Protein design startup Outpace lands $144M to test treatments that target solid tumors

Outpace, a startup specializing in protein design, has secured $144 million in funding to develop and test new treatments targeting solid tumors. This substantial investment will support the company's innovative approach to cancer therapy, focusing on creating advanced protein-based solutions to combat these challenging types of tumors. With this funding, Outpace aims to make significant strides in the fight against cancer, leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve patient outcomes and advance medical research.

Outpace Bio, a Seattle-based startup utilizing artificial intelligence to design proteins for cancer therapies targeting solid tumors, has secured $144 million in new funding from investors.

This new capital will enable Outpace researchers to test its treatment in clinical settings, aiming to benefit patients and validate the company's cancer-fighting approach.

Many cancer treatments now use T cells, a type of immune system cell, to target and destroy cancerous cells. This method has been successful for blood cancers, but solid tumors are more resistant to these therapies, according to Outpace co-founder and CEO Marc Lajoie. To address this, Outpace is modifying T cells in various ways to enhance their effectiveness while minimizing harmful side effects for patients.

“Cancer is like a game of Whack-a-Mole,” Lajoie explained to GeekWire. “You can’t just whack the first mole and win; you need to be able to whack each mole that pops up. Therefore, multiple technologies are necessary to counteract the different mechanisms cancer uses to deactivate the drug.” Outpace Bio’s co-founders, CTO Scott Boyken and CEO Marc Lajoie, met as postdoctoral fellows at the University of Washington's Institute for Protein Design (IPD), which has produced several biotech startups in Seattle.

After leaving IPD, they teamed up with Dr. Stan Riddell, a renowned immunotherapy researcher from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, to launch Lyell Immunopharma in 2019. Lajoie and Boyken spun off Outpace in 2021 to develop additional protein design-based drugs. Outpace is developing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for patients with advanced platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancers. The treatment is on track for Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the FDA, with plans to begin patient treatments next year.

Outpace’s Series B funding round was led by RA Capital Management, with participation from new investors Qatar Investment Authority, Surveyor Capital, Sheatree Capital, Black Opal Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments, and others. Existing investors ARTIS Ventures, Playground Global, Bristol Myers Squibb, Abstract Ventures, Civilization Ventures, Mubadala Capital, Breton Capital Ventures, WRF Capital, and Sahsen Ventures also participated in the round.

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Source: Geekwire‍