We program cells to make the right decisions to beat cancer.

Dall-E

We use AI-powered protein design to create proteins that program engineered immune cells for improved function inside patients.

Hover to explore our technology

Swipe to explore our technology

The Problem: The precise geometry of antigen-receptor interactions determines the potency of engineered immune cells when fighting cancer. Existing proteins have not provided the flexibility needed to maximize immune cell activity.

Our Solution: The OUTSPACER™ library contains fully human sequences that maximize CAR T cell function, leading to more potent killing of cancer cells. With OUTSPACER™ technology, we can create finely tuned CAR designs that achieve optimal immunological synapse geometry to maximize efficacy.

Our diverse OUTSPACER™ library allows us to optimize activity for a wide range of binders and antigen pairs.

OUTSPACERTM optimized CAR

The Problem: Cancer cells, together with the immune cells that should be targeting them, produce signaling proteins that turn off the immune response. This dysfunctional microenvironment allows cancer to grow and spread. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, for example, could overcome the TME but pose a significant safety risk to patients when delivered systemically given their potency.

Our Solution: Cell therapies with OUTSMART™ technology produce designed proteins, such as cytokines, inside the tumor and keep them there. With OUTSMART™, the cell therapy bolsters its own activity while also recruiting helpful bystander cells to achieve efficacy without compromising safety.

OUTSMART™ uses novel promoter elements to regulate gene expression and protein design to customize which cells and signaling pathways are activated.

OUTSMARTTM designed cytokine

The Problem: Immune cells naturally turn off when fighting cancer, limiting the effectiveness of current engineered cell therapies. This can lead to cancer progression and relapse.

Our Solution:  OUTLAST™ technology reprograms cell therapies to make better decisions inside patients with the goal of achieving a durable clinical response. With OUTLAST™, individual cells regulate themselves without the need for co-therapies to rest and reactivate as needed.

OUTLAST uses novel promoter elements to regulate gene expression and novel designed targeted degraders to regulate protein function.

OUTLASTTM T cell persistence

The Problem: Powerful cell therapies require advanced safety features and technologies to help monitor both manufacturing quality and how cell therapies function inside patients.

Our Solution:
With EGFRopt™ technology, cell therapies can be safely controlled by antibodies that target the EGF receptor. This allows them to be deactivated quickly if needed.

EGFRopt™ is a fully human control technology that responds to cetuximab. In vivo studies demonstrate faster & more complete ablation of CAR activity.

EGFRopt™ can also be used for other applications including cell selection and quality control during manufacturing.

OUTSAFETM safety switch

The Problem: Cancer cells look like healthy cells in many ways, making them difficult to target.

Our Solution: Cell therapies with CO-LOCKR™ technology use logic-gated targeting to recognize the unique antigen fingerprints on the surface of cancer cells, making it possible to safely treat many types of cancers.

CO-LOCKR™ targeting technology achieves single-cell specificity in mixed cell populations. Because we target cancer cells using designed proteins, T cells with CO-LOCKR™ avoid healthy tissues.

CO-LOCKRTM logic gated targeting

OUTSPACER™

OUTSMART™

OUTLAST™

OUTSAFE™

CO-LOCKR™

The Problem: The precise geometry of antigen-receptor interactions determines the potency of engineered immune cells when fighting cancer. Existing proteins have not provided the flexibility needed to maximize immune cell activity.

Our Solution: OUTSPACER™ library contains fully human sequences that maximize CAR T cell function, leading to more potent killing of cancer cells. With OUTSPACER™ technology, we can create finely tuned CAR designs that achieve optimal immunological synapse geometry to maximize efficacy.


Our diverse OUTSPACER™ library allows us to optimize activity for a wide range of binders and antigen pairs.

The Problem: Cancer cells, together with the immune cells that should be targeting them, produce signaling proteins that turn off the immune response. This dysfunctional microenvironment allows cancer to grow and spread. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, for example, could overcome the TME but pose a significant safety risk to patients when delivered systemically given their potency.

Our Solution: Cell therapies with OUTSMART™ technology produce designed proteins, such as cytokines, inside the tumor and keep them there. With OUTSMART™, the cell therapy bolsters its own activity while also recruiting helpful bystander cells to achieve efficacy without compromising safety.

OUTSMART™ uses novel promoter elements to regulate gene expression and protein design to customize which cells and signaling pathways are activated.

The Problem: Immune cells naturally turn off when fighting cancer, limiting the effectiveness of current engineered cell therapies. This can lead to cancer progression and relapse.

Our Solution:  OUTLAST™ technology reprograms cell therapies to make better decisions inside patients with the goal of achieving a durable clinical response. With OUTLAST™, individual cells regulate themselves without the need for co-therapies to rest and reactivate as needed.

OUTLAST™ uses novel promoter elements to regulate gene expression and novel designed targeted degraders to regulate protein function.

The Problem: Powerful cell therapies require advanced safety features and technologies to help monitor both manufacturing quality and how cell therapies function inside patients.

Our Solution:
With EGFRopt™ technology, cell therapies can be safely controlled by antibodies that target the EGF receptor. This allows them to be deactivated quickly if needed.

EGFRopt™ is a fully human control technology that responds to cetuximab. In vivo studies demonstrate faster & more complete ablation of CAR activity.

EGFRopt™ can also be used for other applications including cell selection and quality control during manufacturing.

The Problem: Cancer cells look like healthy cells in many ways, making them difficult to target.

Our Solution: Cell therapies with CO-LOCKR™ technology use logic-gated targeting to recognize the unique antigen fingerprints on the surface of cancer cells, making it possible to safely treat many types of cancers.

CO-LOCKR™ targeting technology achieves single-cell specificity in mixed cell populations. Because we target cancer cells using designed proteins, T cells with CO-LOCKR™ avoid healthy tissues.

Our five technology platforms yield modular assets that can be combined into a single cell therapy with curative potential.

OUTSPACER™

OUTSMART™

OUTLAST™

OUTSAFE™

CO-LOCKR™

Ø

01

02

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

Ø

Cytokine 01

Cytokine 02

Cytokine 03

Chemokine 01

Chemokine 02

Chemokine 03

Engager 01

Engager 02

Engager 03

Ø

Reg Pro 01

Reg Pro 02

Reg Pro 03

TF 01

TF 02

TF 03

Reg CAR 01

Reg CAR 02

Reg CAR 03

Kinase 01

Kinase 02

Kinase 03

Ø

Antibody

Dimerization (SMOL)

Ø

LOCKR 01

LOCKR 02

LOCKR 03

LOCKR 04

LOCKR 05

LOCKR 06

OUTSPACER™

Ø

Cytokine 01

Cytokine 02

Cytokine 03

Chemokine 01

Chemokine 02

Chemokine 03

Engager 01

Engager 02

Engager 03

OUTSMART™

Ø

Reg Pro 01

Reg Pro 02

Reg Pro 03

TF 01

TF 02

TF 03

Reg CAR 01

Reg CAR 02

Reg CAR 03

Kinase 01

Kinase 02

Kinase 03

OUTLAST™

Ø

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

OUTSAFE™

Ø

Antibody

Dimerization (SMOL)

CO-LOCKR™

Ø

LOCKR 01

LOCKR 02

LOCKR 03

LOCKR 04

LOCKR 05

LOCKR 06

We are building a robust pipeline of engineered T cell therapies with curative potential that leverage Outpace technologies across modalities, targets, and indications. 

therapy

Modality

Indications

Pre-
Clinical

Candidate Nomination

Ind-
Enabling

Early
Clinical

Upcoming Milestone

OPB-101

CAR-T
(MSLN)

Ovarian, others

IND 2H 2024

OPB-201

TCR-T
(not disclosed)

Solid tumors

IND 2026

OPB-301

CAR-T
(not disclosed)

Solid tumors

IND 2027

Lyell
program

T cell
(not disclosed)

Solid tumors

Confidential

Confidential

OPB-101

Stage

IND-ENABLING

Modality

CAR-T (MSLN)

Indications

Ovarian, others

Upcoming Milestones: IND 2H 2024

OPB-201

Stage

PRE-CLINICAL

Modality

TCR-T (not disclosed)

Indications

Solid tumors

Upcoming Milestones: IND 2026

OPB-301

Stage

PRE-CLINICAL

Modality

CAR-T (not disclosed)

Indications

Solid tumors

Upcoming Milestones: IND 2027

Lyell program (Collaboration)

Stage

Confidential

Modality

T cell(not disclosed)

Indications

Solid tumors

Upcoming Milestones: Confidential

Our lead program OPB-101 is a mesothelin (MSLN) autologous CAR-T program with curative potential powered by Outpace efficacy & safety technologies.

1. OUTSPACER™ optimized MSLN CAR

  • Fully human CAR components

  • Optimized immune synapse geometry

2. OUTSMART™ IL-2/15 designed cytokine

  • Minimal Treg activity

  • Teff & NK cell targeted potency

3. OUTLAST™ OP1 regulated promoter

  • Feedback regulation enhances potency, persistence, & safety

4. OUTSAFE™ EGFRopt™ safety switch

  • Fully human protein

  • Rapid ablation in response to cetuximab

Outpace has unrivaled expertise in protein design

The power of machine learning

Machine learning has revolutionized protein science. Using advanced protein design software combined with our proprietary scripts that encode biological knowledge, the Outpace team can generate over 50,000 novel proteins in under three days.

Designing the right proteins

Great software isn’t enough. With decades of combined experience, our world-class protein design team has produced over one million custom proteins to date, including some that power cell therapies that are in clinical trials today.

Founding member of OpenFold

We helped establish the leading consortium for AI-powered protein research. With this extensive network, Outpace’s platform will continue to be powered by the best ideas from the frontiers of science.

Foundational Research