Parallel Bio

Parallel Bio has developed an innovative 'human immune system in a dish' platform designed to accelerate the discovery of effective drugs and immunotherapies. This platform replicates the complexities of the human immune system, enabling pharmaceutical companies to test drugs and vaccines in a human-relevant environment from the earliest stages of development. A significant challenge in drug development is the high failure rate (95%) often attributed to the reliance on mouse models. Parallel Bio's platform addresses this by providing a more accurate prediction of drug efficacy in human patients, potentially reducing development costs and timelines. To date, the platform has been successfully utilized to test 12 drugs and vaccines against 8 different diseases. Founded by Robert DiFazio, a former Stanford R&D director with a PhD in immunology, and Juliana Hilliard, a former System1 Biosciences R&D lead with an MSc in bioengineering, Parallel Bio brings together extensive experience in leading drug discovery programs.