Lifordi Immunotherapeutics has announced a strategic investment from Sanofi Ventures alongside additional funding from existing investors ARCH Ventures, 5AM Ventures, and Atlas Venture, bringing the company's total funding to $112 million. The clinical-stage biotech company is developing antibody-drug conjugates for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, with its lead candidate LFD-200 currently in Phase 1 clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis. The investment will support the ongoing Phase 1 study evaluating LFD-200, an ADC designed to deliver a potent glucocorticoid directly to immune cells. The funding also provides for Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls preparations to ensure Phase 2 clinical supply availability without unnecessary delays.
As part of the investment arrangement, Christopher Gagliardi, Principal at Sanofi Ventures, will join as an observer on Lifordi's Board of Directors. Arthur Tzianabos, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lifordi, emphasized the significance of the partnership, noting that enrollment and dosing in the Phase 1 study of LFD-200 in rheumatoid arthritis is progressing as planned. The company anticipates sharing initial data from healthy participants in the coming months, which will include both safety and pharmacodynamic measures from single and multiple ascending dosing studies.
Christopher Gagliardi explained Sanofi Ventures' decision to invest, citing Lifordi's targeted ADC approach to deliver glucocorticoids without toxicity. The investment decision followed due diligence on proof-of-concept data from multiple animal models of autoimmune disease and extensive nonclinical studies. Gagliardi noted that this partnership enables Sanofi to share expertise and experiences to help guide LFD-200 through clinical studies and support pipeline development using this approach for delivering other drug payloads.
Lifordi recently presented non-clinical data at the American College of Rheumatology 2025 meeting demonstrating that clinically relevant doses of LFD-200 administered subcutaneously every 7 days for 13 weeks maintained glucocorticoid exposure in immune cells without evidence of systemic toxicity. The company's approach aims to harness the efficacy of glucocorticoids while limiting toxicity, potentially solving the problem that has limited broad and long-term use of glucocorticoids for the past 75 years. Following the healthy participant studies, Lifordi plans to evaluate LFD-200 in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. More information about the company's research and development can be found at https://www.lifordi.com.
