Delivering drugs into cells: Seed funding for German iDEL and its ‘wonder shuttle’

Getting therapeutics into cells has long been a major challenge in drug development—and one where many bold claims have struggled under closer scrutiny. Now, an experienced founding team in North Rhine-Westphalia is aiming to deliver on that promise, based on a transport mechanism discovered somewhat by chance.

At the heart of iDEL’s approach is a delivery platform designed to shuttle drug payloads directly into the cytosol of tumour cells. This addresses a key limitation of many modern therapeutics: large molecules such as antibodies are often trapped in endosomes and subsequently degraded, while RNA-based drugs typically require lipid carriers that add complexity to targeted delivery. iDEL’s technology is intended to bypass these barriers altogether.

A cellular ‘open sesame’

What sets the company apart is not a single drug candidate but its underlying delivery technology. By enabling direct cytosolic access, the platform could unlock intracellular targets that have long been considered “undruggable”. At the same time, it is designed to work across multiple modalities, from small molecules to nanobodies and cytotoxic payloads, with an initial focus on solid tumours.

The concept builds on an unusual scientific origin. The transport system stems from contrast agent research in Berlin, where a molecule was observed to carry dyes directly into tumour cells. Crucially, the transporter is overexpressed in cancer cells and delivers its cargo straight into the cytosol rather than via endosomal pathways—effectively integrating intracellular targeting into the mechanism itself.

The company’s lead programme involves a single-domain antibody against an intracellular oncogenic target, administered intravenously. Preclinical in vivo data have shown significant tumour shrinkage, helping to attract early investors. A second programme follows a multi-cancer drug conjugate approach, which—because it does not rely on tumour-specific antigens—could be broadly applicable. The platform has also shown initial promise with siRNA payloads, underlining its plug-and-play potential.

From proof-of-concept to partnerships

With the fresh capital, iDEL plans to advance its two lead programmes and expand preclinical validation. Demonstrating a viable therapeutic window remains critical, particularly to ensure that the transporter is not significantly expressed in healthy tissues. Generating robust in vivo data will be key to determining whether the programmes can progress into Phase I trials.

Co-founder Marcus Kostka brings prior experience from companies such as Abalos Therapeutics and MODAG, where he helped translate early discoveries into clinical development and partnerships. His focus, he says, is on bridging the gap between scientific innovation and pharmaceutical investment—a notoriously difficult phase, particularly in Europe.

Looking ahead, iDEL positions its technology not only as the basis for its own pipeline but also as a potential partnering platform for pharmaceutical companies seeking to access intracellular targets. Whether the concept can stand out in a crowded field of delivery technologies will depend on the strength of its forthcoming data—but its early in vivo results have already set it apart from many competitors