexity is structural, not iterative. Cost cannot be engineered away within the current paradigm. * ### Biology Ceiling One-shot modality Viral vectors trigger anti-capsid immune responses that prevent re-dosing. A one-shot modality cannot address chronic disease or solid tumours requiring sustained delivery. * ### Efficiency Ceiling 1–2% cytosolic escape Current-generation LNPs achieve 1–2% cytosolic escape. Endosomal entrapment degrades the remainder before it reaches target. The platform is optimised for systemic RNA delivery - not solid tumour oncology. These are not engineering problems waiting to be solved by iteration. They are structural failures of the underlying delivery paradigm. Cytara is building the alternative. ## The Solution ## Invelis™: A Lipid-Protein Vesicle Platform Three independently validated technologies. One integrated, triggerable delivery system. pH 6.7 trigger · GMP-first · Licensable to pharma * ### Lipid-Protein Vesicle Shell De novo assembly Assembled de novo from lipid-protein conjugates via a proprietary microfluidic chip process. Precise control of particle size, composition, and surface display. * GMP-ready from day one * Microfluidic assembly * Tunable architecture * ### Tumour Membrane Component Homotypic tropism Lipid-protein conjugates derived from tumour membrane material are incorporated during vesicle assembly - biasing accumulation toward the TME and conferring immune tolerance. * Homotypic tropism * Immune tolerance * Single assembly step * ### pH-Gated Fusogenic Trigger Activates at pH 6.7 A YALA-variant fusogenic peptide is inert at physiological pH 7.4. In the TME at pH 6.7, conformational change triggers direct membrane fusion - delivering payload to the cytosol. * Inert in circulation * TME-triggered * Bypasses endosome * ### Plug-and-Play Payloads Platform leverage Swap payload. Swap indication. The trigger, manufacturing process, and IP remain constant. Designed for licensing into third-party pharma programmes. * Payload agnostic * Indication agnostic * Licensable architecture ### The Delivery Sequence * ### 01 Systemic circulation Inert at pH 7.4. Payload protected. Zero off-target activation. * ### 02 Tumour accumulation Tumour membrane-derived components bias distribution toward the TME. * ### 03 pH trigger YALA-variant peptide activates at pH 6.7 - fusogenic switch engages. * ### 04 Cytosolic delivery Direct membrane fusion delivers payload to cytosol. No endosomal degradation. Get in Touch ## Collaboration ## Build the Platform With Us We're seeking partners to validate and expand the Invelis™ delivery platform-from academic collaborators to pharma licensees ready for a GMP-ready, payload-agnostic solution. * ### Academic Validation Platform validation & disease model expertise * ### Contract Research Delivery science & assay development * ### CROs & CDMOs GMP scale-up & manufacturing * ### Pharma Licensees Platform licensing for your pipeline Contact Us ## Investment Opportunity ## A Delivery-First Platform Cytara Biologics is building a precision intracellular delivery platform for therapeutics to cancers. The platform unlocks everything else. Operator-led with 10+ years GMP/ATMP experience. Backed by experienced industry advisors. GMP-first design for pharma licensing from day one. Learn More Contact Us GMP-first design · In-vitro & in-vivo PoC + foundational IP ## Get In Touch ## Get in Touch We're always open to conversations with investors, potential collaborators, and scientific partners. * ### General enquiries hello@cytarabio.com * ### Investor enquiries invest@cytarabio.com ## Footer * Cytara Biologics Precision intracellular delivery of therapeutics to cancers, engineered for hard-to-reach solid tumours. Seeking validation partners and licensees to advance the platform. * Who We Are * Platform * Contact * Privacy Policy * Terms of Use * Cookie Settings * © 2024 Cytara Biologics. All rights reserved. * United Kingdom • Biotechnology --- # About (/about) # Cytara Biologics Precision delivery for biologics. ## Recognition Cytara was selected for the Impulse Programme 2026 at the Maxwell Centre, University of Cambridge - a programme supporting early-stage deep tech companies with high commercial potential. ## Our Platform Invelis™ is a pH-gated lipid-protein vesicle platform designed for triggered cytosolic delivery in the tumour microenvironment. Built on direct membrane fusion rather than endosomal escape, Invelis™ bypasses the bottleneck that limits current LNP and viral vector approaches. Our initial focus is solid tumour oncology, with a manufacturing architecture designed for reproducible, clinically scalable production from the outset. ## Our Team ### Rob Johnston - Founder & CEO Rob has over a decade of experience in GMP translation, advanced therapy commercialisation, and CMC strategy, working across academic spin-outs, CDMOs, and global pharma. He founded Cytara Biologics to bring together the delivery biology and manufacturing rigour needed to translate next-generation vesicle platforms into the clinic. ### Dr. Emre Sayan - Scientific Advisor & Fractional CSO Emre is a cancer biologist at the University of Southampton with expertise in tumour cell biology and vesicle-mediated signalling. He provides scientific leadership for Cytara's platform development and early experimental programme. ### Karl Keegan - Finance & Equity Advisor Karl advises Cytara on financial strategy, fundraising structure, and equity. He brings experience in early-stage company building and investor relations to the founding team. ## Our Base Cytara Biologics is a UK-incorporated company, founded in 2025 and based in Cambridge, UK. Our scientific programme is conducted in collaboration with the University of Southampton. ## Get in Touch We're always open to conversations with investors, potential collaborators, and scientific partners. General enquiries: hello@cytarabio.com Investor enquiries: invest@cytarabio.com