Renerval Biotherapeutics Secures Tens of Millions in Post-Angel Funding to Advance iPSC-Derived Blood Products and Universal Cell Therapy Platforms

The company had previously received angel round investment from Kaitai Capital and Ascentage Angel Fund in July 2022.

Renerval Therapeutics was founded in 2021 as an innovative biotechnology company focusing on iPSC-directed differentiation, gene editing, large-scale cell product preparation, and cell therapy technology development. Leveraging extensive cell resources and leading directed differentiation technology, the company is committed to building two innovative platforms:

• First, the platform for preparing hematopoietic cells using iPSCs as seed cells,The pipeline of this platform mainly includes platelets and red blood cells;

• Second, a universal cell therapy platform,This platform combines iPSC-derived NK cells and gene editing to develop iNK cell therapy technology (IPSC-CAR-iNK), with a research pipeline that will cover hematological and lymphatic system tumors, solid tumors, and nervous system-related diseases.

The company's platform R&D innovation capabilities, pipeline competitiveness, team strength, and corporate philosophy have been recognized by various parties, and it quickly completed two rounds of financing within 2022.

Dr. Wang Wenyuan, the founder of the companyPostdoctoral Fellow at MIT, Researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, CAS, and the Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, CAS, Dual-Appointed Professor at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, with decades of experience in the stem cell field and expertise in full-line iPSC differentiation.

Dr. Chen Junfeng, CEOGraduated from the University of Cambridge, studied under Nobel Prize in Medicine laureate Sir John Gurdon, with 15 years of experience in cell preparation according to GMP/AABB standards.

Since its establishment, the team has attracted outstanding talents from prestigious overseas universities such as Harvard University and the University of California, as well as renowned higher education institutions like Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Additionally, professionals with years of industry experience have joined. The executive team possesses extensive research and industrial experience in the fields of stem cells and translational medicine.

iPSC-Derived Platelet Products Can Be Applied to Thrombocytopenia Caused by Hematological Diseases, Tumor Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy, Age-Related Diseases, Surgical Operations, and Trauma to Provide Supportive Treatment and Stabilize the Body's Hemostatic Function.

Internationally, in 2022, Japanese regenerative medicine company Megakaryon announced that it had initiated clinical trials of human iPS cell-derived HLA-homozygous platelets in collaboration with Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), and the Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Fund. The first patient has been successfully dosed without any adverse reactions, marking a significant breakthrough in the industrialization of iPS-derived platelets.

According to data from the Shanghai Blood Center, the national platelet supply in China was 1.84 million units in 2016, and the demand for platelets in China is projected to reach 4.95 million units by 2025. It is estimated that by 2025, there will be a shortage of at least 3 million units of platelets, representing a market potential of 36 billion yuan. Aside from platelet transfusions, the only clinically available medication related to platelets is recombinant human thrombopoietin, primarily used to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The supply and demand for platelets in the market is extremely tight, and iPSC-derived platelet products are addressing a market gap worth tens of billions.

iPSC-Derived Universal Clinical-Grade Blood Products Can Address the Issues of Low Drugability and Limited Patient Access in Cell Therapy Caused by Restrictions Such as Immune Matching, Long Production Cycles, Inconsistent Batch Quality, and High Costs.

In addition to replacing existing blood products prepared by separating healthy human blood, iPSC-derived blood products can also be developed into more precise and effective cell therapy products with drug delivery functions, showing broad commercial application prospects.

For this round of financing,Wang Wenyuan, Ph.D., Founder and Chairman of Renerval TherapeuticsRepresentative: "Since its establishment, Renerval Therapeutics has been driven by the vision of 'Revitalizing cells to save lives with cells.' The company is committed to developing safe and effective blood substitutes, which hold significant importance for emergency treatment during blood shortages and carry strategic national significance. We are deeply grateful to Furong Investment for their recognition, support, and trust in the company amidst a capital winter. The Renerval team will strive toward realizing the company’s vision, strengthening our foundation, forging ahead, and aiming to provide millions of patients with reliable and affordable artificial blood products and cellular therapies as soon as possible."

Li Zhengxiong, Executive General Manager of Furong InvestmentSaid: "In principle, blood products derived from iPSCs are highly feasible and the risks are controllable. The initial results of the project are exciting. If blood component products sourced from iPSCs are successful, it will have a disruptive impact on the entire clinical blood products market. We are very optimistic about Dr. Wang's team’s exploration and accumulation in this field and look forward to the product entering clinical trials soon to benefit patients. Furong Investment will continue to support innovation and the successful transformation of scientific research, while paying attention to developments in the cell and gene fields."

Furong Investment was established in 2014 as a professional innovative investment and service organization focusing on early and mid-stage projects in the fields of life health, semiconductors, and new energy materials. Adhering to the principles of "research-driven" and "early and specialized investment," it is committed to promoting the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among high-level talents. It actively serves national innovation-driven development strategies, including the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region and Shanghai's efforts to build a globally influential science and technology innovation center.