Eccogene Files IPO Prospectus: Focused on Metabolic and Immune Disorder Therapies with Proprietary Drug Discovery Platform

TetraPhase Develops Next-Generation Antibiotic XERAVA^TMFrom leveraging GSK’s DEL technology platform for lead compound discovery against various novel drug targets, to focusing on the development of new drugs for metabolic diseases at Lilly’s China R&D Center, Dr. Zhou Jingye has spent 15 years honing his expertise, laying a solid foundation in the field of new drug development. In early 2018, Dr. Zhou Jingye founded Eccogene, dedicating himself to the deep cultivation of new drug research and development in metabolism and immunology.

The motivation for venturing into entrepreneurship in this field stems from Dr. Zhou Jingye’s recognition of the significant unmet clinical needs in treating chronic metabolic, inflammatory, and immune diseases that affect large populations. Dr. Zhou’s R&D experience at both startup biotechnology companies and multinational pharmaceutical firms has provided him with unique insights into the development of therapies for complex chronic diseases. Under his leadership, the Eccogene team has built a pipeline portfolio comprising multiple high-quality, self-developed innovative projects. While prioritizing internal R&D, Dr. Zhou Jingye also places great emphasis on external collaborations: “Entrepreneurship is about collaborative innovation through both internal R&D and external partnerships, which will enable Eccogene to achieve broader growth in the fields of metabolism and immunology.”

Dr. Zhou Jingye, Founder of Eccogene

Co-founding Eccogene alongside Dr. Zhou Jingye is another co-founder, Dr. Xu Jianfeng, former Senior R&D Executive at Eli Lilly. He has spearheaded the advancement of multiple drug pipelines from preclinical research into clinical trials. Dr. Xu’s research focuses on the interplay and synergistic regulation of metabolic and immune pathways, and he also brings many years of experience in drug development.

Eccogene focuses on the research and development of novel therapeutics for patients with metabolic and immune disorders, striving to achieve source innovation that addresses the clinical pain points and challenges of existing treatments, thereby restoring imbalanced metabolism and immunity. For instance, beyond glucose-lowering effects, diabetes medications are expected to deliver multiple benefits, including cardiovascular and renal protection as well as improved patient adherence. Furthermore, the absence of approved therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in major markets serves as a key direction and driving force for Eccogene’s R&D efforts.

Dr. Zhou Jingye introduced to VCBeat that Eccogene has implemented distinct R&D strategic layouts and built technical platforms primarily targeting two major categories of chronic diseases, namelyChronic Diseases Caused by Metabolic ImbalanceTreatment andChronic Diseases Caused by Immune ImbalanceTreatment.

Chronic diseases caused by metabolic imbalances constitute the core foundational pipeline of Eccogene., metabolic imbalance-related chronic diseases include widely prevalent conditions such as diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and NASH. To address metabolic imbalance-related chronic diseases, Eccogene adopts a Best-in-Class strategy:First, analyze the optimal metabolic mechanisms for treating specific diseases; second, determine the most suitable strategies and molecular types targeting these mechanisms for the relevant patient populations; and finally, develop next-generation products with the goal of achieving clinically meaningful differentiation from competitors.. Through this three-tiered progressive strategy, Eccogene’s designed molecules demonstrate a clear generational advantage over competitors and have the potential to become blockbuster therapies for this specific disease.

Chronic Diseases Caused by Immune Imbalance Are the Focus of Eccogene’s Continuous Innovation Pipeline, immune-mediated chronic diseases include autoimmune disorders and cancers. Eccogene believes that chronic diseases driven by immune imbalance require greater mechanistic innovation; therefore, it has adopted a First-in-Class (FIC) R&D strategy: leveraging its independently constructed library of metabolic and immune mechanisms, the company utilizes its proprietary immunometabolism platform for target discovery and validation, and integrates translational medicine to develop FIC therapeutics for immune-mediated chronic diseases.

Leveraging its extensive R&D expertise in metabolic mechanisms and its platform for discovering immuno-metabolic targets, Eccogene treats chronic diseases by addressing the root causes of metabolic and immune imbalances, developing small-molecule drugs with internationally leading advantages. Furthermore, Eccogene has entered into an R&D collaboration with a multinational corporation (MNC) and is formulating plans for global clinical development and commercial partnerships.

Metabolic mechanisms play a crucial role in the development of various chronic diseases. For instance, abnormalities in lipid and glucose metabolism lead to insulin resistance, ectopic fat accumulation, and β-cell dysfunction, which further exacerbate glucolipid metabolic disorders, creating a vicious cycle. Due to the complex mechanisms underlying metabolic chronic diseases, there remains a significant unmet medical need in clinical practice. Small-molecule drugs offer distinct advantages for treating these conditions, as they can effectively target intracellular sites with good accessibility, provide the convenience of oral administration to enhance patient compliance, and hold promising potential for combination therapy with other oral medications.

Guided by Eccogene’s core R&D strategy, the company’s pipeline initially targets type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis-related pain, and NASH, for which no approved therapies are currently available. Eccogene has systematically analyzed the unmet clinical needs and identified clinically validated mechanisms suitable for chronic treatment across these metabolic and inflammatory chronic diseases, developing highly differentiated next-generation products targeting these mechanisms. Among them, those intended for type 2 diabetes and obesityNon-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonistsand for NASH and dyslipidemiaLiver-Targeted THRβ AgonistsIt is expected to enter clinical trials by 2022.ECC0509, a peripheral SSAO inhibitor for osteoarthritis pain and NASH, has initiated Phase I clinical trials in Australia.。

Eccogene has independently developed a non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes, which replaces traditional injectable administration with an oral route that offers better patient compliance. The shift from injection to oral delivery may appear to be merely a change in administration method, but it actually reflects the high technical barriers inherent in the development of GLP-1 receptor agonists.

“Since the GLP-1 receptor is a peptide, oral administration makes it difficult to be absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, most commercially available GLP-1 receptor agonists are injectable formulations. Whether administered once daily or once weekly, these injections pose significant discomfort for patients,” introduced Dr. Zhou Jingye. “We considered replacing large-molecule peptides with small-molecule drugs that are more easily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, thereby fundamentally transforming the way GLP-1 family medications treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.”Simulating the binding of large polypeptide molecules to receptors using small molecules is undoubtedly challenging. It was not until 2018 that the industry achieved relevant breakthroughs, upon which Eccogene has conducted next-generation upgrade research and development.。

Taking non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonists as an example, each of Eccogene’s pipeline projects demonstrates a strong competitive advantage in their respective indications. Building on this foundation, as a company driven primarily by independent R&D, Eccogene is able to further expand its advantages through strategic pipeline layout and synergies between different mechanisms of action.Taking NASH drug development as an example,GLP-1 receptor agonists, THRβ agonists, and SSAO inhibitors have each demonstrated robust translational success from preclinical studies to clinical trials. These three mechanisms target key factors in the pathogenesis of NASH and its progression to cirrhosis: glucose metabolism disorders, lipid metabolism disorders, inflammation, and fibrosis.Combining complementary mechanisms will more effectively alleviate disease, and Eccogene’s oral small-molecule drugs targeting these three mechanisms will further enhance patient convenience, adherence, and drug accessibility in combination therapy.

In an era marked by the growing prevalence of complex metabolic and immune diseases, Eccogene will continue to leverage its deep understanding and insights in metabolism and immunology to creatively address these unmet clinical needs, delivering affordable, high-quality medicines to the vast majority of patients. Amidst the current landscape of the innovative drug industry, characterized by vibrant diversity and intense competition, Eccogene’s clinical value-driven R&D strategy will provide innovative therapeutic solutions to help patients restore metabolic and immune balance, while consistently demonstrating its market value through sustained high growth.

As an early investor who has accompanied the company through its growth,Deng Liang, Partner at Huagai Medical Yangtze River Delta Fund“Heathai Yangtze River Delta Fund focuses on early-stage healthcare investments, establishing targeted portfolios in the field of major diseases. Eccogene has actively developed a novel R&D pipeline, focusing on unmet clinical needs in metabolic and immune-related diseases, making it a rare high-quality enterprise in this sector. Heathai Capital will continue to support Eccogene’s global expansion, bringing innovative therapeutic solutions to patients worldwide.”