Unicet Biotech Completes RMB 100 Million Pre-A Financing to Advance γδ T Cell Therapies for Solid Tumors

Recently, Beijing Qinghui Lianuo Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Qinghui Lianuo") announced the completion of a Pre-A round of financing worth 100 million RMB. This round of financing was jointly funded by Zhongguancun Synergistic Innovation Fund, Longpan Investment, and Hony Capital. The funds will be used to advance the company’s clinical trials for allogeneic cell drug products, preclinical research for new target innovative drugs, and the construction of the company's research and development center.

Unicet Biotech, led by Professor Yonghui Zhang from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Tsinghua University, was founded with a focus on cutting-edge immunotherapy research. Professor Zhang has dedicated his efforts to studying the regulatory mechanisms of metabolism on immunity and exploring novel immune treatment strategies. His research achievements have been published in prestigious academic journals such as *Cell* and *Immunity*. Notably, his pioneering work on the mechanisms of γδ T cell recognition of tumors and pathogens has laid a crucial foundation for the clinical application of γδ T cells. In 2019, with the support of angel investors Tongfang Yiheng and Bugu Capital, Professor Zhang initiated the establishment of Unicet Biotech to advance the industrial development of γδ T cells. Rooted in the founding team's extensive and profound research accumulation in the γδ T cell field, along with their unique perspective on metabolic regulation of immunity, Unicet Biotech has developed multiple R&D pipelines, including allogeneic cell drugs, γδ T cell/BTN small molecule drugs, and γδ T cell/BTN antibody drugs, fully exploring the therapeutic potential of γδ T cells in cancer and infectious diseases. Currently, Unicet Biotech’s first cell therapy drug has entered the registered clinical trial phase.

Dr. Zhaohui, co-founder and CEO of TsingHui LianNuo, stated: "We are grateful for the strong support from both new and existing investment institutions. In the past year, γδ T cells, once a 'niche' field, have begun to attract increasing attention due to their natural advantage of being suitable for allogeneic transplantation and the significant potential they have demonstrated in the treatment of solid tumors. The recognition of TsingHui LianNuo's product portfolio and original innovation capabilities by seasoned professional investment institutions fills us with both honor and a profound sense of responsibility. Since its establishment, TsingHui LianNuo has steadily addressed several key technical challenges facing the clinical application of γδ T cells. In the next phase, we will accelerate the clinical trials of γδ T cells and continue to advance the development process of innovative drugs targeting new related targets, hoping to bring more transformative treatment options to patients suffering from long-term illnesses as soon as possible."

Sun Ci Suo, Managing Partner of Zhongguan Village Collaborative Innovation Fund, stated: "The market has been continuously seeking cell-based drugs that are closer to standardized pharmaceutical production rather than personalized therapies. γδ T cells undoubtedly represent a significant technological pathway. The Qinghui Lien team possesses a deep understanding of the γδ T cell/BTN immune mechanism, highly efficient execution capabilities, and sustained development capacity, rapidly advancing the productization of multiple pipeline products. We look forward to Qinghui Lien’s innovative drugs injecting new vitality into the market and benefiting patients as soon as possible."

Yu Zhihua, Chairman of Longpan Investment, stated: "Cell therapy is an important direction for the future development of healthcare, and the unique recognition mechanism along with excellent versatility make γδ T cells hold tremendous medical potential. The Qinghui Lien team has deep biological understanding and outstanding R&D capabilities in γδ T cell therapy, building a rich product pipeline around γδ T cells. The company has enormous growth potential. Longpan Investment will also utilize its own experience and resources to assist and accompany the company in its growth. We look forward to Qinghui Lien’s products quickly advancing to the clinical stage, benefiting a wide range of patients as soon as possible."

The Honghui Capital team stated: "We are very honored to support the Qinghui Lianuo team alongside other outstanding investment institutions this time. Professor Yonghui Zhang, the founder of Qinghui Lianuo, has been deeply engaged in the research field of isoprenoid lipid metabolism pathways for many years. The entire team is energetic and innovative, and based on the research results of γδ T cell tumor-killing mechanisms and BTN family protein targets, they have laid out three first-in-class R&D pipelines: γδ T cell drugs, small molecule drugs, and antibody drugs. We look forward to the company's unique technology platform providing new solutions for unmet clinical needs and bringing good news to patients."

Beijing Zhongguancun Co-innovation Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Zhongguancun Development Group. It is the first market-oriented fund management company under Zhongguancun Development Group and the sole platform for fund cooperation in collaborative regions. To date, the company has managed 12 funds with a total scale of 5.1 billion yuan under management, achieving significant economic and social benefits. The direct investment fund project library has accumulated nearly 4,000 hard innovation enterprises, while the Zhongguancun Co-innovation Fund series has invested in a total of 170 projects, focusing on four key hard technology sectors: next-generation information technology, high-end manufacturing, healthcare, and energy conservation and environmental protection. The company upholds Zhongguancun Development Group’s technology-oriented benevolent investor philosophy and its core investment strategy of "strong technology, strong team, and strong market," aiming to achieve the dual goals of creating value for investors and serving the national strategy for technological innovation.

Dragon磐 Investment, headquartered in Beijing, is a leading venture capital firm in China's biopharmaceutical industry. Currently, Dragon磐 Investment manages four funds with a total scale exceeding 4 billion RMB, and it is the only biopharmaceutical specialized fund invested by the National Social Security Fund in China. The funds focus on investing in innovative drugs and innovative medical devices, primarily at the startup and early to mid-stage phases. To date, the firm has invested in nearly 50 innovative drug companies and over 10 innovative medical device companies, including market leaders such as Betta Pharmaceuticals, Rongchang Bio, Clover Bio, Stemirna Therapeutics, BioRay Pharma, Immunotech, Huahao Zhongtian, and Aiborn. Several partners on the Dragon磐 Investment management team have over 20 years of international and domestic biopharmaceutical industry experience and can provide comprehensive value-added services to portfolio companies.

HLC is an asset management company that takes promoting technological innovation as its mission, with profound industry insights as its core competitiveness. It empowers key industries such as biopharmaceuticals and consumer livelihood, creating long-term value. HLC manages both RMB and USD dual-currency funds and has established offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen. To date, HLC has invested in more than 90 high-quality enterprises, of which over 20 have been listed on the SSE, SZSE, HKEX, and Nasdaq. The investment portfolio includes: WuXi Biologics, Mindray Medical, WuXi AppTec, Smoore International, Pharmaron, Tigermed, Yuwell Medical, Saint-Gene Biotech, Kintor Pharmaceuticals, BrightGene Bio-Medical, Nayuki's Tea, Baiyang Pharmaceutical, GuiChuang TongQiao, Chemclin Diagnostics, Morning Eye Group, and Kaiyin Technology.