RocRock Bio secures 50 million Series A funding to accelerate macrophage drug innovation

RocRock Biotechnology has recently completed a Series A financing round of 50 million to further advance the development and clinical translation of its leading macrophage-based therapeutics.

The funds will be primarily allocated to building the company's world-leading macrophage drug platform, accelerating the IND application and Phase I clinical trials of its proprietary third-generation CAR-M therapy targeting HER2, as well as supporting preclinical studies and investigator-initiated trials (IIT) for pipelines in pancreatic cancer and lung cancer. The successful completion of this financing round not only reflects strong market recognition of RocRock Bio's innovation capabilities and progress in macrophage drug development, but also lays a solid foundation for subsequent clinical translation.

RocRock Bio, leveraging its four proprietary technology platforms, has fundamentally addressed the core challenges of autologous CAR-M therapy: "difficult transduction, high costs, lengthy timelines, and limited antitumor efficacy."

• Breakthrough in Viral Vector Engineering: RocRock Bio's self-developed macrophage-specific viral modification technology has boosted the transduction efficiency of both adenovirus and lentivirus in macrophages to over 90%, addressing the industry-wide challenge of low gene delivery efficiency in CAR-M therapy.

  
  

• Third-Generation CAR-M: RocRock Bio has pioneered the third-generation CAR-M platform, which incorporates cytokines essential for macrophage proliferation and activation. This innovation promotes long-term survival of CAR-M cells and remodels the tumor microenvironment. The platform has already completed IIT clinical trials involving 10 patients.

• In Vivo CAR-M Technology: RocRock Bio's proprietary iterative delivery system represents a "next-generation operating system" for genetic medicine development. This foundational platform enables any nucleic acid-based therapeutic to achieve enhanced performance through its integration, positioning it as an indispensable technology within the future gene and cell therapy ecosystem.

Leveraging its proprietary technology platform, RocRock Bio has established a pipeline of multiple preclinical programs targeting major disease areas such as solid tumors and chronic diseases. Among these, the RR-M01 program for HER2-positive solid tumors is the most advanced. Patient enrollment for this study has passed the halfway mark, with all cases to date demonstrating favorable safety and preliminary efficacy.

• Dual Improvement in Efficacy and Quality of Life: The RR-M01 injection has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and encouraging preliminary efficacy in patients with advanced solid tumors who failed or were intolerant to DS-8201 (Trastuzumab Deruxtecan) treatment. Clinical data showed a disease control rate (DCR) of 71.4% post-treatment, with patients achieving not only effective tumor control but also comprehensive improvement in quality of life. This combined benefit directly addresses the core challenge in current advanced solid tumor therapy—the difficulty of balancing efficacy and quality of life—offering new hope for patients who have failed multiple lines of therapy.

• Single Administration Achieves Long-Term Disease Stability: The first subject, who received a single dose of RR-M01 in December 2023, has achieved a progression-free survival (PFS) of 23 months to date, with no additional antitumor treatments administered during this period. Imaging assessments confirmed sustained tumor size stability with no progression compared to baseline, demonstrating long-term, high-quality disease control and survival.

Yin Xiushan, Founder of RocRock Bio, stated, "We extend our sincere gratitude to both existing and new shareholders for their strong recognition and support. This financing round represents a critical milestone in the company's development. We remain steadfastly committed to advancing the field of macrophage-based therapeutics, tackling the core challenges in solid tumor treatment, and accelerating the delivery of safe, effective, and accessible innovative therapies to cancer patients. The company will continue to increase R&D investment, strengthen the product pipeline, and actively pursue collaboration opportunities with leading pharmaceutical companies both in China and globally to accelerate the commercialization of our technologies."