Boulevard Bio Launches with $65 Million to Advance Multi-Specific Antibody Pipeline for B Cell-Driven Autoimmune Disease

Boulevard Bio announced its emergence from stealth with $65 million in aggregate financing from founding investor Deerfield Management, alongside early phase 1 healthy volunteer data for its lead candidate, BLVD101, a bispecific antibody targeting BAFF and APRIL for IgA nephropathy (IgAN).¹ The company was incubated by Deerfield Management within Deerfield Discovery and Development (3DC), the firm's internal therapeutics research and development engine, and is led by chief executive officer Mahesh Karande and chief medical officer Neil Solomons, MD.¹

What did the phase 1 data show for BLVD101?

In an interim analysis from an ongoing phase 1 single-ascending-dose study in healthy volunteers, BLVD101 was generally well tolerated with a favorable safety profile.¹ Interim pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results showed strong IgA suppression, supporting a 12-week, or quarterly, dosing interval.¹ Boulevard has positioned this dosing profile against existing dual BAFF/APRIL-targeting therapies for IgAN, which require more frequent administration; the company said clinical data from other dual BAFF/APRIL agents suggest that blocking both targets can slow IgAN disease progression, reduce proteinuria and hematuria, and lower disease burden across renal and systemic autoimmunity, including lupus and Sjögren's disease.¹ BLVD101 was discovered and developed inside 3DC and was formerly known as DFX-1092.¹

What else is in Boulevard's pipeline?

Beyond BLVD101, Boulevard is advancing BLVD201, a trispecific CD19/BCMA/CD3 T-cell engager designed to produce a durable immune reset in severe B cell-driven autoimmune disease.¹ The company said its compact design is intended to penetrate deeply into tissue and enable a robust response at a low dose, and that by engaging both CD19 and BCMA simultaneously, the molecule aims to clear the antibody-producing cell compartment along with the cells that replenish it, addressing a repopulation mechanism the company said limits single-target approaches.¹ BLVD201 is currently in IND-enabling studies and was acquired from METiS TechBio under an exclusive global license in June 2026.¹ A third candidate, BLVD301, targets a novel combination supported by established genetic evidence and was nominated as a development candidate in June 2026; further mechanistic details were not disclosed.¹

What did company leadership say?

Mahesh Karande, chief executive officer of Boulevard, said, "Today, over five million patients with B cell-driven autoimmune disease face a lifetime of treatments that may relieve symptoms temporarily but fail to address the underlying cause. Leveraging a deep understanding of B cell biology, Boulevard aims to free patients from a lifetime of burdensome treatment, offering durable disease control and, in some cases, the prospect of a cure."¹ Georg Schett, MD, co-founder of Boulevard, added, "Over the past two decades, B cells have become recognized as central drivers of autoimmune disease, but addressing their complex biology likely requires the design of precision medicines that can be combined to target specific, sometimes-overlapping mechanisms and indications."¹ Frank Nestle, MD, Boulevard's scientific co-founder, board member, and chief executive officer of 3DC, said the team has "advanced BLVD101 to early clinical data that highlight this compound's potential to achieve durable disease control in a large, underserved patient population."¹

What happens next?

Boulevard has not disclosed a timeline for advancing BLVD101 into later-stage clinical trials or for filing an IND for BLVD201.¹ The company's board is chaired by Brian Chow, PhD, managing director at Deerfield Management, with Nestle serving as scientific co-founder and board member; the company was co-founded by Schett alongside founding advisor Jonathan Barratt, PhD, FRCP.¹ Boulevard is headquartered in New York City at Cure, an affiliate of Deerfield.¹

References

1. Boulevard Bio launches with $65 million from Deerfield and world-class founders to advance precision immunology pipeline. News release. PR Newswire. August 12, 2026. Accessed August 12, 2026.
2. Cheung CK, Barratt J, Liew A, Zhang H, Tesar V, Lafayette R. The role of BAFF and APRIL in IgA nephropathy: pathogenic mechanisms and targeted therapies. Front Nephrol. 2024. doi:10.3389/fneph.2024.1346769