Coley Pharmaceutical was founded in 1997 to pursue a single goal: to develop biopharmaceuticals that build on the pioneering science of TLR stimulation to direct targeted immune responses that fight diseases.

Our proprietary TLR Therapeutics™ drug platform is based on ground-breaking science by Coley co-founder Arthur M. Krieg, M.D.  His work focused on the therapeutic potential of synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs).  Dr. Krieg's initial 1995 publication in Nature was the first of thousands of scientific papers published on the subject of ODNs, attesting to their scientific importance and broad application.

Since our beginning, we have led the way in developing compounds targeting Toll-like Receptor 9 (TLR9).  This effort produced important drug candidates with industry-leading commercial partners.  We have also generated the field's dominant intellectual property portfolio: 150 issued patents, with another 453 pending.

Bolstered by strong scientific fundamentals and leading intellectual property, Coley scientists continue to expand our TLR platform with compounds based on both DNA and RNA molecules, as well as small molecules.

Our leading TLR Therapeutic technology is driving the development of new biopharmaceutical therapies with the potential for diverse clinical applications and commercial prospects. Coley is leading the way.

Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. is named for Dr. William Coley (1862-1936), a surgeon who is now widely considered as the father of cancer immunotherapy. Dr. Coley discovered that patients with advanced cancer could have regressions of their cancer and prolonged survival when they were given injections of killed bacteria.  Approximately 1000 cancer patients received Dr. Coley's radical approach, and many of these people reputedly enjoyed an extended life as a result.

While our approach benefits from a far more sophisticated understanding of the immune system, we are proud to build on the pioneering efforts of the courageous Dr. Coley.