Laigo Bio, a Dutch biotechnology firm specializing in targeted protein degradation, has successfully raised a total of $19.6 million in its seed funding round. The company recently secured an additional $6.3 million in a second closing, building on an initial $13 million raised in late 2025. This capital injection will advance its pioneering work developing novel therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases through its proprietary technology platform.
Strategic Investment to Propel Novel Therapies
The latest funding tranche was led by new co-lead investor Biovance Capital, which contributed $4.6 million to the round. Existing co-lead investor Kurma Partners provided an additional $1.7 million, reaffirming its confidence in the company's innovative approach. As part of the investment agreement, Dr. João Incio, General Partner at Biovance Capital, will join Laigo Bio’s board of directors.
Dr. Matthew Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Laigo Bio, stated that the financing validates the significant potential of the company's platform. He emphasized that the support from both new and existing investors will significantly accelerate their oncology programs toward clinical trials. The investment is viewed as a crucial step for enhancing discovery efforts in immunology and bringing new treatments to patients.
Pioneering the SureTACs Platform
At the core of Laigo Bio's strategy is its proprietary SureTACs (Surface Removal Targeting Chimeras) platform. This technology generates bispecific antibodies designed to eliminate disease-driving proteins from the cell surface. The platform was developed in collaboration with the UMC Utrecht and the Oncode Institute to address therapeutic targets long considered undruggable by conventional methods.
The SureTACs molecules function by bringing a target protein into close proximity with a surface E3 ligase enzyme. This engineered interaction triggers the protein's ubiquitination and subsequent degradation through the cell's natural lysosomal pathway. The mechanism allows for highly selective and deep inhibition of disease pathways while aiming to protect healthy tissue from off-target effects.
According to the company, this degradation-based approach offers a more effective method of pathway inhibition than traditional therapeutics. By precisely removing specific proteins rather than just inhibiting them, the technology promises improved safety and reduced side effects. This innovative method holds significant potential for redefining treatment paradigms in several complex diseases with high unmet needs.
Advancing a Promising Pipeline
With the new capital, Laigo Bio plans to expedite the preclinical development of its oncology programs to prepare them for clinical evaluation. The company will also advance three candidate programs focused on autoimmune and immunology indications, including graft rejection. These ambitious efforts are supported by a strong syndicate of international investors, including Curie Capital, Angelini Ventures, and Eurazeo.
The company was established by the Oncode Institute, the Oncode Bridge Fund, and Argobio Studio, a French biotech incubator. This foundation provides a robust scientific and financial backing for its development goals. Laigo Bio's progress positions it among a select group of European startups that are developing next-generation immunology and oncology technologies.
The successful completion of its $19.6 million seed round enables Laigo Bio to make significant strides in the competitive biotech landscape. This substantial investment underscores strong investor confidence in its unique SureTACs platform and its potential to deliver transformative therapies. As the company advances its pipeline, it is well-positioned to address critical unmet medical needs in oncology and immunology.