Zengen

Zengen was a biopharmaceutical company based in Woodland Hills, California, that specialized in the development of peptide-based therapeutics derived from the melanocortin system. The company's core technology focused on the anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and its derivatives. Its lead product candidate, CZEN 002, was a synthetic octapeptide that reached Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Zengen's research aimed to leverage the body's natural immune-modulating pathways to provide safer alternatives to traditional anti-infective and anti-inflammatory drugs. Despite achieving significant clinical milestones, the company appears to have ceased active operations in the late 2000s.