Zhiyong Yang
CEO
Fzata, Inc.
The startup has developed an oral biologics platform that utilizes live recombinant yeast to express and secrete therapeutic biologics for oral administration. This technology eliminates the need for cold chain logistics and needles, while minimizing systemic toxicity and anti-drug antibody responses, thereby enhancing patient safety in treating gastrointestinal disorders.
- Biotechnology
Updated 21 months ago
Funding
Raised to date
$19MRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Funding rounds are not available yet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Current biologic therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders often require administration via injection or infusion, which can lead to poor patient compliance and increased healthcare costs. These traditional methods may also result in systemic toxicities and the development of anti-drug antibodies, reducing the therapy's effectiveness.
Solution
Fzata is developing an oral biologics platform, BioPYM (Bioengineered Probiotic Yeast Medicines), that utilizes live recombinant yeast to express and secrete therapeutic biologics directly in the GI tract. This approach eliminates the need for injections or infusions, offering a more convenient and patient-friendly method of drug delivery. By producing biologics locally within the gut, BioPYM aims to minimize systemic exposure, reduce the risk of adverse effects, and enhance drug efficacy. The BioPYM platform leverages a "plug-n-play" genomic insertion site, allowing for efficient and scalable manufacturing of various biologic therapeutics, including antibodies, enzymes, cytokines, and hormones. The yeast itself acts symbiotically, beneficially modulating gut function and immune homeostasis.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), as well as pharmaceutical companies seeking innovative oral delivery methods for biologic therapeutics.
Features
- Oral delivery of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) via capsules containing lyophilized yeast
- Localized production of therapeutic biologics within the GI tract by engineered yeast micro-factories
- BioPYM platform engineered with a "plug-n-play" genomic insertion site for DNA payload
- Potential for reduced systemic toxicity and immunogenicity compared to traditional biologics
- Scalable and cost-effective manufacturing process compared to conventional biologics
- Ability to modulate gut function and immune homeostasis through symbiotic interaction of yeast with gut flora
- Can be used concurrently with antibiotics without triggering drug resistance