Dispatch Biotherapeutics Inc. is taking aim at solid tumors with a new viral vector/antigen technology backed by major industry names such as Arch Venture Partners and Bristol Myers Squibb Co. With offices in Philadelphia and San Francisco, Dispatch has raised $216 million since its founding in 2022. The firm’s platform delivers a cell-specific viral vector carrying a novel, universal antigen called Flare that tags solid, epithelial-derived tumor cells. Acting as a beacon, the Flare antigen directs the immune system to find and clear the cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

Modi Ventures closed its second fund with total commitments of $88 million as it continues its mission to invest in companies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, biology and medical technology. The venture capital firm sees the future of health care as a convergence of these technologies.

Following up on the $175 million it raised in September 2023, Avalyn Pharma Inc. secured an additional $100 million in an oversubscribed series D financing round to support development of its inhaled treatments for pulmonary fibrosis.

Cooler Heads Care Inc. closed an oversubscribed series A, raising a cool $11 million for Amma, its portable scalp cooling system that reduces hair loss during chemotherapy. The new funds will facilitate expanded access to Amma, which is available to patients through infusion centers.

Plexāā Ltd. recently raised $4.5 million to support the upcoming U.S. launch of Bloom43, its wearable device that helps patients prepare for breast cancer surgery and reconstruction by using a technique called supraphysiological preconditioning.