Tyligand Bioscience

Tyligand Bioscience is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2018, with a focus on developing small molecule therapies for drug-resistant tumors and autoimmune diseases. The company was co-founded by its CEO, Dr. Tony Zhang, who previously held leadership roles at Eli Lilly, including founding Managing Director of the Lilly China R&D Center. Dr. Zhang earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University, mentored by Nobel laureate Ei-ichi Negishi, and has a background in synthetic chemistry and pharmaceutical development. The other founders are Dr. Boyu Zhong, who serves as President, and Professor Zhong-Yin Zhang, the company's academic founder and a distinguished professor at Purdue University.

The company's business model is centered on the discovery and development of a proprietary pipeline of drug candidates. Tyligand establishes its revenue stream through strategic partnerships and licensing agreements. A notable collaboration is with Context Therapeutics for the manufacturing process optimization and commercialization of ONA-XR, a treatment for hormone-driven cancers, in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The company operates from a 45,000 sq. ft. facility in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Medicine Valley, which integrates medicinal chemistry, biological testing, and clinical development. Since its inception, Tyligand has secured multiple rounds of funding, including a Series A+ round in July 2023, to advance its clinical trials in the US and China. Investors include Ming Ventures, Taikun Fund, CMS Capital, and BOHE Angel Fund.

Tyligand's research pipeline features several candidates, including small molecules and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Key programs include TSN1611, an orally bioavailable KRAS G12D inhibitor for solid tumors, which began Phase 1/2 clinical trials in the U.S. in May 2024. Another significant asset is TSN084, a multi-kinase inhibitor targeting CDK8/19 for tumor proliferation, currently in Phase I trials in the US and China. The company has also developed the DATIA® (Dual-Action Tumor Immune Agonist) platform, with its first product, TSN222, designed to sequentially activate the immune system and selectively target tumors. This product has received IND clearance from both the FDA and China's NMPA.

Keywords: small molecule therapies, oncology, autoimmune diseases, clinical-stage biotechnology, drug-resistant tumors, antibody-drug conjugates, KRAS inhibitors, immuno-oncology, kinase inhibitors, cancer research, pharmaceutical development, DATIA platform, drug discovery, phosphorylation modulation, tumor microenvironment, targeted therapy