Immunopharm Completes Series D+ Strategic Financing to Accelerate Commercialization of China's First Indigenous Gene and Cell Therapy

On October 31, 2022, Beijing Yimiao Shenzhou Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. ("Yimiao Shenzhou") successfully completed a strategic D+ round financing of several hundred million RMB.This is another financing completed by Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Techology Co., Ltd. within a year after the Series D financing in November 2021, with the total financing amount exceeding 500 million RMB this year.This round of financing was jointly led by Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovative Development Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Company") and Beijing Innovation Industry Investment Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Beijing Venture Capital"). Chasing Far & Achieving served as the exclusive financial advisor for this transaction.

The funds from this financing will be used to support the NDA submission of the company's first CAR-T cell therapy product with independent intellectual property rights, IM19, accelerate the commercialization process, and push for the drug’s rapid approval as a leading innovative gene-cell therapy developed in China. This will break the stronghold of overseas giants and provide patients with a new treatment option. Meanwhile, efforts will also focus on advancing the R&D layout of a next-generation gene-cell therapy technology platform, expanding into new therapeutic areas for gene-cell drugs, promoting the construction of an industry-leading GMP manufacturing base, and establishing an independent, internationally competitive gene-cell therapy R&D and industrialization platform.

CEO of Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Techology Co., Ltd., Dr. He TingExpressed deep gratitude to Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Company, Beijing Venture Capital (Beijing VC), and other new and existing shareholders for their recognition and support. Over the past year, Yimiao Shenzhou has achieved multiple milestone breakthroughs through continuous innovation and strategic development in key new technologies within the gene and cell therapy field. Several CAR-T products targeting malignant tumor treatments have successively entered clinical trial stages, and the company has been granted Beijing’s first Manufacturing License for gene and cell drugs, laying a solid foundation for the market entry and commercialization of its core CAR-T products. In the next phase, the company will further accelerate the commercialization process of its first CAR-T treatment product, IM19, pushing for its swift market launch to effectively break overseas technological monopolies and bring new hope to hundreds of thousands of lymphoma patients in China each year. At the same time, the company will continue exploring scientifically robust, practical, and cost-effective gene and cell drug technologies, striving to research and produce more innovative and effective anti-cancer drugs that benefit a wide range of cancer patients, drive industry growth, and contribute to Healthy China.

Mr. Zhu Ping, General Manager of Beijing Zhongguancun Science City CompanyCell therapy is one of the hottest fields in China's biopharmaceutical R&D, with long-term investment value. Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Technology Co., Ltd. has mastered the core technology for CAR-T manufacturing, obtained three clinical trial approvals from the National Medical Products Administration, and received Beijing’s first Drug Manufacturing License for cell-based therapeutics. It is one of the few companies in China capable of full-process independent research and development as well as scaled production of cell-based drugs. We will focus our advantageous resources to continuously support the development of Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Technology Co., Ltd. and the cell therapy industry, aiming to bring domestically innovated CAR-T products to market as soon as possible.

Mr. He Jingwei, Chairman of VCBeatBiopharmaceuticals are a key area of our investment, and gene-cell drugs have broad application prospects in the treatment of malignant tumors. As a leading company in China's gene-cell drug industry, Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Technology Co., Ltd. has significant advantages in platform development, process innovation, clinical transformation, and commercialization layout. Its self-developed first CAR-T product, IM19, has entered Phase II of the registration clinical trial and is expected to become the first gene-cell drug produced in China to be marketed. We look forward to the product’s approval and launch in China as soon as possible to benefit a large number of cancer patients.

Mr. Fu Jia, Managing Director of Xingyuan ZhitongCell therapy, as a generational advancement in treatment, has now entered the commercialization stage in China, bringing significant benefits to patients. We believe that Chinese companies will undoubtedly have a place on the global stage in the future. As a pioneer in this field, Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Techology Co., Ltd. has consistently been a benchmark company in Beijing and across the entire industry. We have always held great respect and admiration for the team's perseverance and resilience. We look forward to Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Techology Co., Ltd. advancing its products to the commercialization stage with the support of this round of funding, enabling patients in China to access cutting-edge anti-cancer drugs.

Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovation Development Co., Ltd. was established in May 2019. It is a market-oriented operation platform set up by the Haidian District Party Committee and Government, using service and investment as the main means to support the industrial ecosystem construction of Zhongguancun Science City. The company mainly invests in projects with high technological barriers, hard technology, and solutions to critical bottlenecks, and has successfully invested in several biopharmaceutical enterprises such as Huaguan Bio and Ushine Medicine. The company's registered capital is 6 billion yuan. Its core businesses include industrial platform services, industrial investment services, and international cooperation services. Relying on market mechanisms and coordinating third-party resources, the company provides professional and multi-dimensional services to the innovative entities of Zhongguancun Science City, promoting the optimization of Zhongguancun Science City's industrial ecosystem.

Beijing Innovation Industry Investment Co., Ltd. is committed to becoming a leading market-oriented state-owned venture capital platform in China with industry influence. It will fully leverage its own advantages, adopting a "capital + industry" investment model. Through innovative investment operations and fund investment management, the company focuses on high-end, precision, and advanced industry investments. It aims to guide advantageous projects that align with Beijing's strategic positioning and have a driving effect on Beijing's industrial development to take root and grow in Beijing. By utilizing its industry-finance empowerment service strengths, the company will integrate industrial resources from Beijing's state-owned enterprises, promoting the transformation and upgrading of these enterprises and optimizing the adjustment of the state-owned economic landscape.

StartPointAdvisors is a financial advisory firm specializing in the healthcare industry. Established in 2020, the company’s team consists of professionals from well-known institutions in the industry, bringing extensive practical experience. Headquartered in Beijing, StartPointAdvisors has offices in Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou. Since its inception, the company has achieved comprehensive coverage of the healthcare sector, earning a strong reputation and positive recognition within the industry. It is now considered one of the most representative emerging investment banks in China’s healthcare field.

Beijing Yimiaoshenzhou Medical Techology Co., Ltd. was founded in 2015, headquartered in Beijing. With the mission of "making cancer no longer an incurable disease," the company is committed to applying innovative gene and cell drug technologies to the treatment of malignant tumors. To date, it has completed 9 rounds of strategic financing. The company owns a one-stop independent gene and cell drug research, development, and industrialization platform, mastering core technologies such as large-scale plasmid preparation, lentiviral vector production, and primary immune cell preparation. It has received three clinical trial approval notices issued by the National Medical Products Administration. Its R&D pipeline covers hematological malignancies such as lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma, as well as solid tumors including liver cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and pancreatic cancer, making it a leading innovative platform in China’s independent gene and cell drug sector.

The company has been approved for the National Key R&D Program by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing Municipal Major Science and Technology Projects, as well as projects and qualifications such as a Postdoctoral Research Station, National High-tech Enterprise, Beijing Specialized, Professional, Unique and Innovative Enterprise, Zhongguancun Frontier Technology Enterprise, and Zhongguancun High-tech Enterprise. The company's management team has received government honors including Beijing Science and Technology Nova, Zhongguancun High-end Leading Talent, Beijing Haiying Talent, and Xinguomen Leading Talent. In July 2022, the company successfully obtained Beijing’s first CAR-T cell therapy product "Drug Production License," becoming the first gene and cell drug enterprise in Beijing and one of the few nationwide to obtain this license.