ai3Bio raises $48 million to develop T-cell targeting therapy for autoimmune disease

ai3Bio announced its emergence from stealth mode after securing $48 million in Series A funding.

The round was led by UPMC Enterprises and Ziff Capital Partners and combines technology from Corner Therapeutics and the University of Pittsburgh‑backed Novasenta.

The company plans to selectively deplete diseased Th17‑expressing T cells, a subset that drives chronic inflammation in autoimmune conditions.

Its mechanism differs from existing drugs such as Novartis' Cosentyx, which bind and neutralize these cells rather than eliminate them.

Co‑founder Jonathan Kagan, a Harvard Medical School professor, said the goal is to use current knowledge of inflammation to design next‑generation therapies.