Invizius

Invizius is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies to address immune responses in patients undergoing dialysis and other extracorporeal treatments. The company was spun out of the University of Edinburgh in 2018 by co-founders Dr. Andy Herbert (CTO) and Richard Boyd (former CEO). The foundational technology stems from Dr. Herbert's research into how certain bacteria evade the human immune system. He identified a mechanism that could be adapted to make medical devices 'invisible' to the body's complement system, thereby preventing the inflammatory reactions that cause significant cardiovascular complications and mortality in dialysis patients.

The company's lead product is H-Guard®, a priming solution that coats the inner surfaces of a dialysis machine's filter before use. This unique protein coating prevents the patient's immune system from identifying the filter as a foreign object, which mitigates the hostile inflammatory response often associated with hemodialysis. Invizius successfully completed a 'First in Human' clinical study in 2024, which demonstrated the safety and tolerability of H-Guard®. The business model focuses on developing and commercializing this proprietary technology for healthcare providers and institutions that offer dialysis. The initial target market is for hemodialysis patients with a high innate immune response, which is estimated to be a global market of over £1.5 billion. The technology also has potential applications for other extracorporeal procedures like cardiopulmonary bypass and ECMO, as well as for coating medical implants such as stents and catheters.

Invizius is led by CEO Magnus Nicolson and has raised over £13 million through multiple funding rounds. Key investors include Mercia Ventures, Scottish Enterprise, Calculus Capital, and the University of Edinburgh's Old College Capital. The company is preparing for Series B funding and further clinical trials to expand the application of H-Guard®, including for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) used in intensive care units.

Keywords: biotechnology, hemodialysis, complement system, anti-inflammatory, H-Guard, renal replacement therapy, dialysis complications, extracorporeal circuits, medical device coating, priming solution, cardiovascular complications, immune response, nephrology, clinical stage, University of Edinburgh spin-out, medtech, acute kidney injury, CRRT, peritoneal dialysis, complement therapeutics, immune evasion.