Dispatch Bio, a company aiming to revolutionize solid tumor treatment, officially launched today. The company has secured $216 million in funding since its 2022 founding, led by ARCH Venture Partners and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI). Dispatch is developing a novel immunotherapy approach designed to overcome the persistent challenges in treating solid tumors, which represent the vast majority of cancers.
New immunotherapy platform aims for universal solid tumor treatment
Dispatch Bio’s innovative Flare platform targets solid tumors, with its first clinical program slated for 2026.
- Dispatch Bio has launched its novel immunotherapy platform, Flare.
- The platform aims to treat solid tumors by overcoming current treatment limitations.
- The company has raised $216 million and plans its first clinical program in 2026.
- The technology draws from leading researchers in cancer immunotherapy.
Immunotherapies have transformed cancer care but have historically struggled with solid tumors. This difficulty stems from the absence of a universally identifiable tumor target and the presence of an immune-suppressive environment surrounding tumors. Dispatch Bio’s proprietary Flare platform is engineered to tackle both these hurdles.
How does Dispatch Bio’s Flare platform work? The platform utilizes a viral vector carrying a unique, universal antigen called Flare. This antigen precisely targets solid tumor cells. Simultaneously, it works to dismantle the tumor’s inhibitory microenvironment. Once deployed, the Flare antigen acts as a beacon, guiding the immune system to identify and eliminate cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.
“At Dispatch, we are leveraging the ideal tumor target—one that is only expressed by the tumor cells in a patient—and advances in cell therapy engineering and immune system activation at the right place, at the right time, to get to deep and durable responses in cancer,” said Sabah Oney, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Dispatch. “This work matters deeply to me, as it does to so many whose lives have been touched by cancer. We’ve built a strong scientific foundation, assembled an exceptional team and developed innovative technology that give us a real shot at making a difference. We are fully committed to doing everything we can for patients who urgently need new options.”
The technology behind Dispatch’s Flare platform originates from the laboratories of prominent experts, including Carl June, MD, Andy Minn, MD, PhD, Chris Garcia, PhD, and Kole Roybal, PhD. This collaborative scientific foundation is central to the company’s mission.
“With this confluence of innovative technologies from the labs across PICI, we are poised to shift how cancer therapies are conceived,” said Sean Parker, founder and chairman of PICI, and a member of Dispatch’s board of directors. “We can now pursue the ultimate goal —a universal cure for most solid tumor cancers—using cutting-edge modalities.”
Dispatch’s Series A funding round included significant investment from ARCH Venture Partners and PICI. Further participation came from Bristol Myers Squibb, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Alexandria Venture Investments. This substantial backing underscores the significant potential seen in Dispatch’s approach to treating a wide spectrum of solid tumors.
“We are on the wave of a revolution in cancer therapy, where innovations like Dispatch’s tumor-agnostic approach to immunotherapy have the potential to treat a majority of solid tumors,” said Steve Gillis, PhD, board member of Dispatch and managing director at ARCH Venture Partners. “We are excited to support the Dispatch team as they continue to advance their programs.”
