Clinical-stage biotech company Lifordi Immunotherapeutics, which is focused on developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, announced that it has secured a strategic investment from Sanofi Ventures — the venture-capital arm of global healthcare company Sanofi — alongside additional funding from its existing investors including ARCH Ventures, 5AM Ventures, and Atlas Venture. The funding brings Lifordi’s total capital raised to $112 million to date.
The new financing is earmarked to support the ongoing Phase 1 clinical study of Lifordi’s lead candidate LFD‑200, an ADC designed to deliver a potent glucocorticoid payload directly to immune cells, targeting patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The funding will also cover Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) activities to ensure a seamless supply of Phase 2 clinical material and mitigate potential delays.
As part of the investment agreement, Christopher Gagliardi, Ph.D., Principal at Sanofi Ventures, will join Lifordi’s Board of Directors as an observer. Gagliardi commented on Sanofi’s interest in the company’s novel approach.
Lifordi’s Phase 1 trial is currently enrolling and dosing healthy participants, with safety and pharmacodynamic measures planned for evaluation. Following single and multiple ascending dosing (SAD/MAD) cohorts, the study will move into patients with moderate to severe RA. Lifordi also presented preclinical non-clinical data at the American College of Rheumatology 2025 meeting, showing that subcutaneous weekly administration of LFD-200 for 13 weeks maintained glucocorticoid exposure in immune cells without evidence of systemic toxicity — a key hurdle for long-term glucocorticoid use.
The company positions its targeted ADC delivery platform as a way to harness the efficacy of glucocorticoids while limiting their well-known toxicity — an issue that has constrained the long-term use of glucocorticoids for decades. Lifordi also indicates that its platform is extensible beyond small-molecule payloads to include antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and siRNAs, targeting myeloid and lymphoid cells via the cell-surface protein VISTA.
Arthur Tzianabos, Ph.D., President & Chief Executive Officer of Lifordi, highlighted the significance of the investment and progress in the trial. Lifordi’s strong backing from established biotech venture firms, combined with the strategic partnership from Sanofi Ventures, is intended to accelerate its immunology pipeline and clinical development timetable.
With the fresh capital and board observer from Sanofi Ventures in place, Lifordi is well-positioned to advance LFD-200 through the subsequent phases of development and explore further applications of its ADC-based immune cell-targeting platform.
KEY QUOTES:
“Sanofi has demonstrated a strong commitment to invest in new treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and we are fortunate to have this support from Chris and the Sanofi Ventures team alongside our current investors to advance LFD-200 and our targeted ADC delivery pipeline for immune-mediated conditions.”
Arthur Tzianabos, Ph.D. — President & Chief Executive Officer, Lifordi Immunotherapeutics
“We continue to search for new approaches to improve the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and were intrigued by Lifordi’s targeted ADC approach to deliver glucocorticoids without toxicity. Once we met the team and did our due diligence on the proof-of-concept data in multiple animal models of autoimmune disease together with extensive nonclinical studies, we made the decision to invest in Lifordi now. This enables Sanofi to share our expertise and experiences to help guide LFD-200 through clinical studies and support pipeline development using this approach to deliver other drug payloads, such as ASOs or siRNAs.”
Christopher Gagliardi, Ph.D. — Principal, Sanofi Ventures
