• Diakonos Oncology

  Participated · Safe · Jun 2025

  Diakonos Oncology develops a proprietary double-loaded, autologous dendritic cell therapeutic platform that combines tumor lysate and amplified tumor-derived mRNA to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. Its lead candidate, dubodencel (DOC1021), is a first-in-class, double-loaded autologous dendritic cell therapy manufactured from a patient’s dendritic cells plus mRNA and proteins from freshly obtained tumor specimens. The company is focused on late-stage and aggressive cancers and is advancing a Phase 2 glioblastoma trial for DOC1021 while planning to expand into indications such as refractory melanoma. Diakonos is led by CEO Mike Wicks, MS, and President/COO Jay Hartenbach. The company recently closed a $20M financing and received prior seed financing of $11.4M last year. Baylor College of Medicine is providing in-kind services to support pre-clinical and clinical development. Diakonos Oncology develops DOC1021, a first-of-its-kind dendritic cell vaccine that uses a proprietary double-loading technology to elicit a cytotoxic TH1 immune response without genetic modification or toxic preconditioning. The company has completed enrollment in a two-year Phase 1 trial (enrollment completed December 2023) of DOC1021 in glioblastoma and has ongoing trials in pancreatic cancer and angiosarcoma. DOC1021’s GBM and pancreatic programs have received FDA Fast Track designations, and the GBM program has Orphan Drug designation. The recent financing enabled establishment of manufacturing operations and key leadership hires and supported completion of Phase 1 enrollment. Diakonos plans to use the new capital to fund operations into late 2025, prepare for pipeline expansion, and initiate a Phase 2 GBM trial expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year prior to closing a Series A.

• Alpheus Medical

  Participated · Series B · May 2025

  Alpheus Medical develops a proprietary sonodynamic therapy platform that pairs Low‑Intensity Diffuse Ultrasound (LIDU™) with oral 5‑ALA, a tumor‑selective sensitizer, to deliver non‑thermal, tumor‑targeted treatment. The therapy is designed to be performed in an outpatient setting and to selectively destroy cancer cells across a brain hemisphere without the need for imaging or sedation. Early results from two studies in newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma patients have shown promise. The company collaborates with global neuro‑oncology leaders and is supported by healthcare investors and nonprofit venture vehicles focused on cancer. Recent financing will fund a randomized Phase 2B controlled trial evaluating SDT’s efficacy in newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Alpheus is based in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Alpheus Medical is developing a non-invasive sonodynamic therapy (SDT) drug-device combination that uses a sonosensitizer activated by low-intensity ultrasound to selectively kill cancer cells. The lead product is designed for outpatient, repeatable whole-hemisphere treatment of recurrent high-grade gliomas, including rGBM, and eliminates the requirement for concomitant imaging. The therapy aims to address the heterogeneous and diffuse nature of glioblastoma by treating both the primary tumor site and diseased tissue throughout the hemisphere. The company reports the therapy is in early clinical stage use and is not yet commercially available. Alpheus has support from the American Cancer Society and the National Brain Tumor Society and is based in Oakdale, Minn. The recently closed financing will be used to advance a multi-site first-in-human trial evaluating safety, feasibility, and molecular and clinical effects.

No current team members are available.