QL Biopharm secures ￥500M+ in Series C financing to accelerate development of core clinical pipeline

QL Biopharm is a near-commercial stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of innovative drugs for chronic metabolic diseases. Recently, QL Biopharm announced the completion of its over 500 million Series C financing round. This round was led by OrbiMed, with participation from Qiming Venture Partners, a leading industry fund, 5Y Capital, Apricot Capital, Huagai Capital, and continued backing from existing shareholders TF Capital, BlueRun Ventures, and TigerYeah Capital. HaoYue Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for this round.

QL Biopharm has established a differentiated portfolio in the chronic metabolic disease field, focusing on ultra-long-acting formulations, oral peptides, and multi-target approaches to address diverse clinical needs. The convergence of innovative technologies is also poised to shape the future direction of chronic metabolic disease treatment.

Its lead product, Zovaglutide (ZT002) injection, an innovative once-monthly GLP-1 receptor agonist, is currently undergoing a Phase III clinical trial for weight management in China (the HORIZON-1 study). It has the potential to become the world's first monthly GLP-1 peptide approved for marketing. Previously, Zovaglutide demonstrated competitive efficacy and tolerability in a Phase II trial, achieving up to 13.8% weight loss by week 24 without reaching a plateau, and a near-zero discontinuation rate due to gastrointestinal adverse events. According to CIC, once-monthly GLP-1 receptor agonists are expected to shift the treatment paradigm for weight management from weekly to monthly dosing, significantly improving patient compliance. Projections indicate they could capture approximately 26% of the global GLP-1 drug market, valued at USD 209.5 billion, by 2035.

Furthermore, ZT006, an innovative oral peptide GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet, is advancing in a Phase II clinical trial for weight management in China. Additionally, ZT003 injection, a novel GLP-1/FGF21 dual receptor agonist, is undergoing a Phase I clinical trial in Australia. QL Biopharm has also established partnerships for its semaglutide biosimilar, ZT001, with Tonghua Dongbao Pharmaceutical for the diabetes indication and Imeik for the weight management indication, jointly advancing its clinical development and commercialization.

Currently, focusing on the metabolic disease area, QL Biopharm has established four core technology platforms: the QLLong ultra-long-acting technology platform, the QLOral oral peptide technology platform, the QLFold high-efficiency inclusion body protein refolding technology platform, and the QLFusion fusion protein technology platform. These platforms cover the entire process of recombinant protein production. With its commercial manufacturing facility having obtained a production license, QL Biopharm now possesses a fully integrated industry chain spanning early-stage drug discovery, pilot-scale production, and commercial launch. Supported by this latest financing round, QL Biopharm is expected to continue increasing its R&D investment, accelerate the clinical development and regulatory submissions of its pipeline, and further expand its presence in the chronic metabolic disease field, ultimately aiming to provide better treatment options for patients.