Weekly Report on Healthcare Industry Investment and Financing (20241021): 57 Global Deals, Focus on Cancer Screening and Cell Therapy

【CRO】Quark Pharmaceutical was founded in 2011 and is a highly reputable CRO service company composed of a senior team within the industry. Headquartered in Beijing, it has branch offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Shenyang, and other regions across China. Services cover comprehensive business areas including clinical research for drugs and medical devices, data management and statistical analysis, SMO, and more. It also provides international registration services covering regions such as Europe, Australia, and North America.

【Investor】Taikun Fund, Mint Ventures

【Transdermal Patch】Zhejiang Haigetang Pharmaceutical CO., LTD is a pharmaceutical science and technology innovation enterprise dedicated to leading the innovation of transdermal drug delivery patches, disrupting traditional drug treatment models, and possessing international competitiveness with an integration of generic and innovative capabilities. After years of accumulation, Haigetang Pharmaceutical's research and development of transdermal drug delivery patches has covered difficult-to-copy drugs, health patches, excipients, and innovative drugs at various clinical stages, forming a rich and competitive R&D pipeline.

【Investor】Undisclosed

【Clinical Infusion Platelets】Blood Source Biotechnology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. was founded in 2023, with the vision of "alleviating blood shortages, achieving precise diagnosis and treatment for major diseases, and improving human quality of life." It is committed to developing various blood cell products, focusing on the research and application of platelet regeneration products. The company's core team has extensive experience in fundamental research and clinical translation in both China and the United States, undertaking multiple national and provincial-level scientific research projects. Currently, the company has established a technological platform for efficient platelet regeneration and cutting-edge platelet omics, filed several invention patents, and laid out three R&D pipelines: regenerative platelets as an alternative to transfusions, platelets for regenerative medicine, and precision diagnosis and treatment using platelets.

【Investor】Kangcheng Investment

【Chemical-Induced Cell Therapy】iRegene Focuses on the Development of a New Generation of Chemically Induced Cell Therapy ProductsiRegene is dedicated to providing novel solutions for "incurable" diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and blindness, through the development of next-generation chemically induced cell therapy products. As an expert in pure chemical-induced cell reprogramming, iRegene’s pure chemical induction system can effortlessly reconstruct high-purity human cell types. iRegene is one of the earliest high-tech pharmaceutical companies globally to focus on the research of efficient chemically induced functional cell regeneration. Currently, centered around the study of cell fate regulation mechanisms and their translation, iRegene has established a cell drug R&D technology platform based on small-molecule chemical induction, along with comprehensive and systematic patent coverage. iRegene has independently developed a multifunctional stem cell product development platform that uses AI-based screening of small-molecule compounds as inducers and culture medium components to achieve the efficient conversion of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Utilizing extensive sequencing enabled by AI technology, iRegene can analyze the differences between iPSCs and target differentiated cells, identifying which genes determine the direction of cell differentiation and maturation—a key issue often overlooked in the industry.

【Investor】Ceyuan Capital, Chengdu Tianfu International Bio City Investment

[Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells]Heliobio NewGraph Biotechnology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. is a high-tech innovative enterprise aimed at the targeted differentiation of iPSC, gene editing, large-scale cell product preparation, and the development of cell therapy technologies. Leveraging years of innovative cell-directed differentiation technology reserves and the ability to address core barrier issues in the iPSC field, Heliobio NewGraph has been dedicated to building two innovative platforms: (1) Universal Cell Therapy Platform: This platform combines iPSC-derived NK cells with gene editing to develop iNK cell therapy technology (CAR-iNK), with a research pipeline covering hematological and lymphatic system tumors, solid tumors, and neurological-related diseases; (2) Blood System Acellular Preparation Platform Using iPSCs as Seed Cells: The pipeline of this platform mainly includes platelets and red blood cells. The large-scale in vitro production of these cells can not only meet emergency transfusion needs caused by trauma, blood system diseases, cancer, immune dysfunction, and radiotherapy/chemotherapy but also pave the way for developing next-generation drug delivery technologies based on acellular components of the blood system, holding significant clinical importance.

【Investor】Undisclosed

【New Antibacterial Drug】Dannuo Pharmaceuticals, established in 2013, is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the research and development of differentiated new antibacterial drugs guided by clinical needs. It owns a unique multi-target conjugated molecule antibacterial drug R&D platform and a pipeline of antibacterial new drug products with global intellectual property protection. The target indications include medical device-related biofilm infections, cirrhosis hepatic encephalopathy, and Helicobacter pylori infections, aiming to address unmet clinical needs in these areas and provide safe and effective treatments for patients in China and globally. Currently, three projects of Dannuo Pharmaceuticals have entered the Phase II-III clinical trial stages. Dannuo Pharmaceuticals operates on a model that combines efficient internal R&D with outsourced services. Its core team has extensive experience in new drug R&D and management both domestically and internationally. The company’s board of directors consists of well-known investors in the life sciences field, while its scientific advisory team comprises internationally renowned scholars and clinicians, including several members of the Chinese and American Academies of Sciences.

【Investor】Zhongshan Venture Capital, AMR Action Fund

【Regulatory T Cell Therapy】Blood Source Biotechnology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd was founded in 2022, focusing on the development of multi-modal Treg cell therapies for treating neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders. In these disease areas, there are still many indications that are clinically untreatable or lack effective therapeutic drugs. After years of research, we have discovered that Treg can effectively suppress the proliferation and function of pro-inflammatory cells in autoimmune diseases from multiple aspects, thereby achieving a therapeutic effect.

【Investor】Zeyu Capital

【Macromolecular Anticancer Drugs】Lixun Pharmaceuticals: A Clinical-Stage Innovative Drug R&D Company Based in China with a Global OutlookLixun Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage innovative drug research and development company based in China and oriented towards the global market, founded by seasoned professionals from the biopharmaceutical industry. The company focuses on unmet therapeutic needs within the fields of tumor immunology and the tumor microenvironment, dedicating itself to the development of bio-innovative drugs with "first-in-class" and "best-in-class" potential. It places particular emphasis on the development of large-molecule anti-tumor drugs targeting GPCRs and multi-transmembrane proteins, successfully advancing multiple large-molecule antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) into clinical stages or securing external collaborations. The management team consists of leading experts with professional experience in both global and Chinese drug development, rooted in China while possessing a global perspective. The company pursues high execution efficiency, implementing an innovative management approach covering the entire process from early discovery to CMC, preclinical IND, registration, and clinical development. Lixun has established monoclonal antibody screening platforms targeting GPCRs and multi-transmembrane proteins, as well as ADC and bispecific antibody development platforms for solid tumors (especially gastrointestinal cancers) and hematological malignancies, adopting a differentiated drug development strategy. Leveraging these top-tier R&D platforms, the company has successfully completed early discovery and CMC work for more than ten products within a short period, building a rich pipeline of R&D products. All projects in the pipeline possess global intellectual property rights and commercialization rights, including several innovative drug products with first-in-class or best-in-class potential such as LM-302, LM-108, LM-101, and LM-305. As of the end of August 2022, six products have received IND approvals in China and abroad, with multiple Phase I/II clinical trials being conducted successively in China, the United States, and Australia.

【Investor】China Biopharmaceutical, Qiming Venture Capital, Shanghai Biomedical Fund, Pudong Venture Capital, Zhangjiang Haohang

【Cancer Early Screening】Shanghai Tongshu Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Changzhou Tongshu Biotechnology Co., Ltd.) is a high-tech enterprise focusing on the field of precision oncology. Headquartered in the Baoshan Science and Innovation Park in Shanghai, it has established GMP-standard production centers and internationally standardized medical clinical testing centers in Changzhou and Guangzhou, respectively. Tongshu Genes has formed a strategic partnership with ThermoFisher, a world-leading high-throughput sequencing biotech company, creating a strong collaboration. It has now developed a ctDNA precision detection system based on high-throughput gene sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis, offering more than 500 molecular pathology testing projects. This enables non-invasive, accurate, and dynamic genetic analysis of tumors, providing clinical services such as precision medication guidance, efficacy monitoring, postoperative recurrence monitoring, risk prediction, and early detection. Tongshu Genes' product lines fully meet the different needs of clinical and research applications, with a testing service network that now covers over 500 core hospitals across five major regions in China.

【Investor】Undisclosed

【In Vitro Diagnostic Reagents】Zhejiang Jiami Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd., established in 2020, is located in the Life and Health Industrial Park of Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province. The company owns more than 1,000 square meters of GMP Class 100,000 clean workshops and office space. It is a biopharmaceutical enterprise that focuses on the development of novel in vitro diagnostic technologies and product innovation, integrating research, production, and sales to promote the industrialization of in vitro diagnostic reagents. At its inception, the company successfully obtained EU CE certification for its developed COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Kit (Colloidal Gold Method) and was included in the Ministry of Commerce’s White List for the export of epidemic prevention materials.

【Investor】Ningbo Angel Guidance Fund

【Cancer Early Screening】Insighta is a landmark joint venture established by Prenetics (NASDAQ: PRE) and renowned scientist Professor Dennis Lo, aimed at revolutionizing early detection for multiple cancers. Under the guidance of Professor Lo’s world-class scientific research, Prenetics’ robust capital of 100 million US dollars, and successful entrepreneur Michael Yang, the joint venture will bring transformative change to cancer screening. Insight plans to launch Presight for lung and liver cancer in 2025 and expand to Presight One for 10+ cancers by 2027.

【Investor】Tencent

【AI+New Drug Development】Deep Potential Tech, relying on its deep cultivation in interdisciplinary fields, has built the "Deep Potential · Universe®" AI for Science large model system, bringing research methods from many disciplines into the "pre-trained model era" from the "experimental trial-and-error/computer" era. With "microscale industrial design and simulation" as the entry point, it has created scientific research and industrial R&D infrastructures such as the Bohrium® Bohr Research Space Station, Hermite® Drug Computational Design Platform, RiDYMO® Difficult-to-Drug Target R&D Platform, and Piloteye® Battery Design Automation Platform. This has formed an "innovation - implementation" chain and open ecosystem for AI for Science, empowering "thousands of industries." It aims to build a new generation of industrial design and simulation systems for the most fundamental areas of human economic development: biomedicine, energy, materials, and information science and engineering research.

【Investor】Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, Zhongguan Village Science City Company

【Medical SaaS】91360 Medical Technology Nanjing Co., Ltd. focuses on the future development trends of the pathology industry, with advanced AI and Internet technologies at its core. It builds an information platform to establish a process-oriented, scientific, and standardized pathology operation system, quickly responds to user and market demands with a user-centric approach, and provides users with timely, comprehensive, professional, and intelligent solutions.

【Investor】Gongshu State Investment

【Liquid Chip Technology】Hubei Xinzongke Viral Disease Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., established in 2010, is a technology-driven enterprise focused on the innovation research and application promotion of precision detection technologies, committed to providing comprehensive solutions for life science and healthcare. As an industry-leading liquid-phase chip technology platform enterprise, Xinzongke can offer a full range of products and professional services, including open instrument platforms, fluorescently encoded microspheres, and reagent solutions. The company currently has R&D and production centers in both Wuhan and Shanghai, with nearly thirty patents applied for, and is a drafting unit for industry standards of flow cytometry array instruments.

【Investor】Colas

【Membrane Filtration Instrument】Chengqi Intelligent Manufacturing focuses on the development, manufacturing, sales, and service of membrane filtration instruments in the biopharmaceutical field. Since its establishment, the company has completed independent innovation and development of its products and undergone multiple rounds of self-optimization iterations, achieving a series of products (lab-scale, pilot-scale, and large-scale production), commercialization, and customization to deeply meet customer and market demands. The company’s development of fully automatic, unattended tangential flow filtration instruments has filled the market gap both domestically and internationally in this field, leading global technological innovation.

【Investor】Daoyuan Capital, Shuimu Ventures

【Biomaterials】Polyvitacore is committed to the bioconversion and efficient utilization of non-grain biomass, capable of transforming common agricultural and livestock waste into fermentation feedstock, which eventually becomes various end products. The company is actively planning and promoting the commercialization of straw-based succinic acid, driving significant growth in China's non-grain biomaterials market.

【Investor】GF Xinde