Biotech startup Stylus Medicine has launched with $85m in funding to develop a new class of in vivo genetic medicines that bypass the manufacturing and delivery challenges associated with ex vivo gene editing therapies.
The company’s funding includes an initial $40m Series A round led by RA Capital and Khosla Ventures. These parties also supported a $45m extension, alongside Chugai Venture Fund, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC.
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Stylus Medicine is aiming to address limitations in the field of genetic medicine by shifting away from ex vivo approaches, which involve extracting, modifying, and reinfusing a patient’s cells.
The biotech is developing an in vivo platform that enables direct gene integration within the body, beginning with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies, which aim to treat cancer by modifying immune cells to target tumours, but current ex vivo methods are often resource-intensive and not easily scalable.
According to Stylus, its platform enables high-efficiency, high-specificity genomic integration, potentially simplifying treatment workflows and broadening patient access.
Dr Nessan Bermingham, an operating partner at Khosla, said: “The genetic medicines revolution began decades ago, but despite the immense therapeutic potential, we’ve treated a limited number of patients because of manufacturing and delivery challenges, and the inability to deliver large genetic payloads.
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By GlobalData“Most genetic medicines available today are an important proof-of-concept, but not a practical solution.”
Stylus plans to use the new capital to advance its platform and develop a pipeline of in vivo therapeutic programmes, with an initial focus on oncology. The company will present preclinical data at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) annual meeting, taking place during 13-17 May in New Orleans. The data will include results from a single-dose study using a CD3-targeted LNP formulation delivering a recombinase and a CAR.
The company is led by CEO Dr Emile Nuwaysir, former CEO of Bayer’s cell therapy subsidiary BlueRock Therapeutics. He is joined by Stylus’ chief scientific officer Jason Fontenot, who previously served in the same role at Sangamo Therapeutics.
“By removing the complexity of ex vivo and viral manufacturing, we will dramatically simplify patient treatment. Our goal is to bring the life-saving promise of genetic medicines to every patient in need, starting with CAR-T therapies,” said Nuwaysir in the 13 May announcement.
Stylus’ emergence comes at a time of heightened scrutiny in the gene editing space.
Many companies in the sector such as Editas Medicine and Intellia Therapeutics have implemented significant workforce reductions and streamlined their pipelines amid a more cautious investment climate. For example, Editas cut 65% of its workforce and halted the development of its sickle cell disease therapy in December 2024. Intellia, which previously laid off 15% of staff last year, announced further reductions of 27% in January 2025.
In March 2025, Sarepta and Roche reported the death of a teenage male patient who had received their Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) therapy Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec). While further studies of the drug were halted due to the news, these have since continued.
