Dewpoint Therapeutics has closed an undisclosed Series D that extends its runway into early 2027 and funds first-in-human development of DPTX3186, an oral condensate modulator targeting β-catenin/Wnt signaling, with first patients expected by year-end 2025 and an early proof-of-concept readout targeted for late 2026. The raise also accelerates a MYC-directed program and maintains momentum across existing collaborations with Bayer, Novo Nordisk, and Mitsubishi Tanabe. DPTX3186’s initial focus is on gastric cancer.

The core bet is that condensate modulation can sidestep the liabilities that have dogged Wnt/β-catenin approaches for years. DPTX3186 is designed to preferentially corral β-catenin into an inactive condensate in tumor cells, aiming to avoid the bone and gastrointestinal toxicity that has constrained porcupine inhibitors and other Wnt-pathway agents. If the selectivity holds in humans, Dewpoint would have a differentiated entry point into gastric cancer, where Wnt pathway alterations exist but have not yet translated into routine clinical targeting. The company’s timelines signal confidence in the translational package and a readiness to test a novel mechanism with a clear toxicity hypothesis.

Strategically, the financing is an attempt to validate the platform through the clinic, not just a pipeline extension. By driving a first-in-class c-mod into a solid tumor with urgent need and tractable endpoints, Dewpoint is seeking an early value inflection that can de-risk condensate biology more broadly, including the MYC program. The choice of gastric cancer is practical: it offers measurable PD opportunities via serial tumor biopsies and defined expansion cohorts, while leaving room for geographic flexibility and potential combination strategies with PD-1 and chemotherapy backbones. The partnership roster signals optionality in adjacent indications and modalities without overcommitting near-term resources.

For the ecosystem, expect operational complexity that differs from standard first-in-human oncology programs. Sites will likely need to support intensive pharmacodynamic work, including biopsies, immunofluorescence, or spatial assays that track β-catenin localization, as well as centralized analytics to corroborate condensate engagement. CROs and labs with validated Wnt/β-catenin PD assays and rapid tissue turnaround will be at a premium. Dose escalation will require vigilant monitoring of GI and bone safety, with predefined mitigation protocols, and regulators will scrutinize on-target toxicity patterns observed across the Want class. Given gastric cancer’s epidemiology, ex-U.S. site activation in East Asia could become important for enrollment velocity and biomarker diversity, pushing sponsors and CROs to plan for multi-regional IND/CTA sequencing and assay harmonization early.

What to watch next is the IND package and first-in-human design details: biomarker-driven enrollment versus all-comers with PD-defined subsets, the choice of escalation model and DLT windows, and whether the first signal-seeking expansions run monotherapy only or layer in PD-1 combinations. The company’s ability to operationalize complex PD readouts at scale will be a leading indicator of feasibility for the condensate class. Any early safety signal in bone density or gastrointestinal function will be heavily weighted by regulators and investors, given the Wnt precedent. On the corporate side, clarity on the Series D size, geographic site strategy, and the MYC program’s preclinical readiness will frame partnership and co-development options heading into 2026. If DPTX3186 can demonstrate tumor-selective β-catenin modulation with manageable toxicity, it could reopen Wnt targeting in solid tumors; if not, the condensate thesis will face more challenging questions on translational predictability and assay-dependent development risk.

Source link: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/10/3148027/0/en/Dewpoint-Therapeutics-Closes-Series-D-Financing-to-Advance-First-in-Class-Condensate-Modulator-c-mod-into-Clinical-Development-for-Gastric-Cancer.html

Jon Napitupulu
+ posts

Jon Napitupulu is Director of Media Relations at The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Jon, a computer data scientist, focuses on the latest clinical trial industry news and trends.