Dualitas Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing novel bispecific antibody therapies for immune and inflammatory diseases, has emerged from stealth with a successful $65 million Series A financing. The funding round was co-led by Versant Ventures and Qiming Venture Partners USA, with additional participation from founding investor SV Health Investors and strategic investors including Chugai Venture Fund, Eli Lilly and Company, and Alexandria Venture Investments. This capital will be used to advance Dualitas’ portfolio, which includes two lead programs, DTX-103 for allergic diseases and DTX-102 for autoimmune diseases. The company’s preclinical data for these programs show compelling results when benchmarked against approved therapies.
A core component of Dualitas’ strategy is its proprietary DualScreen™ discovery engine. This platform represents a significant departure from traditional, more narrow bispecific discovery methods. Instead of relying on a limited number of known target pairs, DualScreen™ operates at a combinatorial scale to functionally screen the entire cell surface to identify bispecific antibody combinations with highly differentiated and synergistic activity. This approach has already produced a collection of novel “immune engagers” — reusable antibody components that can be paired with various targets to create new bispecific antibodies with unique activity.
With this new funding, Dualitas plans to pursue a two-pronged strategy: continuing to advance its in-house pipeline that leverages cell-surface proximity biology, and seeking strategic partnerships to expand the reach and impact of its DualScreen™ engine. The company’s leadership team is comprised of experienced drug developers and scientists with proven track records in the field of antibody technologies, positioning them to maximize the potential of their innovative platform and pipeline. The goal is to develop a new generation of bispecific antibodies that address unmet patient needs, such as a faster onset of action and more meaningful clinical benefits in allergic and autoimmune diseases.