AviadoBio

AviadoBio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing gene therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, with a primary focus on frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company was founded in 2019 based on pioneering research from King's College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute. Its scientific co-founders include Professor Christopher Shaw, a neurologist who has researched FTD and ALS for over three decades, Dr. Youn Bok Lee, and Dr. Do Young Lee.

The company's proprietary platform centers on adeno-associated virus (AAV) based therapies and a neuroanatomy-led delivery approach to ensure the treatment reaches the appropriate areas of the brain. This methodology involves a one-time, minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure to deliver a functional copy of a mutated gene directly to the thalamus, a central hub in the brain's neural networks. This precision micro-dosing technique is designed to achieve broad distribution of the therapy throughout the central nervous system, maximizing therapeutic potential while minimizing systemic exposure.

AviadoBio's lead candidate, AVB-101, is an investigational gene therapy for patients with FTD caused by mutations in the progranulin (GRN) gene. By delivering a functional copy of the GRN gene, AVB-101 aims to restore normal progranulin protein levels, potentially halting or slowing disease progression. As of May 2025, the ASPIRE-FTD Phase 1/2 clinical trial for AVB-101 is actively recruiting and has opened sites in the UK, Europe, and the US. The company has also secured an exclusive option and license agreement with Astellas Pharma for the global development and commercialization of AVB-101.

The company is privately held and has secured significant funding from a syndicate of investors including New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Monograph Capital, F-Prime Capital, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc., and Advent Life Sciences. After an initial seed round, AviadoBio raised $80 million in a Series A financing in December 2021 to advance its clinical and preclinical programs.

Keywords: gene therapy, neurodegenerative disorders, frontotemporal dementia, FTD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, AAV platform, AVB-101, progranulin, GRN gene, clinical-stage, biotechnology, neuroanatomy, drug delivery, King's College London, Christopher Shaw, precision medicine, central nervous system, thalamic delivery, rare diseases, stereotactic neurosurgery