# DISCO Pharmaceuticals

Source: https://onco.cc/companies/disco-pharmaceuticals/  
OnCo record `disco-pharmaceuticals` (Company). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

DISCO Pharmaceuticals maps the proteins on the surface of cancer cells to find new targets, then turns them into antibody-drug conjugates and immune-cell engagers. Its first programmes are in small cell lung cancer and a common form of bowel cancer that does not respond to immunotherapy.

## Summary

DISCO Pharmaceuticals, based in Cologne and founded by Roman Thomas, uses cell surfaceome discovery technology to identify targets for antibody medicines. Its own programmes are multiple lead ADC candidates in small cell lung cancer and microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer, being taken towards IND-enabling studies. In December 2025 it announced the final close of a EUR 36 million seed financing, co-led in the expansion by Ackermans & van Haaren and NRW.Bank with existing investors Sofinnova Partners, AbbVie Ventures, M Ventures and Panakes Partners, and appointed Mark Manfredi chief executive. On 7 January 2026 it licensed surfaceome targets to Amgen for bispecific ADCs and T cell engagers in the same two cancers, in a deal with up to USD 618 million in potential value plus royalties.

## Fields

- Kind: Company
- Last checked: 2026-10-29
- Also known as: DISCO Pharma
- HQ: Cologne
- Type: biotech
- Website: https://discopharma.de/

## Notes

- Founding year not stated by the company; Inside Precision Medicine (August 2026) gives 2022. No individual programme names or targets are disclosed.

## Sources

- Official website: https://discopharma.de/
- EUR 36 million seed final close, December 2025: https://discopharma.de/disco-pharmaceuticals-appoints-mark-manfredi-as-ceo-and-announces-final-close-of-e36-million-seed-financing/
- Amgen licence, January 2026: https://discopharma.de/disco-pharmaceuticals-enters-license-agreement-to-advance-novel-cancer-surfaceome-targeted-therapies/
- Inside Precision Medicine: five early-stage ADC startups: https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/oncology/before-the-hype-five-early-stage-adc-startups-to-watch/

## Connected records

- cancers: [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/sclc/)
- fronts: [Antibody-Drug Conjugates](https://onco.cc/fronts/adcs/), [Drug Discovery Platforms](https://onco.cc/fronts/drug-discovery/)
- technologies: [Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)](https://onco.cc/technologies/adc/), [Bispecific ADC](https://onco.cc/technologies/bispecific-adc/), [T-cell engagers (bispecific)](https://onco.cc/technologies/t-cell-engager/)
- companies: [AbbVie Ventures](https://onco.cc/companies/abbvie-ventures/), [Sofinnova Partners](https://onco.cc/companies/sofinnova-partners/)

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