- The AERIAL trial’s commencement was expedited due to the successful initial closing of Series A1 funding.
- LEU011, intended for solid tumor treatment, marks the first CAR-T candidate manufactured at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
- The AERIAL trial is ongoing, with preliminary data for LEU011 anticipated in the latter half of 2025.
LONDON, May 12, 2025 — Leucid Bio (“Leucid” or “The Company”), a private biotech firm focused on developing innovative Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies using its unique lateral CAR platform, announced today that the first patient has been administered the first dose in the Phase 1 AERIAL trial. This trial aims to assess the safety and clinical efficacy of LEU011 in patients with treatment-resistant solid tumors.
The launch of the AERIAL trial follows the successful initial closing of the Series A1 financing, securing £7.2 million in February 2025. This round was co-led by Epidarex Capital and 2invest AG, bringing the total Series A funding to £18.7 million to date.
AERIAL is a multi-center, dose-escalation study designed to evaluate a single intravenous dose of LEU011 after preconditioning chemotherapy in patients with solid tumors that have not responded to previous treatments. Initial proof-of-concept data for LEU011 is expected in the second half of 2025.
LEU011 is an autologous lateral CAR-T cell therapy that targets NKG2D stress ligands. These ligands are frequently overexpressed on more than 80% of human tumor cells and the surrounding tumor microenvironment. LEU011 has been engineered to co-express the chemokine receptor, CXCR2, to improve cell trafficking and tumor infiltration, providing an additional mechanism to address the significant limitations of existing CAR-T therapies being developed for solid tumors.
LEU011 is also the first CAR-T candidate for solid tumor treatment to be manufactured at the Zayed Centre for Research at GOSH. Leucid gained access to the advanced Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) production facilities at GOSH through an agreement announced in March 2023.
Filippo Petti, Chief Executive Officer of Leucid Bio, commented, “The start of the AERIAL trial is a major achievement for Leucid. LEU011 has shown remarkable anti-tumor activity in preclinical studies and has the potential to overcome challenges in treating refractory solid tumors. We appreciate working with the GOSH team to accelerate the development of LEU011, with the goal of providing effective cell therapies to patients in need.“
Stephen Mathew, Head of Innovation at the Great Ormond Street Hospital Cell and Gene Therapy Service, added, “We are pleased to have supported the manufacturing of LEU011 through our collaboration with Leucid Bio, utilizing our specialized facilities and quality assurance processes. This important milestone highlights our commitment to accelerating innovation in cell and gene therapies and offering hope for improved and potentially curative treatments for rare and complex conditions.“
Further details on the Phase 1 AERIAL trial can be found on under the identifier NCT06193902.
About Leucid Bio
Leucid Bio is a private biotechnology firm focused on creating cell therapies for solid tumor treatment, utilizing its proprietary lateral CAR platform. The Company’s primary asset, LEU011, is an autologous CAR-T cell therapy that targets NKG2D ligands, which are expressed on more than 80% of human tumors. In addition, LEU011 co-expresses the chemokine receptor CXCR2, engineered to enhance cell trafficking and tumor infiltration. For more information, please visit the Leucid Bio website at .
About Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Great Ormond Street Hospital is a leading children’s hospital globally, offering the widest array of specialized children’s healthcare services under one roof in the UK. The hospital’s groundbreaking research, innovation, and treatments provide hope to children across the UK and worldwide who have the rarest, most complex, and often life-threatening conditions.
GOSH is home to the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, which integrates innovative research and world-class clinical care to create new tests, treatments, and cures for rare and complex diseases, from the laboratory to the patient’s bedside. The Cell and Gene Therapy Facility within the Zayed Centre for Research includes seven specialized laboratories and offers comprehensive facilities for all stages of manufacturing.
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