The startup develops cancer therapies that enhance immune responses by targeting natural killer cells and other components of the innate immune system. This approach enables oncologists to detect early cancer symptoms and initiate timely treatment, improving patient outcomes.
Funding
$33M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Current cancer treatments often fail to fully eradicate tumors, leading to recurrence and metastasis. Many therapies also have significant off-target effects, causing debilitating side effects and limiting their long-term efficacy. There is a need for more targeted and effective immunotherapies that can harness the body's own defenses to eliminate cancer cells.
Solution
Dragonfly Therapeutics is developing a novel class of cancer immunotherapies that leverage natural killer (NK) cells and other components of the innate immune system to target and destroy tumors. Their proprietary TriNKET® (Tri-specific NK cell Engager Therapeutics) platform creates molecules that simultaneously bind to NK cells, tumor-associated antigens, and immune-stimulatory receptors, resulting in highly specific and potent anti-cancer activity. In addition, Dragonfly is developing CYTOKINEs, which are designed to provide optimized immune stimulation. These platforms are designed to generate drug candidates across a range of therapeutic areas, including oncology and autoimmune disease.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with advanced solid tumors and hematological malignancies, as well as pharmaceutical companies seeking to expand their oncology and immunology portfolios.
Features
- TriNKET® platform for generating tri-specific antibodies that activate NK cells against tumor cells
- CYTOKINE platform for generating optimized immune stimulation
- Broad pipeline of drug candidates in oncology, autoimmune disease, and other therapeutic areas
- Lead drugs in clinical trials with encouraging results
- Partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, BMS, Gilead, and Merck