May 04, 2026 —
Latus Bio has announced the closing of a $97 million Series A financing to advance its pipeline of engineered AAV gene therapies for large-rare and broader disease populations. The round includes a $43 million extension led by 8VC, with participation from existing investors DCVC Bio, BioAdvance, Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners, Modi Ventures, Gaingels, and Hatch BioFund, as well as new investors Korea Development Bank and Helen’s Pink Sky Foundation. The funding is expected to support key milestones for the company’s two lead programs: LTS-201 for Huntington’s disease and LTS-101 for late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 disease, also known as CLN2 disease.
The company’s platform combines proprietary engineered AAV capsids with optimized clinical delivery routes to enable efficient tissue-specific transduction at low doses. This strategy is designed to improve safety, manufacturability, scalability, and cost efficiency—key challenges that have historically limited the expansion of gene therapy beyond ultra-rare diseases. LTS-201, an investigational AAV gene therapy targeting MSH3 knockdown in Huntington’s disease, is expected to move toward IND submission in the third quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, LTS-101 has already received FDA IND clearance, Orphan Drug Designation, Rare Pediatric Disease Designation, and Fast Track Designation, with a first-in-human investigator-initiated trial expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
Beyond its lead CNS programs, Latus Bio is advancing capsid variants with potential applications in kidney, eye, heart, and muscle diseases. The financing reflects continued investor confidence in next-generation AAV platforms that aim to overcome delivery, dosing, and scalability barriers. If successful, Latus’ approach could help extend gene therapy from ultra-rare indications into larger patient populations where durable, single-administration treatments remain a major unmet need.
