Vianautis
Sarah Wythe is a seasoned professional in the field of research with extensive experience in cell and gene therapy and tumour immunology. Currently serving as the Vice President of Research at Vianautis since December 2023, Sarah previously held the position of Research Director at Evox Therapeutics Ltd from January 2021 to December 2023. Prior roles include Group Lead at GammaDelta Therapeutics (2017-2021), Senior Scientist at Oxford Biomedica (2015-2017), and Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Oxford (2012-2015). Sarah began a distinguished academic career as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry (2008-2011). Education includes a PhD in Cellular Immunology from Imperial College London (2005-2008) and a Master of Science in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (2001-2002).
Vianautis
ViaNautis, formerly known as SomaServe, was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from UCL under the leadership of CEO and serial entrepreneur, Dr Francesca Crawford. The company’s core mission is to exploit the unique capabilities of the revolutionary polyNaut® technology. PolyNaut® is a versatile nano-engineered polymer technology designed for targeted intracellular delivery. This innovative technology enables polymer nanoparticles to deliver a wide range of payloads from small molecules to genetic materials creating ‘a bionic nanoparticle.’ The highly adaptable polymer structure of polyNaut® can be formulated to encapsulate a wide array of genetic cargoes, with sizes exceeding current standards for viral and non-viral delivery. Notably, it enhances the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated molecules through direct delivery to the cell cytoplasm, facilitated by GOTO® technology for intracellular shuttling. PolyNaut® is set apart from conventional non-viral delivery technologies through its remarkable ability to target specific cells and penetrate biological barriers, including the challenging blood-brain barrier. PolyNaut® nanoparticles, when functionalised for CNS delivery through transcytosis, exhibit exceptional brain uptake. Deploying its state-of-the-art polyNaut® platform, ViaNautis is at the forefront of pioneering new therapies for CNS diseases and cystic fibrosis. The company is actively building an internal pipeline and collaborating with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies to unlock the potential of promising genetic molecules as well as new therapeutic platforms.