Crossing Boundaries in Brain Health Innovation

Valetudo MedTech: From BYO Innovation Challenge to Health 10x Accelerator 

4 min read · 14 November, 2025

Crossing the Brain Barrier: Reimagining Drug Delivery 

A UNSW spinout from the Faculty of Medicine and Health showcased its breakthrough medical technology on the UNSW Founders Demo Day 2025 stage. 
When Dr Riccardo Cazzoli arrived at UNSW, he wasn’t planning to launch a company, he was focused on solving a problem science hadn’t yet cracked: how to safely deliver drugs to the brain. Two months into his new role in the Faculty of Medicine & Health, that problem found its path forward through a UNSW Founders Pre-Accelerator session. “I joined mostly out of curiosity,” he recalls. “But it quickly turned into a real path to develop the technology I’d invented.” 

That moment became the catalyst for Valetudo MedTech, a UNSW spinout pioneering a delivery system that can transport drugs and RNA therapies safely across the brain’s protective barrier; opening new frontiers in the treatment of neurological disease. 

Years earlier in Italy, Dr Cazzoli had been exploring novel ways to move molecules through the bloodstream. When he connected with Associate Professor Orazio Vittorio at UNSW and the Children’s Cancer Institute, the two quickly saw an opportunity to merge their expertise.

A/Prof Vittorio had been studying a copper-chelating drug that could shrink brain tumours, yet less than 10% of each dose ever reached brain tissue. Increasing the dosage wasn’t an option, it risked dangerous toxicity. “So we asked ourselves, what if we could build a smarter delivery system?” That question became TrUTh (Targeted Uptake Therapy) the core technology behind Valetudo MedTech.  

Inside the TrUTh Technology

At its simplest, TrUTh hides therapeutic molecules inside a structure that mimics something the brain already recognises. “The bloodstream is full of tiny vesicles from red blood cells, which the brain naturally collects as food. We load drugs into red blood cells and transform them into vesicles that look the same, so they’re welcomed into the brain.” Dr Cazzoli explains. 

What makes this innovation truly unique is its flexibility. It can carry a wide range of molecules, even multiple drugs or RNAs at once, opening new possibilities for combination therapies that are both more effective and less toxic. 

Extensive in-vitro testing has validated the promise of the TrUTh platform, but the real breakthrough came when the team confirmed the delivery system could successfully cross into the brain. In a recent study using mice with an aggressive paediatric brain cancer (DIPG), Valetudo’s RNA therapy slowed tumour growth by 50%. 

“Our technology can load a broad range of different molecules, whereas other solutions have a much more limited scope. On top of that, we can load multiple molecules at the same time, a feature that’s unique among technologies currently being tested. This capability opens the door to novel drug and RNA combinations that could increase efficiency and reduce off-target toxicity.” 

 Building on that success, the team is now preparing a second trial that combines a drug and an RNA therapy, a step toward fully eradicating this devastating disease.  

From research to real-world impact

Valetudo’s pathway from lab discovery to startup has been shaped by the UNSW Founders ecosystem, from early curiosity at Pre-X (2023) to a playful but powerful start at the BYO Innovation Challenge (2024) delivered in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine & Health, and finally, to the Health 10x Accelerator (2025) delivered in partnership with the George Institute for Global Health. 

“Pre-X was critical in helping us see the real potential of our idea,” said Cazzoli. “BYO Innovation Challenge was where it started to feel real, and Health 10x pushed us to execute.” 

During the accelerator, the team refined their value proposition, developed their go-to-market strategy, and pitched to investors, earning interest from multiple venture funds and even a CEO volunteer coach. 

“The investor bootcamp was a standout moment,” Cazzoli shared. “We had real conversations with VCs who understood what we’re building. It was the moment we realised, this isn’t just research anymore.” 

What’s next for Valetudo MedTech? 

For 2026 they have a clear plan to establish partnerships with three pharmaceutical companies, setting the stage for a seed funding round and the conversion of their research instrument into a GMP-compliant medical device, paving the way for clinical trials and getting one step closer to be a game changer for brain targeting therapies.  

Looking further ahead, the founders envision Valetudo not only as a technology partner but as a developer of its own therapeutics pipeline. With the unique ability of TrUTh to deliver multiple molecules at once, their platform could go far beyond oncology,  unlocking new treatment possibilities for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurological disorders where effective drug delivery remains one of medicine’s greatest challenges. 

Curiosity. Research. Innovation. Impact. 

Behind every breakthrough are people driven by purpose and curiosity. For Dr Cazzoli, that motivation runs deep. “It may sound funny,” he says, but I can’t stop until I find a way to make it work, because that’s when research becomes impact.” 
With the backing of UNSW’s innovation ecosystem, persistence has transformed scientific discovery into a venture with global potential 

Explore how UNSW Founders helps researchers turn discoveries into impact through programs like the Health 10x Accelerator. 

Visit Valetudo MedTech to learn more about their mission to revolutionise brain therapeutics.