Massachusetts-Based ai3Bio Bags $48M in Series A Funding

ai3Bio, a Watertown, MA-based biotechnology company targeting autoimmune disease at it's root source, has secured $48 million in a Series A funding round.

The round was led by founding investors UPMC Enterprises and Ziff Capital Partners, with support from Cockrell Interests and Tanis Ventures.

The company plans to use the funding to advance its two treatment platforms toward IND-enabling studies and first-in-human trials.

What is ai3Bio?

ai3Bio is developing therapies designed to target the underlying cells that drive autoimmune diseases.

Its approach focuses on disease-causing Th17 cells, which play a role in autoimmune conditions. The company has developed two platforms, STARx and T Deplete, that are designed to target and eliminate these cells inside the body.

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STARx uses a lipid nanoparticle to deliver mRNA that triggers a targeted self-destruct process in Th17 cells. T Deplete uses an antibody to recruit the body's immune cells to remove the same cells.

How Much Funding Has ai3Bio Secured?

ai3Bio has secured $48 million in its Series A funding round.

The company said the funding will support development of both its platforms and preparation for first-in-human trials.

Who Invested in ai3Bio’s Series A?

The Series A was led by UPMC Enterprises and Ziff Capital Partners, ai3Bio’s founding investors.

Cockrell Interests and Tanis Ventures also participated in the round.

Why the Funding Matters

The funding will help ai3Bio advance STARx and T Deplete through IND-enabling studies and toward first-in-human trials in autoimmune disease.

The company is developing both platforms with the goal of directly targeting disease-causing Th17 cells rather than broadly suppressing the immune system.

Who founded ai3Bio?

The source does not provide the names of ai3Bio’s founders.

The company is based in Watertown, Massachusetts.

"Despite billions of dollars of investment, no therapeutic on the market today delivers lasting remission for the more than 15 million Americans who live with autoimmune diseases," said Steven Altschuler, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of ai3Bio.

"ai3Bio represents a fundamentally new approach to autoimmune disease, targeting the pathogenic cells that drive disease, rather than suppressing symptoms," said Fabian Tenenbaum, Executive Vice President, UPMC Enterprises, and Board Chair, ai3Bio.

Market and Business Growth

ai3Bio said preclinical testing of blood samples from patients with autoimmune disease showed that its LNP technology could remove disease-causing Th17 cells.

Its antibody platform has also demonstrated efficacy in a non-human primate model, with IND-enabling safety studies underway.

The company is developing its technology for the broader autoimmune disease treatment market.

What Happens Next?

ai3Bio plans to use the new funding to advance its STARx and T Deplete platforms through IND-enabling studies and toward first-in-human trials.

The company will continue developing its approach to directly target disease-causing Th17 cells in autoimmune diseases.

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