Photys Therapeutics
Photys Therapeutics builds two-headed molecules that bring a target protein next to an enzyme that modifies or destroys it. Its first clinical drug is for autoimmune disease; its cancer work, aimed at a mutant form of the p53 protein, is still in the laboratory.
Overview
Photys Therapeutics is a Boston proximity-based therapeutics company with three heterobifunctional platforms: PROTAC degraders, PHICS (phosphorylation-inducing chimeric small molecules that recruit kinases to a target) and tPRIME (targeted proximity-induced modulators of expression). Its lead clinical programme, PHT-776/HPB-143, an oral IRAK4 PROTAC degrader licensed from Polymed in February 2025, entered phase 1 in August 2026 for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The oncology programme is preclinical: tPRIME bifunctionals directed at p53 Y220C, with data on p53-Y220C-BET bifunctionals driving cancer cell death presented in February 2025. A PHICS collaboration with Novo Nordisk (December 2024) covers cardiometabolic targets. Photys launched in September 2022 with a 75 million US dollar Series A led by MPM Capital, joined by Omega Funds, Longwood, 8VC, Eli Lilly and others.
Funding
All startups| Round | Year | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A · Led by MPM Capital; company founded by Longwood Fund and Amit Choudhary of Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Broad Institute | 2022 | $75M | photys.com |
Amounts only where the cited source states them. Rounds without a public source are not listed.
Notes
top- Oncology is a preclinical part of a mostly immunology and cardiometabolic pipeline. No SEC Form D filings were found under the company name. Founding year not sourced.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- CompanyNeomorph
Shares Longwood Fund, PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation).
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Shares MPM BioImpact, PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation).
- IdeaDegrade the damaged p53 protein rather than trying to repair it
Shares PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation), TP53.
- PersonShaomeng Wang
Shares PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation), TP53.
- IdeaAn open degrader consortium against every undruggable driver transcription factor
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- TargetMDM2
Shares PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation), TP53.
- IdeaAn open-science consortium on the undruggable drivers, open until a candidate
Shares PROTACs & molecular glues (targeted protein degradation), TP53.