- Tensegrity Pharma has raised ¥150 million in a seed round, bringing total funding to ¥650 million.
- The investment will support the development of TSP-101, a potential treatment for cachexia, a condition associated with cancer and other chronic diseases.
Tensegrity Pharma Inc., a Tokyo-based bio-startup, has secured ¥150 million in seed funding through a third-party allotment of new shares from Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd. This new investment brings the company’s total funding to ¥650 million, including an earlier ¥500 million investment from Newton Biocapital Co., Ltd. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of TSP-101, a drug candidate targeting cachexia.
Cachexia is a severe syndrome associated with chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and infections. It leads to significant weight loss and muscle deterioration, impacting around 80% of cancer patients. The condition is difficult to treat, as it involves complex interactions between the skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, digestive system, central nervous system, and immune system. There is currently no approved therapeutic drug specifically for cachexia.
TSP-101 aims to counteract cachexia by blocking a specific factor overexpressed in cancers linked to the condition. The drug is designed to suppress systemic inflammation caused by cancer while also improving the tumor microenvironment. TSP-101 was originally a preclinical development asset from Astellas Pharma Inc., which was discontinued for strategic reasons. Tensegrity Pharma plans to advance the program into Phase 1/2 clinical trials to establish proof of concept.
The company follows a unique drug discovery approach inspired by “tensegrity,” a principle that enables stable structures with minimal components. By focusing on overcoming key bottlenecks in drug development, Tensegrity Pharma seeks to identify promising candidates and conduct exploratory clinical trials on a global scale. This strategy aims to revitalize drug discovery and create new business opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector.