Company: LIfT Biosciences
CEO and Founder: Alex Blyth
Website: https://www.liftbiosciences.com
About LIfT Biosciences
About LIfT BioSciences
LIfT BioSciences is a UK-based biotech company founded in 2016 that is pioneering a new class of immune cell therapies for cancer. At the heart of its innovation is the belief that every patient deserves an immune system strong enough to fight back.
Instead of trying to boost a weakened immune response, LIfT replaces broken immune cells with powerful new ones. These cells are derived from rare individuals whose immune systems naturally destroy cancer. Grown in the lab and infused into patients, they give the body a renewed ability to recognise and attack tumours – even when other treatments have stopped working.
The company’s flagship treatment uses a new type of neutrophil called an Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophil (IMAN). Unlike conventional neutrophils that often help cancer grow, IMANs are engineered to fight it. They detect threats early, activate a broader immune response, and help turn cold tumours into hot ones – making the body more responsive to additional therapies like checkpoint inhibitors.
LIfT has raised over £22.5 million to date and is seen as a global leader in neutrophil-based immunotherapy. Its platform spans several fields – oncology, immunology, neurology, microbial resistance and even longevity. Its multi-experienced team includes leaders from Moderna, Alnylam and Novartis Kymriah and the company holds comprehensive patents granted world wide, across 11 patent families.
One of the major challenges LIfT has solved is how to scale these therapies for clinical use. Its low-cost, off-the-shelf manufacturing process uses either blood stem cells or iPSCs to produce consistent batches of IMANs. This makes the therapy more accessible and cost-effective – important for delivering next-gen treatments beyond niche applications.
LIfT is now preparing for its first human clinical trials, beginning with cancers that have high unmet needs such as head and neck cancer, cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. These are cancers where existing therapies often fail. The trials will be carried out in collaboration with the University of Galway and HookeBio, with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Looking ahead, LIfT aims to expand its therapy to earlier-stage patients and eventually offer preventative treatments to people at high risk of developing cancer. The company is currently raising the second close of its Series A to support upcoming trials and partnerships focused on iPSC-based cell therapy and next-gen immunoengineering.
Instead of simply developing a new blockbuster drug, LIfT Biosciences is creating a whole new way of thinking about cancer – not just killing it, but helping the body to fight back. And by harnessing the power of a few extraordinary immune systems, LIfT is working to bring that power to everyone.
