Zhongyin Tech Secures RMB 100 Million Series A Financing to Accelerate Ophthalmic Gene Therapy Development and Industrialization

VCBeat learned that CHIGENOVO Co., Ltd. has recently completed a billion-yuan Series A financing round. The proceeds will mainly be used for the clinical trial advancement of the company's product pipeline ZVS101e, the upgrade of the R&D center, and the construction of the production center. This round of financing was led by Longpan Capital, with participation from Yingke Capital, Huayi Capital, and Juncì Investment. Previously, Hotang Ventures, Weidu Ventures, and Longmen Capital jointly participated in the Pre-A and Pre-A+ rounds of financing for CHIGENOVO.

CHIGENOVO is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in clinical genetic diagnosis and gene therapy drug research and development for hereditary eye diseases, dedicated to meeting the unmet needs of patients with hereditary eye diseases. CHIGENOVO's unique large cohort of ophthalmic genetic disease data, stem cell validation platform, and humanized mouse animal platform ensure the success of drug development. Its representative gene replacement therapy drug pipeline, ZVS101e, has completed the world's first exploratory clinical trial, demonstrating excellent efficacy and safety. ZVS101e received orphan drug designation from the U.S. FDA in August 2021. The company’s representative gene-editing therapy drug pipeline, ZVS203e, is about to enter exploratory clinical trials.

Longpan Investment, headquartered in Beijing, is a leading biopharmaceutical venture capital firm in China. Currently, Longpan Investment manages four RMB funds and one USD fund, with a total scale exceeding 6 billion RMB, making it the only biopharmaceutical special fund that the National Social Security Fund has contributed to so far. Longpan Investment focuses on investing in high-quality projects in innovative drugs and innovative medical devices, primarily targeting startups and early to mid-stage companies. It has invested in over 50 innovative drug companies and more than 10 innovative medical device enterprises, including notable projects such as Betta Pharmaceuticals, RemeGen, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, APL BioPharma, Stemirna Therapeutics, Bio-Ray Biotech, Immunophage, Huahao Zhongtian, and Aibeinuo. The management team of Longpan Investment includes several partners with over 20 years of international/domestic biopharmaceutical industry R&D and management experience, providing comprehensive value-added services to their portfolio companies.

Yingke Capital Ranks Among the Top Five in the Venture Capital Industry, Managing Assets Exceeding 500 Billion Yuan, with Over 90% of Funds Coming from Large Institutions. As One of the Largest Research-Oriented Investment Firms in China, Yingke Capital Focuses on Core Sectors Such as Biomedicine, Dual Carbon Strategy, and Hardcore Technology. With Keen Foresight and Adaptability to Trends, It Has Established a Professional Team of Nearly 100 Members to Conduct Cutting-Edge Industry Research and Investment Planning. To Date, It Has Invested in and Established Positions in Nearly 300 Biomedical and Hard Tech Enterprises.

Huayi Capital focuses on investment in the healthcare and wellness industry, currently managing multiple funds that invest in different stages. The partners of Huayi are all former senior executives from Fortune 500 multinational healthcare companies, with over 20 years of deep involvement in the healthcare industry, offering professional insights into the sector. Moreover, Huayi Capital is one of the very few investment institutions in China that owns a healthcare investment research institute. Research-driven investment is its most distinctive hallmark, with a research system covering six major healthcare sectors, 36 sub-industries, and 180 niche fields, defining the panoramic view of healthcare investment in China. It has received awards such as the top 100 investment institutions by Zero2IPO and ChinaVenture, as well as top 10 in specific sectors.

Shanghai Junci Investment Management Co., Ltd. was established in 2015 as a new and professional asset management institution specializing in equity investment. It focuses on strategic industries such as information technology, intelligent manufacturing, and healthcare. With the rapid growth of China's economy and the continuous improvement of its multi-level capital market, Junci Investment aims to collaborate with outstanding enterprises to build a Healthy China and a Technological China.