Disrupting Biotech: Jurek Kozyra Unveils DNA Nanorobots That Could Cure the Incurable
Jurek Kozyra, CEO of Nanovery, joins host Karla Jo Helms on the Disruption Interruption podcast to discuss revolutionizing molecular medicine. Kozyra reveals how DNA nanorobots and AI are reducing diagnostic wait times from days to hours and accelerating drug development, potentially shortening the decade-long journey to market life-saving treatments.
TAMPA BAY, Fla., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bringing a new drug from discovery to market is a grueling marathon that typically requires 10–15 years of research, testing, and regulatory approval. According to recent data, clinical development times for innovative drugs have remained stagnant over the last decade, with a median duration of around 8 years. Jurek Kozyra, founder and CEO of Nanovery, sits down with host Karla Jo Helms on the latest episode of the Disruption Interruption podcast to explain how he is dismantling these barriers. Kozyra discusses how the convergence of DNA nanotechnology and AI is creating a new era of "oligo therapeutics" capable of targeting the underlying mechanisms of disease.
"If you can target mRNA very specifically, that means that in theory, you could potentially cure all diseases," says Kozyra. "That's why this area is so exciting right now."
The Stagnation of Traditional Medicine
For centuries, medicine has operated on a "lock and key" model, hunting for molecules that can fix defective proteins. However, this approach leaves many diseases untreated simply because scientists cannot find the right molecule to fit the target. Furthermore, the diagnostic process remains dangerously slow; traditional lab tests can take up to two days to return results—a delay that can be fatal in emergency situations like drug overdoses.
Pharmaceutical companies are also racing against the clock. "Pharma companies are racing against 20-year patents while drugs take over 10 years to develop," explains Kozyra. "A lot of diseases cannot be cured because we cannot find the right molecule that will fix the protein. But the promise here is that you can actually cure potentially all diseases because all proteins come from mRNA."
This inefficiency results in billions of dollars in costs and a 90% failure rate for new drugs, limiting patient access to life-saving innovations.
Nanorobots: The Future of Rapid Detection
Kozyra's solution lies in DNA nanorobots—self-assembling machines that can detect diseases in blood samples within 2-4 hours, a fraction of the time required by traditional methods. Unlike the metallic robots of science fiction, these biological machines are designed to produce fluorescent signals when they encounter specific DNA or RNA molecules, enabling rapid, accurate point-of-care diagnostics.
"We are creating nanorobots that self-assemble into structures or dynamic devices," Kozyra states. "You simply add them to the sample, let them find the right markers, and they start producing a signal. If you can detect it, you know exactly what is in your sample."
The technology has already proven its worth in a hospital study involving 170 patient samples. "In a clinical setting, our technology delivered the same or better results than traditional tests in just two hours instead of two days," Kozyra notes. "This is a gamechanger for emergency situations where immediate answers are critical."
Links
Disrupting Biotech: How DNA Nanorobots Are Rewriting the Rules of Drug Discovery, with Jurek Kozyra
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j3ny/
Company Website: https://nanovery.co.uk
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Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic markets… and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at www.disruption-interruption.com.
About Jurek Kozyra
Jurek Kozyra is a pioneering deep-tech entrepreneur and researcher with over a decade of experience at the intersection of DNA nanotechnology, AI, and molecular nanomachines. As the founder and CEO of Nanovery, Jurek is leading the charge in transforming molecular medicine by developing bioanalytical platforms that accelerate the discovery and characterization of next-generation RNA therapeutics. With more than $7 million raised and partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies, Nanovery is on track to revolutionize how diseases are diagnosed and treated.
Before founding Nanovery, Jurek honed up his expertise in academia, designing DNA-based nanodevices and pioneering algorithms that pushed the boundaries of computation and nanoscale biology. His multidisciplinary approach has enabled him to translate breakthrough science into commercial biotech solutions, bridging the gap between research and real-world applications.
At Nanovery, Jurek's mission is to drive innovation in the bioanalysis of RNA drugs, from high-throughput assay development to advanced data analytics, enabling safer and more effective treatments for complex diseases. His work has garnered attention from leading academics, industry partners, and cross-functional teams, solidifying his reputation as a visionary in the biotech space.
About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line — and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.
References
- Brown, D. G., Wobst, H. J., Kapoor, A., Kenna, L. A., & Southall, N. (2023). Clinical development times for innovative drugs. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 21(11). doi.org/10.1038/d41573-021-00190-9
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SOURCE Disruption Interruption
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