LYON & CAEN, France, June 22, 2026
Lys Therapeutics has announced a major financing milestone, surpassing €25 million in total funding since its founding in 2021 and positioning its lead drug candidate LYS241 for entry into human clinical studies. The French biotechnology company, which is pioneering therapies targeting the tPA-NMDAr neurovascular pathway, has secured support from private investors, public innovation programs, institutional partners, and international foundations. The funding will be used to complete regulatory studies, strengthen manufacturing capabilities, and support a planned Phase 1a/1b clinical development program designed to evaluate LYS241 across multiple neurological diseases. The achievement reflects growing confidence in the company’s scientific platform and its potential to address significant unmet needs in neurodegenerative and neurovascular disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy, and ischemic stroke. As neurological disorders continue to represent one of the largest global healthcare challenges, the advancement of LYS241 highlights increasing investor interest in innovative therapies capable of modifying disease progression rather than simply managing symptoms.
Major Investment Supports Transition into Human Clinical Trials
The funding milestone has been driven by a combination of equity financing, non-dilutive grants, and strategic support from leading healthcare innovation programs. Among the most significant contributions is a grant exceeding $5 million from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, awarded to accelerate the development of LYS241 for Parkinson’s disease. Additional support has come from organizations including Bpifrance and the France 2030 initiative, both of which focus on advancing breakthrough healthcare technologies.
Lys Therapeutics has also strengthened its shareholder base with the addition of new investors including Normandie Participation, TCD Capital, and FIDAT Ventures, joining existing backers such as ZCUBE, the venture arm of pharmaceutical company Zambon. The capital infusion enables the company to complete key regulatory and manufacturing milestones while preparing for its first-in-human clinical studies, a critical step toward demonstrating the therapeutic potential of LYS241 in patients.
LYS241 Targets Shared Mechanisms Across Neurological Diseases
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At the center of the company’s development strategy is LYS241, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody designed to selectively block the pathological interaction between tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and NMDA receptors (NMDAr). By targeting this neurovascular pathway, the therapy aims to restore blood-brain barrier integrity, reduce neuroinflammation, and protect both vascular and neuronal tissues. This mechanism addresses biological processes that are shared across multiple neurological disorders, supporting what the company describes as a “pipeline-in-a-product” strategy. In Parkinson’s disease, preclinical studies suggest that LYS241 may help slow neurodegenerative progression and preserve motor function.
Additional research has demonstrated promise in synucleinopathies, including multiple system atrophy, an orphan disease with no approved disease-modifying therapies. The company is also evaluating the antibody as a standalone treatment or adjunctive therapy for ischemic stroke, where it may improve reperfusion outcomes and reduce hemorrhagic complications associated with current therapies.
Expanding Clinical and Commercial Potential Through Innovation
Lys Therapeutics is currently preparing a biomarker-rich Phase 1a/1b clinical program that will include healthy volunteer cohorts alongside disease-specific patient groups. The study is expected to generate critical data on safety, pharmacokinetics, and biological activity while helping validate the role of the tPA-NMDAr pathway in multiple neurological disorders. Simultaneously, the company is strengthening its translational and industrial infrastructure through human tissue studies, biomarker development, and large-scale manufacturing initiatives required to support future clinical and commercial expansion.
With growing international visibility among scientific experts, investors, pharmaceutical companies, and patient advocacy organizations, Lys Therapeutics believes LYS241 has the potential to become a new therapeutic platform addressing several severe neurological diseases. The latest financing milestone marks a significant step toward transforming years of scientific research into clinical innovation that could ultimately improve outcomes for patients suffering from debilitating neurological conditions worldwide.
Source: Lys Therapeutics press release
