A rising New Jersey biotechnology firm is taking a significant step forward in its mission to redefine how autoimmune diseases are treated. TangGene, headquartered in Cranbury, has announced the appointment of internationally recognized pharmaceutical executive Dr. Catherine Angell Sohn as Senior Strategic Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, strengthening the company’s leadership team at a pivotal moment in its development.
The addition of Dr. Sohn signals growing momentum for TangGene as it advances a new class of immune-modulating therapies designed to address autoimmune disorders at their biological root. With decades of experience guiding major therapeutic launches at global pharmaceutical companies, including a senior leadership role at GSK, Dr. Sohn brings deep commercialization expertise to a company positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation immunology.
TangGene was founded in 2024 by a group of accomplished immunologists and biotechnology veterans with a singular goal: to move beyond symptom management and toward true immune system correction. The company’s scientific leadership includes co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Jinfeng Tang, CFA; co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Xiaolei Tang, MD, PhD; and world-renowned immunologist Dr. Harvey Cantor, who serves as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board.
At the center of TangGene’s innovation is a proprietary nanoparticle platform that reprograms the body’s own immune sentinels—dendritic cells—inside the patient. Rather than broadly suppressing immune activity, which can leave patients vulnerable to infections and long-term complications, TangGene’s technology seeks to restore immune tolerance in a highly selective and durable way.
Using its nanoparticle system, TangGene shifts dendritic cells from an inflammatory state into a regulatory mode. These reprogrammed cells then present tissue-specific antigens through the HLA-E pathway, activating a specialized population of CD8⁺ regulatory T cells. These regulatory cells are trained to target only the immune responses responsible for damaging a particular organ or tissue, offering a level of precision that conventional autoimmune therapies have not been able to achieve.
This platform is currently being applied to TangGene’s lead development program, TG-MS01, which is being designed for patients with Multiple Sclerosis. By teaching the immune system to tolerate specific components of the central nervous system, TG-MS01 aims to interrupt disease progression at its source rather than simply managing flare-ups. The company has indicated that this same platform could be extended to address other major autoimmune conditions, positioning TangGene for a broad and scalable pipeline.
Dr. Sohn’s appointment comes at a time when TangGene is preparing for the transition from research-stage innovation to clinical and commercial execution. Her background in global strategy, regulatory navigation, and market launch planning is expected to play a key role in shaping the company’s long-term growth, partnerships, and patient access initiatives.
TangGene is also careful to distinguish itself within a crowded biotech naming landscape. It is not affiliated with similarly named firms such as Tangen Biosciences, Transgene, or Targene Biotech, each of which operates in separate therapeutic or diagnostic sectors and in different regions.
As interest continues to grow in advanced immune-modulating therapies, TangGene’s New Jersey-based operation is drawing attention as a potential leader in precision autoimmune treatment. For readers following emerging medical innovation in the Garden State, Explore New Jersey’s coverage of evolving healthcare and biotechnology developments can be found within its Health & Wellness section, which continues to spotlight companies and research shaping the future of medicine.
TangGene’s expanding leadership team and novel scientific approach place it among the most closely watched biotech innovators in the region, reinforcing New Jersey’s longstanding reputation as a national hub for pharmaceutical and life sciences advancement.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Readers should consult qualified healthcare professionals for diagnosis or treatment guidance.
