Yimu Biopharma Completes Angel+ Financing Round and Files IPO Prospectus

(Source: Cell and Gene Therapy Field)

Recently, Yimou Biotech announced the completion of its Angel+ round of financing. This round was led by Bencao Capital, with participation from multiple strategic investment institutions. It is reported that the funds raised will be primarily used to advance clinical trials for core pipelines, accelerate R&D for key pipelines, and conduct screening and validation of candidate pipelines, while further strengthening the company’s organizational structure and talent development.

Yimou Biotech, established in 2024 and headquartered at the Shanghai (Nanxiang) International Center for Precision Medicine Innovation, was co-founded by Professor Zhang Chuan from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Director Hong Jiaxu from the Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital of Fudan University. As a co-founder, Director Hong Jiaxu is a leading authority in the field of ocular surface diseases in China, with extensive experience in both clinical practice and scientific research in ophthalmology.

Leveraging the foundational research expertise of universities and top-tier clinical resources, Yimou Bio has independently established a tissue-specific targeted molecular screening platform and a combined chemical-gene therapy molecular design platform. Through AI-assisted molecular modeling and structural optimization, the company is dedicated to developing novel nucleic acid-modified drugs with independent intellectual property rights, aiming to address the industry-wide challenge of targeted delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics to extrahepatic tissues. Currently, the company has developed a differentiated product pipeline targeting multiple indications, including dry eye disease, corneal dystrophy, thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, uveitis, and macular degeneration.

Notably, the core pipeline candidate YM-101 for dry eye disease has successfully completed its investigator-initiated trial (IIT). The study enrolled 30 patients with moderate-to-severe dry eye disease, all of whom completed the full follow-up period. Clinical data demonstrated a significant reduction in corneal fluorescein staining scores, along with marked improvements in key efficacy endpoints, including tear film breakup time (TBUT), Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores, and tear secretion volume. Furthermore, the high-dose group exhibited superior therapeutic efficacy compared to the low-dose group, indicating favorable dose-dependency and safety profiles. Currently, the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for YM-101 is being expedited. Meanwhile, subsequent pipeline candidates, such as YM-102 for geographic atrophy and YM-103 for corneal dystrophy, are progressing steadily as planned.

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