The European Innovation Council (EIC) has awarded €2.5 million to biotechnology company Step Pharma to accelerate the development of dencatistat for CTPS2 null gynaecological tumours. 

The funding, which consists of a €2.5 million grant and potentially up to €10 million in equity investment, is part of the EIC’s Accelerator Award, designed to support breakthrough innovations through combined grant and equity investments. 

Step Pharma plans to use the financing to support its advancement of a first-in-class, highly selective, orally bioavailable CTPS1 inhibitor, dencatistat, in CTPS2 null ovarian and endometrial cancers. 

“Being selected for an EIC Accelerator award is an important validation of our precision oncology approach targeting the synthetic lethal dependency on CTPS1 in CTPS2 null solid tumours,” said Andrew Parker, Chief Executive Officer of Step Pharma.  

“Building on strong momentum across our three clinical programmes, this award will enable us to advance dencatistat into expansion cohorts in ovarian and endometrial cancer, gynaecological indications where initiatives such as the EIC Accelerator can play a key role in improving outcomes.  

“We look forward to working with the EIC as we continue to drive a step change in the way cancer is treated.” 

Dencatistat could deliver ‘efficacy without toxicity’

All cancers are dependent on a ready supply of CTP for proliferation, the production of which is catalysed by two isoenzymes, CTPS1 and CTPS2. Loss of CTPS2 in cancer cells creates a synthetic lethal dependency on CTPS1 but selective CTPS1 inhibition kills CTPS2 null cancer cells, whilst sparing normal tissues.  

Step Pharma’s highly selective CTPS1 inhibitor, dencatistat, could deliver efficacy without toxicity. Dencatistat is currently being evaluated in a Phase Ia dose escalation study in patients with solid tumours. This will be followed by safety expansion cohorts in patients with CTPS2 null cancers, including ovarian and endometrial where the prevalence of CTPS2 loss is 15-20%. 

These expansion cohorts are expected to start enrolling in 2026, with an additional cohort in CTPS2 null lung cancer also planned. 

Dencatistat is also being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial for adult patients with relapsed/refractory T or B cell lymphoma, and received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) orphan drug designation for the treatment of T cell lymphoma in May 2025.