The Benefits of an Immune-Directed ADC Strategy

Traditional autoimmune and inflammatory treatments have historically relied on what experts describe as a "carpet bombing strategy," which provides efficacy but causes significant collateral damage to healthy tissue. According to Arthur Tzianabos, CEO, Lifordi Immunotherapeutics, while steroids are a $10 billion market, patients often cannot tolerate them long-term because they "hit not only the disease, but also a lot of other normal, healthy tissue," leading to numerous side effects. This has prompted an industry-wide shift toward "precise targeting of the immune system" through the use of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

VISTA, according to Tzianabos, is a cell surface protein found primarily in the lymphoid and myeloid systems. VISTA is a particularly effective target because it "very rapidly internalizes inside the cell and drops off whatever it’s bound to" before recycling back to the surface. By using VISTA as a gateway, Lifordi’s lead program delivers a "very powerful steroid" directly to the immune cells. This targeted delivery is designed to "avoid the systemic toxicities" of widespread steroid use while maintaining high potency.

The company is currently in a Phase I trial for a rheumatoid arthritis treatment and has begun receiving data. Their progress is supported by significant financial backing, including a $41 million raise with participation from Sanofi Ventures, which followed a $70 million Series A (1). This growth occurs amid a broader biotech upswing in late 2025 and early 2026, a period marked by rising valuations and increased M&A activity.

Lifordi will be present at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, which is being held in San Francisco from January 12–15, to discuss its ADC strategy and meet with leaders in the industry (2). Tzianabos notes that the environment in the industry has shifted toward a "period of optimism" that was absent in previous years, positioning the company well as they share progress with investors and pharmaceutical partners.

References

1. Lifordi Immunotherapeutics. Lifordi Immunotherapeutics Secures Strategic Investment from Sanofi Ventures and Additional Capital from Existing Investors. Press Release. Nov. 18, 2025. https://lifordi.reportablenews.com/pr/lifordi-immunotherapeutics-secures-strategic-investment-from-sanofi-ventures-and-additional-capital-from-existing-investors
2. JP Morgan. JPM 2026. Accessed Jan 9, 2025. https://jpmhealthconferences.com/

About the speaker

Arthur O. Tzianabos, PhD, is president and CEO of Lifordi Immunotherapeutics and a Venture Partner at 5AM Ventures. He has more than 30 years of experience in the biotechnology industry and academia leading teams in the discovery, development, clinical translation and commercialization of new treatments for immunology and rare diseases.

Dr. Tzianabos served as President and CEO of Homology Medicines and later became Chair of the Board prior to its merger with Q32 Bio. Dr. Tzianabos is currently a member of the Board of Directors at Q32 Bio and Chair of the Board of Directors at Stoke Therapeutics. Previously, he was Chair of the Board for Akouos Therapeutics (acquired by Eli Lilly in 2022). He also serves on the Development Board for the University of New Hampshire’s College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. Earlier in his career, Dr. Tzianabos had an active role in the development, approval, and commercial launch of multiple therapies for patients with rare genetic disorders at Shire Pharmaceuticals. He also worked closely with the Business Development and Corporate Venture functions to invest in and acquire new companies and technologies to build Shire’s pipeline.

Dr. Tzianabos is trained as an immunologist and was an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School where he maintained laboratories at the Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School. He has published more than 80 scientific papers, reviews, book chapters and patents. Dr. Tzianabos holds a PhD in Microbiology from the University of New Hampshire and a B.S. in Biology from Boston College.