Science

Condensates: Cell biology 2.0

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According to the traditional view, the cell is compartmentalized by membrane-bound organelles such as the nucleus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum.
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But we now understand that there are also many different membrane-less organelles - condensates, formed by a process called phase separation. 
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Condensates form and dissolve dynamically.
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Their behavior is governed by multivalent interactions between proteins and nucleic acids. Condensates compartmentalize and concentrate molecules, enabling key biochemical processes.
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Aberrant condensates drive many diseases.
When something goes awry with a condensate’s composition or behavior, we call it a condensatopathy.
Condensatopathies occur when biomolecules inappropriately form a compartment, fail to do so, or when proteins localize to the wrong condensate. The consequence can be a toxic gain of function and/or a loss of function.

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Condensate modifying drugs (c-mods) are uniquely designed to hit condensate targets.
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c-mods treat condensatopathies and prevent or reverse disease by:
preventing harmful protein sequestration
driving key components back into condensates
restoring healthy condensate properties and function

Our leading platform for discovering c-mods

We combine world-class drug discovery experience, deep condensate biology expertise, digital capabilities, and openness to do things differently. We have built a machine to translate new science into medicine. Our fully-integrated platform enables the complete discovery of condensate modifying drugs (c-mods), from target selection to optimization of lead compounds in disease-relevant models.

Our unique end-to-end experimental platform leverages the full complexity of condensate biology to unveil novel therapeutic opportunities. Dewpoint has built a proprietary multi-disciplinary drug discovery engine that allows us to deploy condensate-specific assays and move drugs rapidly toward the clinic.

Integrated platform shortens the cycle time from disease to drugs

Patents

May 2022

Methods of Screening for Condensate-Associated Specificity and Uses Thereof” (U.S. Patent No. 11340231) covering novel technology for screening compounds capable of modulating biomolecular condensates with high selectivity.

The issued patent claims key methods to identify potential drugs that can modulate particular biomolecular condensate components with precision, which can lead to the development of novel targeted therapies to treat cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic, infectious and many other diseases.

November 2022

Methods of Characterizing Condensate-Associated Characteristics of Compounds and Uses Thereof” (U.S. Patent No. 11493519) covering novel technology for partitioning and identifying compounds which preferentially partition into condensates of interest.

The issued patent is the first patented technology for measuring how a compound is entering or partitioning into a target condensate. This breakthrough technology will direct a compound to selectively target a single molecule in a condensate to alter disease.

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Design: SALIENCE Communication / Publiepress
Scientific animation: Visual Science