AusperBio Secures $37 Million Series A Financing to Advance HBV Functional Cure Candidate AHB-137 into Phase II Clinical Trials
AusperBio
Biological Vaccine and Nucleic Acid Drug Developer
On July 15, 2024, AusperBio announced the completion of a US$37 million (approximately RMB 260 million) Series A financing round. This round was led by InnoPinnacle Fund with additional investment from Vivo Capital, H&Q Healthcare Investment, Qiming Venture Partners, and OrbiMed. The proceeds will primarily be used to advance the Phase II clinical trial of AusperBio's potential cornerstone drug for hepatitis B cure, AHB-137, explore combination therapy regimens, and support a series of development efforts including CMC production. Additionally, the funds will also be utilized to expand the proprietary Med-Oligo™ technology platform and its product pipeline.
Dr. Guozheng Cheng, Co-founder and CEO of AusperBio, said:"We are very honored to complete this important financing in the current market environment. This financing not only marks the recognition of our R&D achievements but also provides significant momentum for the next chapter of AusperBio. The successful completion of this financing, along with AHB-137 recently receiving approval from the CDE to be included as a breakthrough therapy, allows us to further accelerate the clinical development of AHB-137."
Dr. Chengyong Yang, Co-founder and CSO of AusperBio, stated:"We are deeply honored to collaborate with many outstanding investment institutions, and we sincerely appreciate their support and trust. AusperBio integrates cutting-edge oligonucleotide technology with highly efficient and precise targeted delivery technology, successfully developing AHB-137 under its self-developed Med-Oligo™ platform. The positive Phase I clinical data for this drug garnered significant attention at the recent European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) annual meeting, marking our international leadership in the field of HBV functional cure. This round of financing will further advance the clinical research of AHB-137, benefiting patients worldwide sooner and creating greater value for society."
About InnoPinnacle Fund：
About YuanSheng Ventures:
Oriza Ventures is an investment institution focused on the early and growth-stage healthcare sector, based in Suzhou BioBAY with a global reach. It has invested in over 180 outstanding companies in the life sciences and health sector, covering four major areas: novel drug development, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and precision medicine, as well as healthcare services, achieving substantial returns. Among these, 19 companies have been listed on capital markets such as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the STAR Market. Oriza Ventures has repeatedly been ranked among the Top 10 venture capital funds in China's healthcare sector and recognized as one of the most active healthcare investment institutions in China. With a team of seasoned professional investors and a world-class scientific advisory board, Oriza Ventures possesses extensive experience in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and corporate operations within the biopharmaceutical industry.
About Hancang Capital:
Hankang Capital is a venture capital fund focused on the pharmaceuticals and health industry. With the mission of "empowering pharmaceutical innovation and safeguarding human health," the fund collaborates with top scientists and entrepreneurs to develop breakthrough new drugs for the treatment of major diseases. Rooted in China and with a global perspective, Hankang Capital has invested in multiple enterprises that have grown into industry leaders, such as Akeso Inc. (09926.HK), InnoCare Pharma (09969.HK, 688428.SH), Conmen Biologics (02162.HK), Chipscreen Biosciences (688321.SH), Abbisko Therapeutics (02256.HK), and OPM Biosciences (688293.SH).
About Qiming Venture Partners:
Qiming Venture Partners was founded in 2006. Currently, Qiming Venture Partners manages 11 USD funds and 7 RMB funds, with total managed assets reaching 9.5 billion USD. Since its establishment, it has focused on investing in outstanding early-stage and growth-stage companies in the Technology and Consumer (T&C) and Healthcare sectors. To date, Qiming Venture Partners has invested in over 530 rapidly growing innovative enterprises, of which more than 200 have gone public on exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Shanghai Stock Exchange, and Shenzhen Stock Exchange, or exited through mergers and acquisitions. Over 70 of these enterprises have become unicorns or super unicorns recognized within their industries.
About Yuansheng Capital:
Genesis Capital was founded in 2015 and is committed to investing in the growth opportunities of China's economy. We uphold the model and spirit of continuous entrepreneurship, firmly believing in the grand proposition of improving efficiency through technology. We focus on discovering and nurturing top-tier growth-oriented entrepreneurs. We strive to be a companion to start-up companies, carefully accompanying them, helping teams think about growth, gather talents, pursue excellence, continuously innovate, until they grow into leading enterprises in various fields. Founder Peng Zhijian was responsible for establishing and leading Tencent's investment and merger & acquisition business globally, helping Tencent build a world-leading industry ecosystem. Co-founder Xu Liang was one of Tencent's earliest product managers, and during his 13-year tenure at Tencent, he held senior executive positions in product, operations, strategy, and investment. The founding team has made historical investments totaling nearly 100 billion RMB in over 300 venture capital and growth-stage enterprises globally. Genesis Capital’s long-term partners include top-tier institutions and industrial capital such as the world's leading sovereign wealth funds, international organization funds, pension funds, insurance companies, and charitable funds.
About AusperBio:
AusperBio is a clinical-stage innovative drug development company operating simultaneously in China and the United States, committed to researching and developing First-in-class and Best-in-class self-innovative targeted delivery small nucleic acid drugs. AusperBio owns the proprietary intellectual property rights of the Med-Oligo™ ASO patent technology platform, focusing on functional cures for chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and highly efficient targeted treatments for liver diseases, while expanding into targeted small nucleic acid therapies for new targets beyond the liver. The strategy of AusperBio is to combine its world-leading Med-Oligo™ oligonucleotide technology with specific and highly efficient targeting technology to address a wide range of currently unmet medical needs.
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