Invizius
6 known investors
Invizius is a clinical-stage biotech developing second-generation complement therapies for inflammatory, fibrotic, and autoimmune disorders. Its technology builds on natural complement regulators, with a lead program aimed at patients on dialysis and other extracorporeal circuit therapies.
Also known as Invizius Limited · Invizius Ltd
Investors · 6
Also in the syndicate · 5
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Invizius (trading name of Invizius Limited, a company registered in Scotland with registration number SC586903) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing second-generation complement therapies for inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune disorders. Its proprietary technology harnesses natural complement regulators, based on a mechanism by which a pathogenic bacterium evades the human immune system — an "invisibility cloak" that the company isolated and manufactures using standard industry methods.
The lead product, H-Guard, is a priming solution containing a down-regulator of the innate immune (complement) system based on the company's PspCN technology. It is added to the fluid used to prime extracorporeal circuits — as used in dialysis, cardiopulmonary bypass, ECMO and apheresis — coating blood-contact surfaces to limit complement activation and unwanted coagulation. Intended patient benefits described by the company include preserving residual kidney function, preventing acute kidney failure becoming chronic, accelerating recovery from delayed graft function in kidney transplant patients, reducing circuit clotting and enabling heparin-free dialysis, reducing acute complications affecting quality of life, and reducing cardiovascular morbidity and costs. H-Guard remains under development and is not available for clinical use. A second application of the technology, for peritoneal dialysis, is in earlier-stage research.
Founding story
The underlying research was performed at the University of Edinburgh, where scientists identified a mechanism used by a pathogenic bacterium to evade the human immune system and recognised that it could be used to down-regulate the complement system in diseases driven by uncontrolled complement activation on cells, tissues, organs and medical devices. Invizius was founded in 2018 as a spin-out from the University of Edinburgh to develop this mechanism of action, initially for kidney conditions. The company cites the case of Alison Prosser, who died in 2016 from complications linked to dialysis, as a motivation for its focus on outcomes for dialysis patients.
Business model
Invizius develops proprietary complement-regulating therapeutics and coatings, funding development through venture financing and public innovation grants ahead of commercialisation; its lead product is not yet available for clinical use.
No product revenue is described; H-Guard is under development and not available for clinical use.
Traction
H-Guard received MHRA approval in August 2023 to begin its first-in-human study; the first two patients were treated in February 2024 and the MHRA approved continuation after review of initial safety and performance data. The Phase 1 study completed in May 2024 with eight patients treated, demonstrating safety and tolerability and producing biomarker data supporting a planned acute kidney injury trial in continuous renal replacement therapy. The 'Angry Blood' haemodialysis study recruited its 300th patient by June 2023, and an abstract on the COMPACT HD study won Best Abstract at the 61st ERA Congress in Stockholm.
Latest developments
In September 2024 Invizius raised £950,000 led by Mercia Ventures with support from Calculus Capital, Syensqo, the University of Edinburgh's Old College Capital and Scottish Enterprise, bringing total funds raised to over £13 million. The proceeds are intended to prepare for the next stage of clinical trials of H-Guard in continuous renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury in intensive care, assessing its effect on the immune response and renal tubule damage.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Invizius positions H-Guard as a second-generation complement regulator addressing residual thromboinflammatory reactions that remain even with current gold-standard hollow-fibre hemocompatible membranes used in dialyzers and oxygenators.
Rather than a systemic complement drug, the approach coats the blood-contact surfaces of the extracorporeal circuit during the standard priming step, targeting complement activation at its source while fitting existing clinical procedures. The company also runs a stratification study to identify patients with elevated complement responses who may benefit most from intervention.
Technology
The technology is derived from an immune-evasion mechanism used by human pathogenic bacteria, analogous to how human cells avoid immune attack. Invizius isolated this mechanism (PspCN technology) and manufactures it using standard industry methods. Attached to man-made, blood-contacting medical device surfaces, it forms H-Guard, a hemocompatible coating described as a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant intended to prevent foreign body reactions of blood at source. Applied to hollow fibres and other blood-contact surfaces of extracorporeal circuits during routine priming, it aims to reduce thromboinflammatory effects and unwanted coagulation.
Go-to-market
Development is advanced through clinical studies with UK NHS and research partners, including the first-in-human Phase 1 study at the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility with Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a non-interventional patient-stratification study ('Angry Blood'/COMPACT HD), a clinical advisory board of senior nephrologists, and presentation of data at conferences such as UK Kidney Week and the ERA Congress. H-Guard is designed to fit existing circuit priming procedures rather than require new workflows.
Patients undergoing extracorporeal treatments including haemodialysis, continuous renal replacement therapy in intensive care, cardiopulmonary bypass, ECMO and apheresis, together with the nephrology and dialysis clinicians and centres delivering these therapies.
Geography
Registered in Scotland with a registered office in Edinburgh and operations based at Glasgow Biocity, where the company conducts its key R&D work; clinical work has been carried out in Manchester, England.
History
Founded in 2018 as a University of Edinburgh spin-out, Invizius closed a £5.3 million Series A in May 2021 led by existing investors alongside new backers. In March 2022 it won a £1 million Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst grant toward H-Guard's first-in-human safety study, followed in April 2022 by a second Biomedical Catalyst grant to research a peritoneal dialysis indication. Professor Peter Stenvinkel joined the Clinical Advisory Board in July 2022 and Professor Bernard Canaud in October 2023. In June 2023 the company announced its 'Angry Blood' haemodialysis study and its 300th patient recruited; in August 2023 the MHRA approved the start of the first-in-human study of H-Guard at Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. First patients were treated in February 2024 and the Phase 1 study completed in May 2024 with eight patients treated. In September 2024 the company raised £950,000 led by Mercia Ventures.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 11
launches, deals, and filingsRaised £950,000 led by Mercia Ventures with support from Calculus Capital, Syensqo, the University of Edinburgh's Old College Capital and Scottish Enterprise, to prepare for the next stage of clinical trials of H-Guard in continuous renal replacement therapy.
Eight patients were treated at the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility in the first-in-human Phase 1 study; the study demonstrated safety and tolerability and produced biomarker data supporting a planned acute kidney injury trial during continuous renal replacement therapy.
The first two patients were treated with H-Guard Priming Solution at the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility; the MHRA approved continuation of the study after reviewing safety and performance data from these patients.
Dr Duha Ilyas' abstract on the COMPACT HD study won Best Abstract at the 61st ERA Congress in Stockholm, presenting kinetic and biomarker data on filter-initiated complement activation in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing haemodialysis.
Nephrologist with over 40 years of experience and more than 350 peer-reviewed publications; former Chief Medical Officer of Fresenius Medical Care (2012-2018) and global Chief Medical Scientist (2019-2021), joined the Clinical Advisory Board.
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved the start of the first-in-human clinical study of H-Guard, to be conducted at Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and led by Professor Sandip Mitra with Dr Leonard Ebah and Dr Duha Ilyas.
Kinetic study to identify haemodialysis patients with elevated complement responses who may be at high risk of serious cardiovascular complications reached 300 patients recruited.
Professor of Nephrology at Karolinska Institutet and senior lecturer at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, joined the Clinical Advisory Board.
Awarded a second Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst grant to assess in-vitro and in-vivo efficacy of a novel use of its H-Guard technology for peritoneal dialysis and to progress into pre-clinical development.
Awarded a £1 million Biomedical Catalyst grant to bring H-Guard priming solution to the clinic, with funds used toward the first-in-man safety study commencing in 2022.
Series A financing of £5.3 million led by existing investors Mercia, Downing Ventures, Old College Capital, Scottish Enterprise and Solvay Ventures, with new investors Calculus Capital and Dr Jonathan Milner; the round was over-subscribed and remained open to other investors.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Inviziusinvizius.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Invizius do?
- Edinburgh-based clinical-stage biotech developing second-generation complement therapies, led by dialysis coating H-Guard.
- Who are Invizius's investors?
- Invizius's investors include Calculus Capital Ltd..