Dr. Yu Sifan graduated from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University, where he studied under the guidance of Prof. Hu Wenhao and specialized in the development of small-molecule inhibitors during his Ph.D. After graduation, he joined the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University as a postdoctoral researcher, working under the supervision of Prof. Zhang Ge & Prof. Lyu Aiping, with a research focus on long-lasting modifications of aptamers targeting extracellular proteins. Subsequently, he moved to the School of Chinese Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he conducted postdoctoral research under the joint guidance of Prof. Zhang Baoting and Prof. Zhang Ge, investigating intracellular protein degradation using aptamer-PROTAC technology.

During his postdoctoral tenure, he played a key role in the development of:

1. A sclerostin aptamer that has been granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (for osteogenesis imperfecta: RPD-2022-667; for X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets: PRD-2023-780) and Orphan Drug Designation (for osteogenesis imperfecta: DRU-2019-6966, DRU-2022-9087; for X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets: DRU-2023-9894) by the U.S. FDA. Notably, this is China’s first systemically administered aptamer drug to enter pilot-scale production, and its active pharmaceutical ingredient has recently completed this phase.

2. A DKK1 aptamer-PROTAC molecule for gastric cancer treatment, which has received Orphan Drug Designation (DRU-2024-10338) from the U.S. FDA.

3. A CTGF aptamer for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which has been granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPD-2024-838) and Orphan Drug Designation (DRU-2024-10138) by the U.S. FDA.

To date, Dr. Yu has published approximately 30 papers in prestigious journals such as Nature Communications, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, and Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, serving as first author, corresponding author, or co-author. He also holds 4 authorized Chinese patents.

個人簡歷
余思凡博士畢業於中山大學藥學院，師從胡文浩教授，博士期間專注於小分子抑制劑的開發。畢業後，他加入香港浸會大學中醫藥學院擔任博士後研究員，與張戈教授和呂愛平教授合作，研究針對細胞外蛋白的適配子長效修飾技術。其後，他轉至香港中文大學中醫學院，與張保亭教授和張戈教授合作，探索利用適配子-PROTAC技術降解細胞內靶點的應用。

在博士後期間，他主導或參與了以下重要項目的開發：

1. 硬骨抑素適配子：該藥物已獲美國FDA授予罕見兒童疾病認定（用於成骨不全症：RPD-2022-667；用於X連鎖低磷性佝僂病：PRD-2023-780）及孤兒藥認定（用於成骨不全症：DRU-2019-6966、DRU-2022-9087；用於X連鎖低磷性佝僂病：DRU-2023-9894）。此藥物是中國首個進入中試生產的系統性給藥適配子藥物，其原料藥近期已完成中試階段。
2. DKK1適配子-PROTAC分子：用於治療胃癌，已獲美國FDA授予孤兒藥認定（DRU-2024-10338）。
3. CTGF適配子：用於治療杜氏肌營養不良症，已獲美國FDA授予罕見兒童疾病認定（RPD-2024-838）及孤兒藥認定（DRU-2024-10138）。

迄今，余博士已在《Nature Communications》、《Angewandte Chemie International Edition》、《Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B》等知名期刊發表論文約30篇，並以第一作者、通訊作者或共同作者身份參與。此外，他擁有4項中國授權專利。

• Design and Development of Small-Molecule Inhibitors (Recent focus on targeting sclerostin, DKK1, and CTGF);

• Design and Development of Aptamer-PROTACs (Recent focus on intracellular targets: DKK1 and CTGF);

• Chemical Modification Technologies for Aptamers (Recent focus on long-acting modifications, transmembrane delivery modifications, and covalent modifications).

  研究興趣

• 小分子抑制劑的設計與開發（近期聚焦於硬骨抑素、DKK1及CTGF靶點）；
• 適配子-PROTAC的設計與開發（近期聚焦於細胞內靶點：DKK1及CTGF）；
• 適配子的化學修飾技術（近期聚焦於長效修飾、跨膜入胞修飾及共價修飾）。