Ex­clu­sive: Bat­tle with ‘un­drug­gable’ can­cer tar­get be­ta-catenin heats up, as Sapi­ence dos­es first pa­tient

An­oth­er biotech start­up has en­tered the clin­ic with a shot at one of the biggest, most elu­sive cul­prits be­hind can­cer.

New York-based Sapi­ence Ther­a­peu­tics said Tues­day it has dosed the first pa­tient with its drug can­di­date, called ST316, tar­get­ing the be­ta-catenin pro­tein, which has gained a rep­u­ta­tion as a poster child of un­drug­gable tar­gets. Sapi­ence, which raised a $41 mil­lion Se­ries B in May 2022, close­ly fol­lows Cam­bridge, MA-based Fog­Phar­ma, which just en­tered the clin­ic with its own be­ta-catenin block­er.

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