TAGCyx raises approximately 200 million JPY

TAGCyx Biotechnologies, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) has raised approximately 200 million JPY from UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)

TAGCyx is developing unique DNA aptamer called “Xenoligo^Ⓡ” in healthcare field, using proprietary artificial nucleic acid base pair technology. Aptamers, also known as “chemically synthesizable antibodies,” are oligo nucleic acids (DNA or RNA) and peptides that bind to specific molecules, and act like antibody antigen interaction. Xenoligo^Ⓡ has following features. ① high binding affinity to proteins by particular hydrophobic interaction of artificial bases (you can select a high binding candidate molecule from a huge DNA library of 10¹⁴ or more that can be randomly generated), ② stabilization by proprietary Mini-hair pin technology (realization of sufficient stability as a drug), ③ low manufacturing cost (it can be manufactured by chemical synthesis unlike antibody drugs), and ④ high versatility (applicable to targets that antibody drugs are difficult to target).

Based on the platform technology of Xenoligo^Ⓡ, TAGCyx has concentrated management resources in the drug discovery business since 2016, and through multiple steps of financing, has entered into several collaboration agreements with pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. Achieving this funding, TAGCyx will accelerate R&D for changing paradigm to human healthcare.