TIXiMED

TIXiMED is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company established to develop and commercialize a novel class of oral therapeutics for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The company was founded in 2021 as a spinout from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Its inception is the culmination of two decades of research by Dr. Anath Shalev, a distinguished endocrinologist and the Director of UAB's Comprehensive Diabetes Center. Dr. Shalev, who serves as Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, identified the protein TXNIP in 2002 as a key factor in the death of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. Her extensive research, initially demonstrating that the blood pressure drug verapamil could inhibit TXNIP and preserve beta cell function, established the scientific foundation for a more targeted therapeutic. To translate this discovery into a practical treatment, Dr. Shalev co-founded TIXiMED with Michael Goodrich of First Avenue Ventures, who serves as President and Executive Board Chair.

The company's business model centers on the clinical development and future commercialization of its lead drug candidate, TIX100. TIXiMED holds the exclusive license for the patent covering this novel small molecule. The primary market is the global population of over half a billion people affected by diabetes, a market where oral anti-diabetic drugs are currently only approved for Type 2, leaving a significant unmet need for oral options for Type 1 diabetes. TIXiMED's strategy involves progressing TIX100 through rigorous FDA clinical trials, funded by investments such as a $2.65 million loan from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

TIX100 is a first-of-its-kind oral therapeutic designed to inhibit TXNIP, a detrimental protein elevated in individuals with diabetes. Unlike existing treatments that primarily manage symptoms by controlling blood sugar, TIX100 targets the underlying pathology of the disease by normalizing TXNIP levels. This mechanism protects the body's own insulin-producing beta cells from destruction, promotes overall islet cell health, and inhibits excessive glucagon secretion. Key benefits demonstrated in preclinical and early human studies include its oral availability, a favorable safety profile with no associated hypoglycemia or weight gain, and potent inhibition of TXNIP. The company successfully completed a Phase 1 Single Ascending Dose (SAD) human trial in May 2025, which confirmed the drug was safe and well-tolerated. TIXiMED is now advancing toward a Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) study to pave the way for trials in patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Keywords: oral diabetes therapy, TXNIP inhibitor, TIX100, Type 1 diabetes treatment, Type 2 diabetes, Anath Shalev, pancreatic beta cell preservation, clinical-stage pharmaceutical, UAB spinout, diabetes drug discovery, islet cell health, metabolic dysfunction, anti-diabetic drug, First Avenue Ventures, Helmsley Charitable Trust, glucagon secretion, hepatic glucose production, MASLD, MASH, disease-modifying therapeutic