Lifordi Immunotherapeutics Appoints Matthew W. McClure as Chief Medical Officer to Advance ADC Platform for Autoimmune Disorders

Lifordi Immunotherapeutics has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Matthew W. McClure, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. McClure brings extensive clinical development experience across multiple biotechnology companies, positioning Lifordi to advance its novel antibody-drug conjugate platform for treating autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. His professional background includes significant roles in clinical development at prominent biotechnology firms, with previous positions including Chief Medical Officer roles at Aligos Therapeutics and Second Genome, where he directed clinical operations and oversaw multiple clinical trials.

The appointment comes at a critical time for Lifordi, which is preparing to transition its lead candidate LFD-200 into Phase 1 clinical trials in mid-year 2025. LFD-200 represents an innovative approach to treating autoimmune diseases by targeting a cell surface protein called VISTA, primarily expressed on immune cells. The ADC platform aims to deliver therapeutic agents directly to immune cells while minimizing systemic toxicity, potentially addressing significant challenges in autoimmune treatment. According to Lifordi's President and CEO Arthur Tzianabos, Dr. McClure's expertise in designing global clinical trials and collaborating with key opinion leaders will be instrumental in generating crucial data about LFD-200's potential.

Dr. McClure expressed enthusiasm about joining Lifordi, highlighting the potential of ADCs to transform autoimmune disease treatment. He noted the exciting opportunity to leverage ADC technology, which has proven successful in cancer therapies, to address the significant challenges in treating autoimmune conditions. The candidate has already demonstrated promising preclinical results, showing a short serum half-life and extended immune cell residency, suggesting favorable pharmacokinetic properties for targeted therapy.

Lifordi's innovative approach extends beyond LFD-200, with plans to apply their ADC platform to target both innate and adaptive immune cells using various payloads. This strategy could potentially offer new treatment modalities across multiple medical disciplines, including rheumatology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, and dermatology. The company's platform represents a significant shift in how autoimmune diseases might be treated, moving beyond broad immunosuppression to more targeted approaches that could improve efficacy while reducing side effects. Dr. McClure's extensive experience at companies such as Alios BioPharma, Portola Pharmaceuticals, and InterMune provides Lifordi with valuable insight into navigating the complex clinical development pathway for novel therapeutics.