RS Research, which develops smart nanomedicines for targeted chemotherapy, has successfully completed the Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead candidate RS-0139, built on a drug delivery platform technology. Commenting on the matter, Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal, Founding Partner of RS Research and Faculty Member of the Department of Chemistry in Boğaziçi University, emphasized that the completion of Phase 1 of Türkiye’s first original drug candidate to reach humans through clinical trials represents a critical validation not only for a single product but for the company's entire drug portfolio.

RS Research's journey began within the infrastructure of Boğaziçi University's Life Sciences and Technologies Application and Research Center (LifeSci). Currently, it continues within the Boğaziçi University Center for Targeted Therapy Technologies (CT3). CT3, which holds the status of a national research infrastructure under Law No. 6550, provides comprehensive support for preclinical research in the field of targeted therapy technologies by coordinating the advanced research infrastructure it took over from LifeSci. In addition to supporting fundamental science researchers, CT3 has achieved the capability to provide services to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology industries at international standards by obtaining an OECD Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliance declaration as of December 2025.

RS Research, a biotechnology startup founded by Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal and her partner Sena Nomak, aims to advance laboratory research to the clinical stage by developing drug candidates that enhance the effectiveness of treatments while minimizing side effects. The company also has a branch within the Boğaziçi Technopark. RS-0139 was produced at the company’s GMP-certified facility established in Teknopark Istanbul, in collaboration with Istanbul Health Industry Cluster, of which our university is also a stakeholder. The Phase 1 clinical trial conducted at Health Sciences University, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, and Koç University Hospital has been successfully completed. While the goal is for the drug candidates developed in our country to reach patients in need all over the world, this progress has also paved the way for the phase 2 clinical trial stage. This important development was shared with the public by the Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu.

Prof. Dr. Rana Sanyal, winner of the EIC European Women Innovators Grand Prize, who achieved this breakthrough that demonstrates Türkiye’s potential in pharmaceutical innovation, stated: “Many individuals have contributed to this success, from Boğaziçi University and the Center for Targeted Therapy Technologies where we conducted our early research, to the expert teams and business partners managing our clinical trials, and the volunteers who participated in the study. Different stages of our Phase 1 process were supported by TÜBİTAK under the Ministry of Industry and Technology's HAMLE Program. By being one of the Turcorn 100 companies, we participated in programs designed for the most successful startups in our ecosystem. Throughout this process, both our team and all our stakeholders gained very valuable experiences. For me, this picture is a striking demonstration of how critical a strong ecosystem is in bringing scientific research to people, starting from Boğaziçi University Technology Transfer Office at the beginning. With this experience and motivation, I believe that in the next stages of our drug candidates, we will achieve many more success that enhance our country’s global reputation and make a real impact on human lives.”

RS Research's achievement stands out as a significant milestone in bringing innovative treatment technologies developed through university-industry collaborations to the clinical stage in Türkiye.