Saijun Bio Announces Over RMB 100 Million Pre-C Financing to Accelerate Clinical Development and Commercialization of Leading Stem Cell Therapies

VCBeat has learned that Guangzhou Cellgenes Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (“Cellgenes”), an internationally advanced developer and manufacturer of innovative stem cell therapies, has officially announced the completion of its Pre-C financing round, raising over RMB 100 million. The round was co-led by the Shenzhen Hetao Healthcare Sub-Fund of Taiping Medical Health Fund and Boc&gfih Private Equity Fund, with additional investment from existing shareholder Green Pine Capital. The proceeds will be primarily used to advance clinical development of core pipelines, build a commercialization team, expand market reach, and conduct preclinical research on innovative pipelines, thereby providing solid support for Cellgenes’ clinical development and commercialization of innovative stem cell drugs.

As the core representative of the cell and gene therapy industry, stem cell therapy is entering a golden period of policy support. The "Regulations on the Administration of Clinical Research and Clinical Translation Application of Biomedical New Technologies" (the "818 New Policy"), reviewed and approved by the State Council in September 2025, is set to be implemented this May. With the implementation of the dual-track model of "clinical research filing + approval for translational application," coupled with the continuous optimization of the review and approval process for cell and gene therapy products by the National Medical Products Administration, China's cell therapy sector is ushering in a critical explosion period of industrialization, driven by both policy protection and technological breakthroughs.

As a benchmark for scientific research translation in the field of stem cells, cellgenes has more than 10 years of profound scientific research accumulation. Professor Xiang Peng, founder and chief scientist, serves as the director of the National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. The company works closely with Sun Yat-sen University and has independently built three generations of core technology systems: a large-scale expansion platform for bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, a cell-targeted delivery platform, and an induced differentiation platform for pluripotent stem cells, forming a complete closed loop of "technology iteration - pipeline expansion - clinical verification."

According to the Insight database, the company’s core pipeline development progress and clinical data have both demonstrated impressive performance:

● Pipeline for acute-on-chronic liver failure,Ranked first globally in development progress for the same indication, clinical data have demonstrated excellent safety and efficacy, positioning it to potentially become the world’s first approved stem cell product for this indication;

● Chronic ischemic stroke pipeline,Ranked among the top two in China for the same indication, it has advanced to Phase II clinical trials, with clinical data fully demonstrating the product's safety and efficacy;

● Pipeline for the Treatment of Age-Related Sarcopenia, the world’s first stem cell drug approved to enter clinical development for this indication.

Notably, cellgenes has secured a significant first-mover advantage in its commercialization strategy. Under the “pilot implementation” framework, the company’s pipeline candidates for acute-on-chronic liver failure, ischemic stroke, liver injury, and sarcopenia have been approved and launched in pilot zones such as Nansha. Related projects have already initiated fee-based treatments and generated actual revenue, making cellgenes one of the few enterprises to achieve commercial deployment of stem cell clinical therapies. In response to the “August 18 New Policy,” the company has established in-depth collaborations with multiple top-tier Grade A tertiary hospitals and obtained approval for numerous clinical research projects, laying a solid foundation for subsequent applications for the translation of new medical technologies and reinforcing its prominent first-mover advantage under the new regulatory regime.

Looking ahead, cellgenes will accelerate the clinical development and commercialization of its core pipeline. Leveraging its profound scientific research foundation and third-generation core technology platform, the company will seize policy advantages and industry windows to continuously strengthen technological iteration, pipeline expansion, and clinical translation capabilities. By providing novel therapeutic solutions for major refractory diseases, cellgenes aims to support the high-quality development of China’s cell therapy industry and lead Chinese stem cell innovative drugs to the global forefront.

Professor Xiang Peng, Founder of Cellgenes, stated“The R&D and translational application of cell and gene therapy drugs require not only continuous innovation by researchers but also the synchronized resonance of capital, clinical practice, and industry. We extend our gratitude to Taiping Medical Health Fund’s Shenzhen Hetao Medical Sub-fund and Boc&gfih Private Equity Fund for their trust and support in our company. Leveraging this financing as a stepping stone, we will seize the historical opportunity presented by the national designation of biopharmaceuticals as an emerging pillar industry. While advancing the commercialization of our own pipeline, we will actively participate in the establishment of industry standards, helping China’s cell therapy industry leap from ‘following’ to ‘leading,’ enabling Chinese innovative stem cell therapies to reach the global forefront, and contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to the cause of human health.”

Yang Xiao, head of the Shenzhen Hetao Healthcare Sub-Fund under the Taiping Medical Health Fund, stated“Cellgenes has given us a glimpse of the hope for China’s unique and leading position in the innovation and development of stem cell-based novel drugs. The company is at the forefront globally or domestically in the R&D progress of its core indications, having established a significant first-mover advantage. What we value even more is that its independently built third-generation technology platform has formed a capability for continuous iterative innovation, which not only supports the current leadership of its pipeline but also provides solid technical reserves and R&D guarantees for future exploration in fields such as acute and critical care, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and degenerative diseases. Meanwhile, in the face of industry changes brought about by the ‘August 18 New Policy,’ Cellgenes has taken the lead in implementing clinical treatment charges, demonstrating keen policy acumen and robust commercialization execution. We look forward to Cellgenes accelerating its industrial layout on this basis, allowing Chinese stem cell technology to truly take its place on the world stage.”

Boc&gfihFundLiu Xiang, General Manager of Investment Department I, stated:“In 2025, China’s first stem cell drug was launched, marking the industry’s formal entry into the commercialization phase. Leveraging the dual-track regulatory model established by State Council Decree No. 818, Cellgenes possesses a differentiated first-mover advantage. As a leading domestic enterprise in the R&D of new stem cell therapies, the company boasts proprietary cell engineering technology. Its product pipeline covers major diseases such as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), ischemic stroke, and age-related sarcopenia. Notably, it completed the nation’s first clinical application for treating ACLF at the Nansha Hospital of Guangzhou First People’s Hospital. Currently, the company has achieved technological iterations in targeted stem cell delivery and the induction of pluripotent stem cells into tissue-specific stem cells, laying a solid foundation for the continuous expansion of its product pipeline. Meanwhile, this investment will join forces with Fomao Fund and Gaozhou State-owned Assets to jointly promote the translation and application of Cellgenes’ cell therapy research achievements in Western Guangdong.”

Yang Jin, Partner at Green Pine Capitalindicates“As an early investor in Cellgenes, we have witnessed the company’s growth firsthand. We adhere to a ‘gold standard’ when evaluating innovative drugs and medical technologies: it is not only about the scientific sophistication (‘scientific content’) of the technology, but more importantly, its practical value (‘gold content’) in solving real-world problems. In both aspects, Cellgenes has delivered an impressive performance. The company has established a comprehensive, internationally compliant R&D and translational system for novel stem cell therapies. First, the founder possesses a solid scientific foundation, having completed basic research on functional targets and therapeutic mechanisms of pharmaceutical-grade mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and is among the first globally to publish and validate multiple ‘first-in-class’ mechanisms. Second, the company has developed a unique engineered cell production technology and scalable manufacturing system. As both a participant in setting industry standards and a leader in the field, Cellgenes holds systematic leading advantages in many critical areas, including control of heterogeneity in allogeneic universal MSCs, enhancement of function and targeting, mitigation of potential allergic risks caused by adjuvants during production, modular cost control for scaled manufacturing, and maintenance of long-term cell viability and functionality. The inclusion of multiple Cellgenes clinical pipelines in the first batch of pilot programs approved for advanced therapy medical products filing demonstrates that the company possesses not only technological excellence but also speed and precision in industrialization.”