The pharma arm of Mitsubishi Chemical Group has launched a collaboration with US-based Dewpoint Therapeutics to co-develop a preclinical-stage treatment for the neurological condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
As part of the deal, Dewpoint can expect an undisclosed upfront payment from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) in addition to undisclosed “near-term” developmental milestone payments, with the whole deal worth up to $480m.
Once the milestones are reached, MTPC has the option to take over the clinical development and commercialization of the drug, with Dewpoint eligible for tiered royalties.
“This partnership underscores the transformative potential of our small molecule condensate modulator which aims to tackle the underlying pathology of ALS and related neurodegenerative diseases via a novel mechanism of action,” said Dewpoint CEO Ameet Nathwani.
What is ALS?
ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease where nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain degenerate, leading to muscle weakness, loss of motor control and fatigue.
Around 90% of ALS cases happen with no known cause, and, while there are treatments to improve survival such as Sanofi’s riluzole and MTPC’s edavarone, there is no cure.
A lot of nerve
In over 97% of ALS cases, a protein involved in RNA processing in the cell called TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) begins to abnormally clump together. This forms cellular structures called biomolecular condensates, which impair the health of nerve cells.
Dewpoint’s preclinical-stage condensate modulator (c-mod) is designed to stop the clumping of TDP-43 and restore nerve cells to a healthy state. The compound has shown signs of tackling ALS in animal models, and similar drugs could be used to treat other conditions linked to biomolecular condensates including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Founded in 2018, Dewpoint raised $77m in a Series B round led by ARCH Venture Partners in 2020, followed by a $150m Series C round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 in 2022.
Trials pending
The company’s two most advanced candidates are due to enter clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors next year.
Dewpoint is also in numerous partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, including cardiovascular candidates with Bayer, diabetes treatments with Novo Nordisk and using Evotec’s drug development expertise to accelerate the development of its oncology programs.
