Bonovo Biotech Secures Nearly RMB 200 Million in Series B+ Financing to Accelerate Multi-Program Drug Development

BRL Medicine Headquarters

As a leading cell and gene therapy pharmaceutical company in the industry, BRL Medicine Inc. has been committed to the fundamental research and development transformation of innovative drugs for many years. Currently, relying on the profound academic accumulation of its core team, BRL Medicine is dedicated to deeply exploring gene-editing transformation scenarios, establishing a solid patent foundation, and transforming its achievements into a potential commercial product pipeline. Its good drugability has been confirmed in multiple clinical trials. At present, four projects have been approved for IND and have officially entered the registration clinical trial stage, with several other projects entering the IND application stage.Gene Therapy Product for Transfusion-Dependent Beta-Thalassemia —— "BRL-101", is the world's first successful treatment of β through gene editing technology⁰/β⁰The project for type severe thalassemia has demonstrated the best clinical outcomes globally, received Chinese IND approval in August 2022, and officially entered the registration clinical stage. It has successfully helped 15 thalassemia patients worldwide to completely摆脱输血依赖, with the longest "脱贫" duration for the first patient exceeding four years to date; additionally,Targeted CD19 Non-Viral Site-Specific Integration PD1-CAR-T Cell Product —— “BRL-201”, as the world's first team to adopt a revolutionary non-viral technology pathway, has significantly reduced the manufacturing cost compared to viral CAR-T products. The preparation cycle is shorter, and the clinical outcomes are better, with a patient complete remission rate (CR) reaching up to 85.7%. It was officially approved for an IND in China in 2022, entering the registration clinical stage. To date, the first patient has been cancer-free for over four years. Currently, BRL Medicine is based on...Non-viral targeted integration PD1-CAR-T for autoimmune diseases has also expanded to include moderate or severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).This indication corresponds to the product.“BRL-203”has also recently been approved for an IND in China. In addition to the above product pipelines, BRL Medicine has also achieved good results in the UCAR-T project, itsUCAR-T Product "BRL-301" for B-cell MalignanciesIn 2023, it obtained IND in China. This product has achieved a comprehensive improvement in efficacy, safety, and clinical accessibility, demonstrating significant industrialization advantages. It targetsAutoimmune DiseasesThe research findings of the brand-new generation of allogeneic universal CAR-T "BRL-303" were also published this year inCell Journal,It is worth mentioning that this is the world's first successful case of using universal CAR-T cell therapy to treat autoimmune diseases in international reports, and it has been successively...NatureHeadline Report,Nature Reviews RheumatologySelected as a Research Highlight, Recognized by "Father of CAR-T" Professor Carl JuneCellHigh Point of PublicationEvaluation.

At this stage, the various R&D achievements of BRL Medicine have been successively published inNature、Cell、Nature Medicine、Nature Biotechnologyand many other world-class journals, and frequently inASH、ASGCT、SITC、EHAIt has been showcased at international academic conferences, gaining recognition and continued optimism from R&D and clinical experts in related fields both in China and abroad. It is currently entering a phase of concentrated milestone achievements. With years of deep cultivation in the CGT field, BRL Medicine has become a leading enterprise in the global gene and cell therapy sector.

As the lead investor of this round of financing, Shiyao Fund has always had abundant resources and experience in the pharmaceutical field and is full of confidence in the development prospects of BRL Medicine.Beida Biopharmaceutical Industry Fund stated,BRL Medicine is a global leading cell and gene therapy pharmaceutical company, possessing a world-class scientific research team and advanced technology. Many of its products are at the forefront internationally and show great potential. In the future, BRL Medicine will receive full support in the exploration of innovative drug development, with the expectation of jointly creating a diversified product portfolio to benefit patients. It is also anticipated that by working together, the rapid development of the CGT industry will be promoted, boosting innovation in China's pharmaceuticals industry.

At the same time, as a follow-up investor, Beida Biopharmaceutical Industry Fund also expressed optimism about the development potential of BRL Medicine.Beida Biopharmaceutical Industry Fund stated,We have been accompanying BRL Medicine in its growth and development for a long time. This round of follow-up investment is not only due to its significant position in the industry and continuous innovation in technology development, but also because BRL Medicine possesses rare and hard-to-replicate characteristics in the CGT field. We look forward to more close cooperation with BRL Medicine in the future, jointly supporting its greater breakthroughs in the innovative drug sector, and providing patients with more and better treatment options.

Regarding the successful completion of this round of financing, CEO of BRL MedicineDr. Zheng BiaoSaid: "We are very grateful to all the investors for their support of BRL Medicine. Today, innovative drugs in the global CGT field are developing rapidly, and this is also a critical opportunity for China's biopharmaceutical industry to ‘overtake on a curve’ in this popular track. As one of the earliest companies globally to engage in the research and application of gene editing technology, BRL Medicine has consistently adhered to the concept of core technological innovation and product iteration upgrades, establishing five proprietary technology platforms. In the future, we will continue to rely on our core key technology platforms to comprehensively advance the progress of multiple product pipelines, accelerate the global R&D layout, and facilitate the clinical transformation and implementation of products. We look forward to bringing better treatment options to patients in China and around the world."

Finally, the founder and chairman of BRL MedicineLiu MingyaoPh.D.Said: "We are very pleased to receive the recognition and support from both new and existing investors for BRL Medicine. BRL Medicine has strong technical expertise and an excellent operational model in the CGT field. Currently, a 7,000-square-meter GMP pilot production base has been completed and put into operation, and we have built an experienced operational team with rich expertise in new drug R&D, CMC, quality control, clinical research, and commercialization. We hope that with the support of this new round of financing, we can accelerate the R&D and clinical research of BRL Medicine’s products, further promoting our innovative products to reach the market sooner and benefit patients' health. At the same time, we also look forward to more investors and government bodies paying attention to the development of CGT innovative drugs, empowering truly world-leading innovative products and enterprises, and supporting the growth of China's CGT sector."

BRL Medicine Inc. is committed to becoming a global leading cell and gene therapy company in the era of new commercial civilization. With the mission of "leading innovation with gene editing technology, developing breakthrough therapies, and benefiting all humanity," BRL Medicine relies on its self-developed center and the "Shanghai Gene Editing and Cell Therapy Research Center" co-built with universities. To date, it has generated more than 100 patent achievements, with 19 projects undergoing clinical trials in over 20 well-known hospitals. Four projects have been approved for IND, officially entering the registration clinical trial phase, and several other projects are in the IND application stage. Among them, gene-editing treatments for β-thalassemia, non-viral PD1 targeted integration CAR-T, and UCART projects have achieved excellent clinical results with global leadership. These accomplishments have been published in multiple academic papers in renowned journals such as Nature, Cell, Nature Medicine, and Nature Biotechnology. BRL Medicine has established five proprietary technology platforms: a gene-editing technology innovation platform, a hematopoietic stem cell platform, a non-viral targeted integration CAR-T platform, a universal cell platform, and an enhanced T-cell platform. It also possesses a 7,000-square-meter GMP pilot base and a nearly 100-person operations team, effectively ensuring that innovative research results can be quickly transformed and applied. BRL Medicine continuously drives rapid updates and iterations of R&D products through patient needs and clinical feedback. Upholding an attitude of openness, sharing, and win-win cooperation, BRL Medicine works with global innovative biopharmaceutical ecosystem enterprises to accelerate the transformation and implementation of innovative drugs, benefiting patients worldwide suffering from genetic diseases, malignant tumors, and autoimmune system diseases!