Terrapin Technologies

Terrapin Technologies, later renamed Telik, was a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule therapeutics for oncology and inflammatory conditions. The company leveraged its proprietary Target Related Affinity Profiling (TRAP) technology to identify drug candidates that modulate specific protein targets, particularly the glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme family. Its lead clinical candidate, canfosfamide (TLK286), was a GST-activated prodrug that reached Phase 3 clinical trials for ovarian and non-small cell lung cancers. Another significant program, ezatiostat (TLK199), was developed for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome and reached Phase 2 testing. After several clinical trial failures, the company was eventually acquired by MabVax Therapeutics in 2014.