#United States #South San Francisco #bispecific antibody #Dualitas Therapeutics #immune diseases

Dualitas Therapeutics Launches with $65 Million Series A Financing

Dualitas Therapeutics, Inc., a pioneering biotechnology company, has officially launched after securing a substantial $65 million in Series A financing. This funding round was co-led by Versant Ventures and Qiming Venture Partners USA, alongside contributions from strategic investors SV Health Investors, Chugai Venture Fund, Eli Lilly and Company, and Alexandria Venture Investments. The financial backing will be instrumental in advancing Dualitas' innovative portfolio of next-generation bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) focused on treating immune and inflammatory diseases.

Advancing Bispecific Antibody Technologies

The primary goal of the funding is to propel Dualitas' lead programs: DTX-103 aimed at allergic conditions and DTX-102 targeting autoimmune diseases. Both programs have already demonstrated promising preclinical data when set against currently approved therapies, indicating a strong potential for clinical success. According to Rich Murray, Ph.D., the interim CEO of Dualitas, the existing treatment landscape for those affected by allergic and autoimmune diseases has critical gaps, particularly in speed of onset and overall clinical effectiveness. The newly developed bispecific antibodies aim to fill these gaps and offer improved treatment options.

The Innovation Behind DualScreen Discovery Engine

One of the key innovations emerging from Dualitas is its first-of-its-kind DualScreenTM discovery engine. This proprietary technology uniquely positions the company to identify bispecific antibody candidates with highly differentiated biology, particularly through mechanisms that leverage cell-surface proximity. Instead of the traditional narrow approaches that focus on incremental gains, DualScreen operates at a combinatorial scale to broaden the scope of possible targets and epitope combinations significantly. This extensive screening across cell-surface proteins promises to uncover synergistic antibody pairings that may not be achievable with conventional methods.

Murray further emphasizes the transformative potential of this approach: “Our lead programs, derived from the DualScreen discovery engine, represent a new generation of therapies that directly address loss of efficacy in existing treatments.”

A Team of Experts Guiding Dualitas

Dualitas' management team is composed of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in drug development and biotherapeutic engineering. Notable figures include Rich Murray, who previously held influential roles at Jounce Therapeutics and Merck, and Forbes Huang, who has led biotech startups and held key positions at Gyroscope Therapeutics. Their collective expertise is critical in navigating the complex landscape of antibody technology, from the research and development phases to the clinical approval processes.

Strategic Partnerships and Future Directions

In addition to advancing its proprietary pipeline, Dualitas is actively pursuing strategic partnerships aimed at extending the reach of its DualScreen technology. This includes potential collaborations that can leverage existing pipeline programs as well as the identification of new bispecific antibodies across various disease areas beyond the current focus on immunology and inflammation.

Alicia Levey, Ph.D., a venture partner at Versant Ventures and a board member at Dualitas, notes, “The proceeds from this financing position Dualitas to optimize its technology and foster collaborations that will amplify the clinical impact of our discoveries.”

Nikola Trbovic, managing partner at SV Health Investors, shares similar sentiments, highlighting the significant advancements made by Dualitas since its inception and expressing enthusiasm for the company's future developments.

Conclusion

As Dualitas Therapeutics embarks on this promising journey with substantial financial backing, its commitment to developing innovative bispecific antibody therapies could redefine treatment paradigms for patients suffering from immune and inflammatory diseases. The combination of cutting-edge technology and robust clinical targets positions Dualitas as a key player in the biotech arena, with the potential to make meaningful strides in patient care and therapeutic outcomes.

For more information about Dualitas Therapeutics and their developments, visit dualitastx.com.