Associate Scientist

Dispatch Bio presented preclinical data on its SEND T cell armoring strategy at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy 2026 Annual Meeting in Boston. The technology uses a synthetic cytokine receptor to simultaneously activate multiple pathways for optimal T cell function, designed to overcome limitations in the tumour microenvironment. Preclinical results showed SEND-armoured CAR T cells achieved tumour clearance at low doses with a therapeutic window exceeding 200-fold. The treatment demonstrated efficacy with or without lymphodepleting chemotherapy. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed simultaneous enrichment of effector and memory gene programmes within individual cells, indicating robust expansion without exhaustion. Dispatch Bio believes SEND could apply broadly across engineered T cell approaches, including autologous CAR T therapies and TCR-based treatments. The company's Flare platform combines immunotherapy with tumour-specific virus engineering for solid tumour treatment.

Dispatch Bio unveils first clinical program and presents data supporting Flare platform at Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2025 Annual Meeting. November 5, 2025 | Encouraging preclinical data validate Dispatch's scientific approach and support advancement of DISP-10 toward clinical development in 2026 PHILADELPHIA & SAN FRANCISCO-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Dispatch Bio, a biotechnology company developing a universal treatment for solid tumors, today announced preclinical data supporting its first therapeutic program planned to enter the clinic, DISP-10, and its first-in-class Flare platform, at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 2025 Annual Meeting. Immunotherapies have had limited success in solid tumors due to the lack of tumor-specific targets and a profoundly immunosuppressive microenvironment. Dispatch's Flare platform addresses these barriers by systemically delivering a tumor-specific virus that paints a universal synthetic antigen (Flare) on tumor cells, enabling precise recognition by T cells, while reshaping the tumor microenvironment to support immune activity. Data presented at SITC (Abstract 394) demonstrate strong and consistent tumor labeling, iterative viral amplification and tumor cell clearance across multiple epithelial tumor models. "These data show that delivering engineered targets specifically to tumor cells allows us to control antigen specificity, while also reprogramming the tumor microenvironment," said Lex Johnson, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Platform Officer. "We are excited to start with CAR T as our first program, and because the Flare approach is modular and not restricted to CAR T cells, it can be extended across multiple immunotherapy modalities." The company also presented preclinical findings from DISP-10, its first therapeutic candidate (Abstract 393). DISP-10 pairs DV-10, a tumor-targeted virus expressing a modified BCMA antigen (dBCMA) and the immune-stimulatory cytokine IL-18 and chemokine CXCL9, with a clinically validated BCMA-directed CAR T. The viral component installs the target and drives local immune activation, enabling robust CAR T function in solid tumors. DISP-10 demonstrated potent anti-tumor responses in numerous in vitro and in vivo models, with no activity observed in healthy cells. Dispatch plans to initiate a first-in-human Phase 1 study in 2026 to evaluate DISP-10 across multiple solid tumor types. "DISP-10 creates the right biological context for CAR T cells to function in solid tumors," said Barbra Sasu, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer. "The consistency of activity seen with various BCMA-targeted therapies across tumor models gives us confidence in its clinical potential." Dispatch also announced a clinical supply and collaboration agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). Under the agreement, BMS will supply idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) as the CAR T-cell component for Dispatch's first U.S. Phase 1 trial of DISP-10. DV-10, emerging from the Flare platform, provides the tumor-specific targeting and immune activation necessary for CAR T-cell function in solid tumors. Please see full Prescribing Information for idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel), including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide. About Dispatch Bio Established in 2022, Dispatch Bio was founded with a bold purpose: to help create a world where all cancer patients can be cured. To achieve this, the company is engineering a universal treatment across solid tumors, leveraging its first-in-class Flare platform. This novel approach combines the strengths of immunotherapy with a tumor-specific virus, both engineered to clear tumor cells with precision and power. Dispatch has operations in Philadelphia and San Francisco, with access to world-class researchers. To learn more, visit www.dispatchbio.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.