Led by Lotus Lake Capital, the financing will accelerate the development of TPM004, a differentiated ultra-long-acting amylin/calcitonin receptor dual agonist, and advance the company's proprietary PepTetris™ peptide discovery platform for obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases
- Developing a differentiated portfolio of ultra-long-acting peptide therapeutics targeting metabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related disorders, with the potential to achieve best-in-class efficacy and dosing convenience
- Advancing TPM004, a next-generation ultra-long-acting amylin/calcitonin receptor dual agonist, toward IND submission and first-in-human clinical development
- Expanding the proprietary PepTetris™ peptide discovery platform, leveraging advanced peptide engineering and artificial intelligence approaches to enable the discovery of once-monthly and potentially longer-duration peptide therapeutics
- The angel financing was led by Lotus Lake Capital, with participation from Stars Capital, Tainuo Capital, Blue Ocean Capital, and renowned entrepreneur Mr. Yousheng Shen, providing strategic support to advance clinical development and platform innovation
SHENZHEN, China, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Torrey Pines Medicine (Shenzhen) Ltd., a biotechnology company dedicated to developing next-generation ultra-long-acting peptide therapeutics for metabolic diseases, today announced the successful completion of an angel financing round raising tens of millions of RMB.
The round was led by Lotus Lake Ventures, with participation from Stars Capital, Tainuo Capital, Blue Ocean Capital, and renowned entrepreneur Mr. Yousheng Shen. The proceeds will primarily support corporate development, focus on accelerating IND filing and Phase I clinical trials for core pipeline asset TPM004, and further refine the proprietary PepTetris™ ultra-long-acting peptide technology platform to continuously empower early-stage R&D pipelines.
"We are deeply grateful for the trust and support from our investors. R&D in metabolic diseases is entering a new era. Significant unmet clinical needs remain regarding patient compliance, enhanced efficacy, and better overall therapeutic experience. At Torrey Pines Medicine, we will continue leveraging our proprietary platform to engineer globally competitive, ultra-long-acting peptide therapeutics that provide convenient and highly effective long-term management solutions for patients." said Dr. Qingsong Zhu, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Torrey Pines Medicine.
Representing the lead investor in this financing, Kai Guo, partner at Lotus Lake Ventures, said, "We have long tracked global trends in metabolic innovation and firmly believe that ultra-long-acting technology represents a critical frontier for next-generation metabolic therapies. Torrey Pines Medicine combines a highly experienced international leadership team with proprietary platform technologies and a differentiated pipeline addressing significant unmet medical needs. We look forward to supporting the company as it advances its lead programs into the clinic and establishes itself as a globally recognized biotechnology company."
According to Dr. Weijun Shen, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Torrey Pines Medicine, the development of truly next-generation peptide therapeutics requires more than simply extending drug half-life. "Developing ultra-long-acting peptide medicines requires a holistic optimization of molecular design, receptor pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, manufacturability, and clinical translatability. Our objective is not simply to prolong circulation time, but to engineer molecules that deliver the optimal balance of efficacy, safety, dosing convenience, and developability."
Dr. Nieng Yan, President of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) and Director of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL), congratulated the company on completing its angel financing. "We extend our warmest congratulations to Torrey Pines Medicine on the successful completion of its angel financing. As a flagship venture incubated by Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Torrey Pines Medicine encapsulates the deep integration of foundational research, technological innovation, and industrial translation. We look forward to seeing them leverage their international team and platform advantages to accelerate the translation of original scientific breakthroughs into clinical applications."
About Torrey Pines Medicine
Torrey Pines Medicine is a pre-clinical-stage biotechnology company incubated by Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, dedicated to developing next-generation ultra-long-acting peptide therapeutics for obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and other chronic metabolic diseases. To address key clinical unmet needs associated with current mainstream weight-loss treatments—including gastrointestinal adverse events, muscle mass loss, poor long-term adherence, and weight regain post-discontinuation—Torrey Pines Medicine is building an end-to-end R&D engine focused on ultra-long-acting peptide novel drugs.
The company's proprietary PepTetris™ platform integrates AI-guided design, innovative molecular engineering, half-life extension, and multi-target synergy. By significantly extending in vivo exposure while maintaining pharmacological potency and minimizing adverse reactions, PepTetris™ enables the efficient development of monthly or longer dosing regimen peptides. Lead asset TPM004 is a next-generation ultra-long-acting amylin/calcitonin dual receptor agonist (DACRA) targeted for key clinical readout data in 2027. Preclinical studies demonstrate TPM004 supports potential monthly subcutaneous administration, exhibits superior weight-loss efficacy, delays weight rebound post-treatment, and possesses high solubility and stability at physiological pH, enabling co-formulation development with various GLP-1 therapeutics.
Torrey Pines Medicine boasts a core leadership team with over 20 years of experience in innovative peptide drug development and commercialization. Team members bring extensive domain expertise from leading global and domestic research institutions and pharmaceutical enterprises, including Insilico Medicine, Novartis GNF, Scripps Research – Calibr, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Peking University, and HEC Pharma. The team's comprehensive capabilities span the entire drug discovery and development lifecycle, including target discovery, AI-assisted drug design, drug screening (pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, CMC development), preclinical evaluation, IND regulatory filings, and clinical trial execution, enabling seamless execution from bench to bedside.
About Lotus Lake Ventures
Lotus Lake Ventures is a venture capital fund management institution equity-held by Beijing Tsinghua Industrial R&D Institute. Reorganized in 2013 during the construction of Tsinghua University's tech transfer framework, Lotus Lake Ventures is one of China's pioneer institutional investors systematically backing university tech transfer and hard-tech innovation. Focusing on hard technology, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing, Lotus Lake Ventures targets early and growth-stage enterprises featuring high barriers to entry and original innovation capabilities, having backed over 100 portfolio companies.
Contact us:
Torrey Pines Medicine
Rm 813A, Building 1B,
669 Beizhen Rd,
Shenzhen, China
Email: IR (at) tpmeds.com; BD (at) tpmeds.com
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Torrey Pines Medicine Secures Angel Round to Advance Next-Generation Ultra-Long-Acting Peptide Therapeutics
- Following its developer launch in November 2025, Aqua now offers a risk-controlled alternative to DeFi's pool-based model.
- 1inch unveils a Merkl-powered liquidity incentive program for Aqua, funded with 10 million 1INCH by the 1inch Foundation and 500k USDC from 1inch DAO.
- Aqua goes live across 13 EVM chains from day one.
ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 1inch, the leading DeFi ecosystem, announces the full public launch of Aqua, a self-custodial shared liquidity layer that enables liquidity providers to use the same wallet balance across multiple positions without locking assets in liquidity pools.
Following its developer launch in November 2025, Aqua today offers one of the first risk-controlled alternatives to DeFi's traditional pool-based model, enabling more capital-efficient liquidity provisioning.
1inch Aqua works as a registry: a user connects their wallet to approve a token balance and create liquidity positions that can access that balance. The Aqua protocol tracks that balance, and when it receives a swap order that meets the criteria of the position, it pulls the requested tokens from the wallet and pushes back received tokens and fees in a single atomic transaction. Otherwise, the user's tokens remain in their wallet and completely under their control.
"The liquidity provisioning space is broken, but you only see how broken once there's an alternative. Today, that alternative has arrived. With Aqua, liquidity providers no longer have to accept the inefficient pool structure they've put up with for years," said Sergej Kunz, 1inch co-founder. "DeFi doesn't just need more liquidity. It needs more useful liquidity, active wherever demand appears. We built Aqua so providers get that reach without giving up custody: your tokens stay in your wallet until the moment a swap fills."
Alongside the product launch, 1inch Network Incentives goes live — a liquidity reward program for Aqua, led by Degensoft Ltd (BVI) and delivered through Merkl. The 1inch Foundation has committed 10 million 1INCH in provider rewards, and a further 500,000 USDC boost from the 1inch DAO. The initiative is designed to accelerate liquidity growth and swap activity across supported pairs. As a result, liquidity providers not only benefit from Aqua's improved experience but also have the opportunity to earn additional rewards. Program terms, markets and safeguards are set out in the published campaign configuration.
According to 1inch, the current pool based system is a major limiting factor on DeFi's ability to scale and bring TradFi capital on chain. For liquidity providers, the current model of depositing into pools means handing over custody, while active capital gets spread thin across protocols, pairs and price ranges. The scale of the problem is stark: per on-chain research by Dune commissioned by 1inch, 85% of concentrated liquidity across major DEXs was underutilized in H1 2026, roughly $1.6 billion of the $1.84 billion tracked. That includes about $542 million sitting fully out of range in an average week, resulting in an estimated $150 million in fees foregone per year.
Through Aqua, 1inch is showcasing a more efficient model for shared liquidity, allowing the same wallet balance to back multiple positions simultaneously. Unlike the traditional model, where liquidity must be split across multiple pools and positions, Aqua enables a single balance to support multiple quotes at once. For example, a $100,000 balance can support three positions collectively quoting $300,000 of liquidity, with the potential to quote more. The underlying tokens remain available to every position at all times; nothing is borrowed, and any swap can only execute against the assets actually held in the wallet.
A position on Aqua can be full range, concentrated or pegged, depending on the selected pair and position type. A user can open and close positions themselves, with no lock-up. Their exposure is capped by the tokens they actually hold, not by the theoretical combined size of every position they create. If their wallet cannot cover a swap, Aqua simply does not call on their tokens.
From today, users can create positions across 13 EVM chains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Robinhood Chain and BNB Chain. Aqua also launches with a number of additional functionalities, including a liquidity leaderboard, an incentives screen, liquidity map visualizations, batch position creation, provider profiles with cross-chain positions, sub-wallets, and an AI-assisted liquidity provisioning flow via the 1inch Business MCP with safe batch deployment, coming soon.
Aqua has undergone eight independent security audits conducted by OpenZeppelin, Bailsec, Hashlock, Hexens, MixBytes, Nethermind, Theori, and Decurity. Combined with its fully self-custodial design, which never holds user tokens, a swap can only move assets that are actually in the provider's wallet at the moment it fills. Revocation stops new fills as soon as it confirms on-chain. Aqua is also protected from JIT fee sniping by design, as each position has a single owner, thus there is no shared fee moment bots can capitalize on. While Aqua's design keeps exposure bounded and providers in control of their own tokens, swap fees are not guaranteed, prices can move against a position (impermanent loss), and providers bear market and smart-contract risk.
Image here
Gif here
About 1inch
1inch accelerates decentralized finance with a seamless crypto trading experience for 27M users. Beyond being the top platform for low-cost, efficient token swaps with $100M+ in daily trades, 1inch offers a range of innovative tools, including a secure self-custodial wallet, a portfolio tracker for managing digital assets, a dedicated business portal giving access to its cutting-edge technology, and even a debit card for easy crypto spending. By continuously innovating, 1inch is simplifying DeFi for everyone.
Website | 1inch Business | 1inch Network | Follow on X | Explore Blog
Aqua involves risk, including loss of funds. It's built for experienced users — do your own research. Not financial advice. Incentive rewards are variable, not guaranteed, and subject to the program's published terms.
ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 1inch, the leading DeFi ecosystem, announces the full public launch of Aqua, a self-custodial shared liquidity layer that enables liquidity providers to use the same wallet balance across multiple positions without locking assets in liquidity pools.
Following its developer launch in November 2025, Aqua today offers one of the first risk-controlled alternatives to DeFi's traditional pool-based model, enabling more capital-efficient liquidity provisioning.
1inch Aqua works as a registry: a user connects their wallet to approve a token balance and create liquidity positions that can access that balance. The Aqua protocol tracks that balance, and when it receives a swap order that meets the criteria of the position, it pulls the requested tokens from the wallet and pushes back received tokens and fees in a single atomic transaction. Otherwise, the user's tokens remain in their wallet and completely under their control.
"The liquidity provisioning space is broken, but you only see how broken once there's an alternative. Today, that alternative has arrived. With Aqua, liquidity providers no longer have to accept the inefficient pool structure they've put up with for years," said Sergej Kunz, 1inch co-founder. "DeFi doesn't just need more liquidity. It needs more useful liquidity, active wherever demand appears. We built Aqua so providers get that reach without giving up custody: your tokens stay in your wallet until the moment a swap fills."
Alongside the product launch, 1inch Network Incentives goes live — a liquidity reward program for Aqua, led by Degensoft Ltd (BVI) and delivered through Merkl. The 1inch Foundation has committed 10 million 1INCH in provider rewards, and a further 500,000 USDC boost from the 1inch DAO. The initiative is designed to accelerate liquidity growth and swap activity across supported pairs. As a result, liquidity providers not only benefit from Aqua's improved experience but also have the opportunity to earn additional rewards. Program terms, markets and safeguards are set out in the published campaign configuration.
According to 1inch, the current pool based system is a major limiting factor on DeFi's ability to scale and bring TradFi capital on chain. For liquidity providers, the current model of depositing into pools means handing over custody, while active capital gets spread thin across protocols, pairs and price ranges. The scale of the problem is stark: per on-chain research by Dune commissioned by 1inch, 85% of concentrated liquidity across major DEXs was underutilized in H1 2026, roughly $1.6 billion of the $1.84 billion tracked. That includes about $542 million sitting fully out of range in an average week, resulting in an estimated $150 million in fees foregone per year.
Through Aqua, 1inch is showcasing a more efficient model for shared liquidity, allowing the same wallet balance to back multiple positions simultaneously. Unlike the traditional model, where liquidity must be split across multiple pools and positions, Aqua enables a single balance to support multiple quotes at once. For example, a $100,000 balance can support three positions collectively quoting $300,000 of liquidity, with the potential to quote more. The underlying tokens remain available to every position at all times; nothing is borrowed, and any swap can only execute against the assets actually held in the wallet.
A position on Aqua can be full range, concentrated or pegged, depending on the selected pair and position type. A user can open and close positions themselves, with no lock-up. Their exposure is capped by the tokens they actually hold, not by the theoretical combined size of every position they create. If their wallet cannot cover a swap, Aqua simply does not call on their tokens.
From today, users can create positions across 13 EVM chains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Robinhood Chain and BNB Chain. Aqua also launches with a number of additional functionalities, including a liquidity leaderboard, an incentives screen, liquidity map visualizations, batch position creation, provider profiles with cross-chain positions, sub-wallets, and an AI-assisted liquidity provisioning flow via the 1inch Business MCP with safe batch deployment, coming soon.
Aqua has undergone eight independent security audits conducted by OpenZeppelin, Bailsec, Hashlock, Hexens, MixBytes, Nethermind, Theori, and Decurity. Combined with its fully self-custodial design, which never holds user tokens, a swap can only move assets that are actually in the provider's wallet at the moment it fills. Revocation stops new fills as soon as it confirms on-chain. Aqua is also protected from JIT fee sniping by design, as each position has a single owner, thus there is no shared fee moment bots can capitalize on. While Aqua's design keeps exposure bounded and providers in control of their own tokens, swap fees are not guaranteed, prices can move against a position (impermanent loss), and providers bear market and smart-contract risk.
Image here
Gif here
About 1inch
1inch accelerates decentralized finance with a seamless crypto trading experience for 27M users. Beyond being the top platform for low-cost, efficient token swaps with $100M+ in daily trades, 1inch offers a range of innovative tools, including a secure self-custodial wallet, a portfolio tracker for managing digital assets, a dedicated business portal giving access to its cutting-edge technology, and even a debit card for easy crypto spending. By continuously innovating, 1inch is simplifying DeFi for everyone.
Website | 1inch Business | 1inch Network | Follow on X | Explore Blog
Aqua involves risk, including loss of funds. It's built for experienced users — do your own research. Not financial advice. Incentive rewards are variable, not guaranteed, and subject to the program's published terms.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
1inch launches Aqua to the public, introducing the first shared liquidity layer for DeFi
