Merck China President Marc Horn Visits SIG Biotech Ahead of Its IPO Filing

Today, Mr. Marc Horn, Global Executive Vice President of Merck Group and President of Merck Group China, led a team to visit and evaluate Signet Therapeutics in Shenzhen. Dr. Zhang Haisheng, founder and CEO of Signet Therapeutics, along with the management team, warmly received them.

Dr. Haisheng Zhang elaborated on how SIGNET leverages its unique organoid disease model platform, combined with advanced AI technology, to accelerate the development of targeted cancer drugs. He specifically introduced the clinical progress of the company's first-in-class targeted drug for diffuse gastric cancer and noted that, apart from diffuse gastric cancer, this targeted drug has also achieved breakthrough progress in areas such as ovarian cancer and triple-negative breast cancer—malignancies currently lacking effective treatment options. In addition to the pipeline, Dr. Haisheng Zhang highlighted SIGNET’s rapid advancements in the organoid field, particularly the cutting-edge progress in preclinical toxicology prediction using cardiac organoids, and discussed potential collaboration opportunities with Merck Group.

Currently, SIGNET's first Class I innovative drug, SIGX1094, as the world's first targeted drug for diffuse gastric cancer, has successfully obtained IND (Investigational New Drug) approval from both China and the United States, officially entering Phase I clinical trials. The company’s organoid disease model platform has also established strategic partnerships with several well-known pharmaceutical companies, including Shenzhen Zhen Shi Biology, BrightGene Bio-Medical, and GeniBio.By integrating organoid disease models with AI technology, SIGNET, with its strong R&D team and platform technology advantages, has significantly shortened the cycle of new drug development from research to clinical trials.

SIGNET and Merck Group have great cooperation potential in the fields of technological innovation and drug development. SIGNET will continue to make efforts to promote the R&D process of high-quality innovative drugs, aiming to meet unmet clinical needs and provide patients with more treatment options as soon as possible.

Signet Therapeutics is the first biotech company in China to develop innovative targeted cancer drugs based on organoid disease models and AI. Initially founded on the Harvard University campus, it was established in Shenzhen in 2020 and completed an angel round of financing of nearly 150 million yuan within a year. SIGNET is not only a transliteration of Signet but also adheres to the vision of "Hopeful Minds, Knowledge through Observation." It leverages the critical role of organoid disease models that closely resemble patients' genomic characteristics in drug efficacy evaluation and new target discovery, combined with AI-powered screening, synthesis, and optimization of small-molecule compounds, to develop first-in-class innovative targeted drugs. The company currently has three drug pipelines, with the lead pipeline developing the world’s first targeted drug for diffuse gastric cancer, which has now entered Phase I clinical trials. The company operates 1,200 square meters of R&D facilities and 500 square meters of animal laboratory space. Signet Therapeutics’ disease model platform not only supports its own drug pipelines but also actively empowers large pharmaceutical companies in their new drug development, facilitating the creation of more innovative medicines.