- Additional funding of €4m from new co-lead investor Biovance Capital, and €1.5m from existing co-lead Kurma Partners, to reach a total of €5.5m.
- Funds will be used to further develop Laigo’s SureTACs™ targeted protein degradation candidates in oncology and auto-immunity.
UTRECHT, The Netherlands, March 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Laigo Bio (“Laigo”), a biotech company pioneering novel and highly differentiated therapies using its proprietary SureTACs™ precision membrane protein degradation platform, today announces the successful completion of the second close of its seed financing round, securing an additional €5.5m, bringing the total raised to €17m. This latest investment comes from new co-lead investor Biovance Capital and existing co-lead investor Kurma Partners.
The proceeds of the seed financing will be used to accelerate the development of Laigo’s Surface Removal Targeting Chimeras (SureTACs) oncology programs towards the clinic, as well as advance its three candidate programs for selected autoimmune and immunology indications, and graft rejection.
Laigo’s proprietary SureTACs platform generates bispecific antibodies that pair the optimal E3 ligase with a disease-causing target protein to stimulate its ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation with a high degree of specificity. Laigo’s platform allows the development of first-in-class, dual targeted therapies that eliminate disease-driving membrane targets.
Dr. Matthew Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Laigo Bio, said: “The second close of our seed financing round further validates the potential of our SureTACs platform and its ability to identify first-in-class dual targeted therapies to redefine the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The additional investment and support from new co-lead investor Biovance Capital, alongside further funding from our existing co-lead investor Kurma Partners, will accelerate our oncology programs towards the clinic and enhance our discovery efforts in auto-immunity and immunology. We welcome Dr. João Incio to the Board of Directors.”
Dr. João Incio, General Partner at Biovance Capital, added: “Laigo Bio has shown that its SureTACs degradation technology results in remarkable in vivo and in vitro efficacy, with a high degree of selectivity and improved toxicity and safety. We at Biovance Capital see phenomenal potential in Laigo’s technology and support its commitment to exploring an ever-evolving universe of new targets, including those currently considered undruggable.”
Laigo is backed by a strong syndicate of leading international investors: Kurma Partners, Biovance Capital, Curie Capital, Argobio Studio, Angelini Ventures, Eurazeo, Oncode Bridge Fund, ROM Utrecht Region, and Cancer Research Horizons. Laigo completed the initial close of its seed financing round in December 2025.
About Laigo Bio
Laigo Bio (www.laigobio.com), an early-stage biotech company based in the Netherlands, is pioneering the use of E3 ligase induced internalisation and selective degradation of membrane-bound targets involved in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Its proprietary SureTACs™ platform generates bispecific antibodies that pair the optimal E3 ligase with a disease-causing target protein to stimulate its ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation with a high degree of specificity. Degradation of the target protein achieves deeper inhibition of disease pathways compared to conventional therapeutics, while sparing healthy tissue and minimising side-effects.
About SureTACs™
Surface Removal Targeting Chimeras (SureTACs™), developed in conjunction with Prof Madelon Maurice’s laboratory at the UMC Utrecht and Oncode Institute, are proprietary therapeutic candidates for targeted degradation of membrane proteins, that have been validated as disease drivers but have eluded drug discovery, and were long considered “undruggable”. SureTACs are bispecific antibody molecules that induce degradation by bringing the cell surface target protein into close proximity with a surface E3 ligase enzyme, resulting in highly selective and deep inhibition of disease pathways in affected tissues.
About Biovance Capital
Biovance Capital (www.biovancecapital.com) is Portugal’s leading life sciences venture capital firm. The company manages Biovance Capital Fund I, a venture capital fund with a total of €60 million backed by the European Investment Fund and the European Commission through the Portugal Tech and InvestEU programmes, the largest Portuguese pharmaceutical company BIAL, the national promotional bank Banco Português de Fomento, private investors such as Caixa Capital, Ageas Pensões, Fundo de Pensões EDP, in addition to other private investors from the USA and Europe. The fund invests in early-stage drug development companies across Europe, with a special focus on Southern Europe.
About Kurma Partners
Kurma Partners (www.kurmapartners.com) - Founded in Paris in 2009, Kurma Partners has become a key player in financing innovation to build the healthcare industry of tomorrow. Kurma invests in companies from their inception and to finance their growth, across the spectrum of the healthcare sector through its various franchises. These have grown with successive funds in early-stage biotechnology (Biofunds I, II, III and IV), digital health and early-stage diagnostics (Kurma Diagnostics and Kurma Diagnostics 2) and, more recently, growth capital (Kurma Growth Opportunities Fund). Kurma's teams, with a total of 25 people and 10 partners, are based in two offices, in Paris and Munich. They are deeply involved in the European ecosystem and have built up a solid network of international connections with prestigious research institutes, hospitals, entrepreneurs, industry and fellow investors. Kurma Partners is part of the Eurazeo group.
For more information please contact: Optimum Strategic Communications Nick Bastin, Eleanor Cooper, Henry Williams Tel: +44 (0) 204 566 8543 Email: laigobio@optimumcomms.com
