Breakpoint Therapeutics is focused on developing innovative cancer therapies by modulating DNA damage responses (DDR) to address the unique vulnerabilities of cancer cells. Their pipeline is built on extensive expertise in DDR biology and advanced biochemical and cellular assays. The company’s lead programs target two critical oncology targets: DNA Polymerase theta (PolQ) and Werner Syndrome Helicase (WRN). PolQ is a low-fidelity DNA repair enzyme that is overexpressed in many cancers, enabling tumor cells to survive DNA damage while also contributing to genetic mutations and therapy resistance. Inhibiting PolQ presents a promising therapeutic strategy for a wide range of patients, particularly those with tumors reliant on microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) for DNA repair. Similarly, WRN plays a vital role in resolving DNA secondary structures under replication stress, particularly in microsatellite instability-high (MSI-high) tumors, which often resist conventional therapies. Targeting WRN may provide new treatment options for these challenging cancer types.

The company leverages insights into the DDR mechanisms to create therapies that exploit cancer-specific alterations, aiming for synthetic lethality where the combination of genetic defects in cancer cells leads to cell death. By identifying and targeting these vulnerabilities, Breakpoint Therapeutics seeks to enhance the efficacy of existing treatments and overcome therapy resistance. Their approach includes developing compounds that can sensitize cancer cells to standard treatments, thereby improving patient outcomes. With a focus on advancing next-generation DDR therapies, Breakpoint aims to expand the range of treatable cancer types and increase the therapeutic impact of validated treatments, including potential combinations with established drugs like PARP inhibitors.

Germany

Breakpoint Therapeutics is developing targeted cancer therapies that modulate DNA damage response (DDR) pathways.
Through precise interference with DNA repair, our drug candidates are designed to kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells. We leverage new insights and the concept of synthetic lethality to increase the therapeutic window and achieve better outcomes for patients with therapy-resistant and hard-to-treat cancers.

Breakpoint Therapeutics

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