Focusing On TMERs for Innovative Medicine to Tackle Tumor Immune Escape

Tumor factors generate a unique microenvironment (TME) niche for tumor to escape body's immune attack. Cancers use TME factors to engage receptors (TMERs) expressed on the cells of the immune system to evade anti-tumor immune surveillance. GPCRs are an important class of TMERs modulating the differentiation, development, and function of the immune systems, both innate and acquired, and play an important role in diseases of inflammatory, autoimmune, and cancer. Depending on the subtypes of G-protein coupled and differential intracellular signal transduction pathways, a GPCR, upon engagement by a TME factor, can inhibit tumor-killing immune cells such as CTL and NK cells, induce the formation of immune suppressive cells (iTreg, MDSC, mReg-DC), or cause chemotactic migration and redistribution of immune cells in favor of tumor survival and growth in a patient body.

Key Management Team Members


Zhi (Zak) Liang Chu, Ph.D.

Founder, President, CEO/CSO

  • Ph.D. in Genetics from University of Minnesota

  • Post-doc at HHMI, Vanderbilt University & SBP Medical Discovery Inst.

  • 10 years academic research in Genetics, Hematology & Oncology, Immunology

  • Inventor for >30 US patents in biology and drug targets

  • 20+ years biotech experience, holding R&D executive positions prior to founding Crossignal Therapeutics in Aug. 2019

Sangdon Han, Ph.D.

Co-founder, EVP Medicinal Chemistry

  • Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Minnesota

  • B.S.,MS., Seoul National University

  • Post-doc at UC Berkeley & U of Chicago

  • 20+ years MedChem experience, held senior leadership positions in Medicinal Chemistry operations in biotech companies

  • Inventor for >30 patents in Medicinal Chemistry, including: Etrasimod (Velsipity™), Olorinab, Paltusotine, Atumelnant

  • Joined Crossignal Therapeutics in March 2020

Award & Recognition

Crossignal Therapeutics: A Novel Approach in Precision Medicine

Crossignal Therapeutics is at the forefront of pioneering research aimed at identifying specific GPCRs acting as TMERs. The company focuses on profiling the immune cell expression of these receptors and deciphering signal transduction pathways, with the ultimate goal of discovering groundbreaking drug candidates. Employing a Pathway-Precision Screen (PPS) assay platform, it is dedicated to advancing structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies for in-house designed compounds.


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Crossignal Mission & Capabilities

  • Bring breakthrough therapies to cancer patients through innovation and discovery of whole new generation small molecule I-O drugs.

  • Dedicated to cutting-edge research to identify which GPCRs function as a TMER, conduct immune cell expression profiling, elucidate signal transduction pathways, and guide our effort for the discovery of “First-in-Class” drugs.

  • Established a Pathway-Precision Screen (PPS) assay platform to drive SAR of in-house designed compounds.

  • Deep-rooted experience in medicinal chemistry and in small molecule drug development, we are best positioned to achieve mission possible to bring a new generation of disruptive medicine to cancer patients.