Based on strong preclinical evidence, targeting discrete points in glycan biosynthesis represents a highly specific and potent therapeutic strategy for cancer, lysosomal storage disease, inflammatory disease, and other applications. However, several key challenges have until now precluded the development of drugs targeting glycan biosynthesis:

1. The biosynthetic pathway, structure, and resulting function of glycans were not well understood
2. Methods were not available for analyzing the highly complex structures of glycans, making it difficult to understand and modify glycan-driven pathology
3. Effective high-throughput small molecule screening technology did not exist

To unlock this potential, over the past five years, Zacharon has created breakthrough assay technologies integrating cell-based high-throughput screening with highly sensitive glycan structural analysis tools. Combined with recent advances in the understanding of glycan biosynthesis and function, Zacharon’s technology provides a powerful and proprietary platform for novel small molecule drug discovery of an entire new class of therapeutics. By coupling this drug discovery engine with traditional downstream small molecule drug development, Zacharon is creating a broad pipeline of novel therapeutics for many diseases where glycans are strongly implicated in disease pathogenesis.