Lifordi Immunotherapeutics Secures $112 Million Investment to Advance Autoimmune Disease Treatment
TL;DR
Lifordi's $112 million funding from Sanofi Ventures and others provides a strategic advantage in advancing LFD-200, potentially capturing the autoimmune treatment market with targeted ADC technology.
Lifordi's LFD-200 delivers glucocorticoids directly to immune cells via antibody-drug conjugates, using VISTA targeting to maintain efficacy while limiting systemic toxicity through precise cellular delivery.
Lifordi's targeted ADC approach could revolutionize autoimmune disease treatment by enabling safe, long-term glucocorticoid use, improving quality of life for millions suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions.
Lifordi's novel ADC platform delivers glucocorticoids directly to immune cells, potentially solving a 75-year toxicity problem that has limited steroid treatments for autoimmune diseases.
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Lifordi Immunotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing antibody-drug conjugates for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, has secured a strategic investment from Sanofi Ventures alongside additional capital from existing investors ARCH Ventures, 5AM Ventures, and Atlas Venture. The new funding brings the total raised to $112 million and supports an ongoing Phase 1 study in Rheumatoid Arthritis evaluating LFD-200, an ADC delivering a potent glucocorticoid directly to immune cells.
The investment represents a significant validation of Lifordi's approach to solving a 75-year-old problem in autoimmune disease treatment. Glucocorticoids have been limited in their broad and long-term use due to systemic toxicity concerns, despite their proven efficacy. LFD-200 aims to harness the therapeutic benefits of glucocorticoids while eliminating the toxicity that has restricted their application for decades.
Christopher Gagliardi, Ph.D., Principal at Sanofi Ventures, will join as an observer on Lifordi's Board of Directors as part of the investment. Gagliardi stated that Sanofi was intrigued by Lifordi's targeted ADC approach to deliver glucocorticoids without toxicity. The decision to invest followed extensive due diligence on proof-of-concept data in multiple animal models of autoimmune disease together with comprehensive nonclinical studies.
Arthur Tzianabos, Ph.D., President and CEO of Lifordi, emphasized that enrollment and dosing in the Phase 1 study of LFD-200 in Rheumatoid Arthritis is progressing as planned, with initial data from healthy participants expected in the coming months. The funding also provides for Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls preparations to ensure Phase 2 clinical supply is available without unnecessary delays.
Lifordi recently presented non-clinical data at the American College of Rheumatology 2025 meeting showing that clinically relevant doses of LFD-200 given subcutaneously every 7 days for 13 weeks maintained glucocorticoid exposure in immune cells without evidence of systemic toxicity. The company's platform targets myeloid and lymphoid cells using a highly internalized cell surface membrane protein called VISTA.
The implications of this development extend beyond Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment. Gagliardi noted that Sanofi's investment will help guide LFD-200 through clinical studies and support pipeline development using this approach to deliver other drug payloads, such as antisense oligonucleotides or siRNAs. This could open new therapeutic avenues for multiple immune-mediated conditions where targeted drug delivery could improve efficacy while reducing side effects.
For the millions of patients suffering from autoimmune diseases worldwide, this investment represents hope for more effective, safer treatments that could fundamentally change disease management. The successful development of LFD-200 could establish a new paradigm in autoimmune disease treatment, moving beyond the limitations that have constrained glucocorticoid therapy since its discovery. More information about the company's research can be found at https://www.lifordi.com.
Curated from Reportable
