Revolver Therapeutics raises £572k led by QantX Ltd with follow on from UKI2S
This article covers Revolver Therapeutics, a biotech startup spun out of the University of Bath, which has raised £572k in a pre-seed funding round to advance cell-penetrating peptides designed to inhibit transcription factors implicated in colorectal cancer. The funding aims to support development of its Transcription Block Survival platform and advance early therapeutic assets towards preclinical development, targeting transcription factors that drive tumour growth and treatment resistance in colorectal cancer.
Revolver Therapeutics, a biotech startup spun out of the University of Bath, has raised £572k in a pre-seed funding round to advance specially designed peptides that aim to inhibit transcription factors implicated in colorectal cancer. The cash will be used to develop the company’s Transcription Block Survival platform and push early therapeutic assets towards preclinical development — a notable effort against targets long considered difficult to drug.
Why it matters
Transcription factors control gene expression and can drive tumour growth, survival and treatment resistance, yet they have traditionally been labelled “undruggable” because they lack obvious binding pockets and operate inside the cell nucleus. If Revolver’s peptides can reliably enter cells and switch off these master regulators, the approach could unlock new therapeutic routes not just for colorectal cancer but for other cancers driven by similar biology.
The company’s work highlights a broader challenge and opportunity in UK biotech: translating university-led molecular discoveries into modalities that address targets beyond the reach of small molecules and antibodies.
Inside the product
Revolver’s platform, named Transcription Block Survival, is designed to discover cell-penetrating peptides that bind to and inhibit transcription factors. Peptides are small, protein-like molecules that can be engineered to interact with protein surfaces that conventional small molecules cannot. According to the company, the platform identifies sequences capable of getting inside cells and modulating transcription factor activity, and the current pipeline is focused on assets for colorectal cancer where clinical need remains high.
Early laboratory data cited by the company indicate these molecules can halt tumour cell growth in vitro and overcome cellular delivery challenges that have limited past efforts to target transcription factors.
Who are the investors?
The round was led by QantX Ltd and included follow-on investment from the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S), managed by Future Planet Capital, along with the University of Bath. UKI2S first backed Revolver in 2024 and has doubled down with this follow-on.
In the announcement, Richard Haycock, Co-Founder and CEO of QantX Ltd, said:
Revolver is going after targets that have defeated drug discovery for decades – that's exactly the kind of hard science QantX exists to back.
They're a standout example of world-class innovation coming out of the South West of England, taking on one of the toughest challenges in cancer research. By going after targets that have defeated conventional drugs for decades, Revolver could open the door to a whole new way of treating cancer and other hard-to-tackle diseases. We led this round because we believe in Jody's team and the science, and we're proud to keep backing them as they push into colorectal cancer.
In the announcement, Oliver Sexton, Investment Director at UKI2S, managed by Future Planet Capital, said:
We first backed Revolver in 2024, and we're delighted to be doubling down with this follow-on investment. Revolver continues to pioneer an exciting new approach to cancer treatment by targeting transcription factors - proteins that have been tough to tackle in cancer research until now.
Their novel platform produces first-in-class, cell-penetrating peptides with an excellent product profile, and with this investment they are now advancing their first therapeutic assets, including into colorectal cancer. We're proud to continue supporting Revolver's team as they bring this innovative science closer to helping patients facing challenging cancers.
The investors’ stated rationale centres on the combination of a university-rooted discovery platform and early proof that the molecules can penetrate cells and affect tumour biology. The University of Bath also participated, reflecting continued institutional support for the spin-out as it moves from academic research towards commercial development.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of biotech venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of biotech angel investors in the UK
Founder perspective
In the announcement, Jody Mason, Chief Scientific Officer of Revolver Therapeutics and Professor of Biochemistry in the University of Bath's Department of Life Sciences, said:
This funding is a huge vote of confidence in the team and the science we've built here at Bath.
For years, transcription factors have been seen as some of the most important - yet most stubborn - targets in cancer, sitting beyond the reach of conventional drugs. Backing like this is exactly what a spin-out needs to take bold science from the lab and turn it into something that could genuinely help patients.
We've already shown we can stop tumour cells growing in the lab while cracking the challenge of getting our molecules inside cells - a hurdle that has held this field back for years. This investment lets us build on that progress, starting with colorectal cancer, and move closer to new treatments for the people who need them most. We're hugely grateful to our investors for believing in what we're trying to achieve - for colorectal cancer and beyond.
In the announcement, Jennifer Rogers, Technology Transfer team, Research and Innovation Services, University of Bath, said:
We are delighted to see Revolver Therapeutics, a spin-out from the University, continue to attract investment and move forward on its mission to inhibit the transcription factors that are critical for cancer cell proliferation. It's a wonderful example of how university research can grow into a company with the potential to change patients' lives, and we're proud to have supported the team on this journey from the very beginning.
The bigger picture
Revolver’s funding is modest but typical for pre-seed bets that aim to de-risk platform technology and advance a lead asset into preclinical stages. The announcement underscores two ongoing trends in the UK biotech ecosystem: continued activity in university spin-outs, and investor appetite for technologies that address historically intractable targets.
The deal reflects continued interest from UK biotech investors in novel modalities — peptides and other alternative scaffolds — that expand the druggable genome. If Revolver’s approach translates beyond cell models, it could add to a growing pipeline of academic spin-outs attempting to convert deep molecular biology into new classes of therapeutics.
This funding round also illustrates the role of regionally anchored investors and university technology transfer teams in shepherding early-stage UK biotech projects towards commercialisation, a dynamic that remains important for keeping discovery-to-clinic pathways within the UK and Europe.
They've invested in Revolver Therapeutics
Get to know these biotech investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 QantX( ) | ||||
 Future Planet Capital( ) Future Planet Capital is an impact-led venture capital firm founded in the UK wi... London  | ||||
| All investors | All investor sectors | All funded startups | All funding rounds |
Click here for a full list of 7,589+ startup investors in the UK