Meilii Medical Secures Hundreds of Millions in Series D Funding Led by Zhongping Capital to Advance RDN and EDN Platforms for Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes

VCBeat has learned that Shanghai Brattea Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Brattea” or the “Company”) recently completed a Series D financing round amounting to hundreds of millions of yuan. The round was led by Zhongping Capital, with participation from four co-investors including SHC, Dingxin Capital, and Xiaochi Capital. Haoyue Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for this round.The proceeds from this financing round will be used for the commercial promotion of the percutaneous renal denervation radiofrequency ablation (RDN) product for hypertension treatment following future regulatory approval, global multicenter registration clinical trials for RDN, global multicenter clinical studies on endovascular denervation radiofrequency ablation (EDN) for type 2 diabetes treatment, as well as further research and development, regulatory submissions, and market expansion for other core products.

Shanghai Brattea Medical Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2013 as a high-tech innovative medical device company with independent intellectual property rights, integrating research and development, manufacturing, and sales. Focusing on the field of minimally invasive interventional therapy, the company initially started in the cardiovascular sector and has continuously expanded and optimized its energy-based platforms to delve deeper into multiple chronic disease areas, including hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart failure.

The company’s independently developed active energy platform has expanded into two major key pipelines: inHypertension Treatment Field, companySelf-developedNetrod^®Mesh Multi-Electrode Renal Artery Radiofrequency Ablation System(hereinafter referred to as: Netrod^®System) received special approval for innovative medical devices from the National Medical Products Administration in December 2019, obtained EU CE certification in 2020, and was granted “Breakthrough Device” designation by the U.S. FDA in 2021, making itThe First Pivotal Study to Submit Positive Clinical Results in Global RDN Radiofrequency Clinical Research, and is expected to gain a strong competitive advantage in future commercialization due to its superior efficacy and safety in lowering blood pressure;

InDiabetes Treatment Field, BRATTEA joins hands with Academician Teng Gaojun’s teamPioneering EDN Treatment Procedure: Global First-in-Class Clinical Exploratory Study Results Show That the EDN Procedure Can Reduce Glycated Hemoglobin, this trial preliminarily verified the safety and efficacy of EDN in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Innovation Makes the Cure of Chronic Diseases Possible. In the future, BRATTEA will leverage multiple energy platforms, including radiofrequency, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasound, to innovate treatment protocols and provide safe, effective, and long-lasting minimally invasive surgical solutions for chronic diseases.

Hypertension, known as the "silent killer," affects a vast patient population and poses significant health risks. According to data from the Healthy China Action (2019–2030) and the World Health Statistics 2022 report, the prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 18 and above in China is as high as 27.5%, with the global patient population reaching 1.28 billion, making it a major public health concern worldwide. Pharmacotherapy remains the primary treatment approach, representing a market size of RMB 111 billion. However, challenges such as poor medication adherence, difficult disease management, and the incurable nature of the condition result in low overall control rates. Currently, the blood pressure control rate in China is only 17.8%, while the global rate stands at just 21%. Among these patients, certain groups have the most urgent need for renal denervation (RDN) surgery, including those with resistant hypertension and hypertension associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Research developments in recent years have confirmed that renal denervation (RDN) is safe and effective for treating uncontrolled hypertension. In the latest 2023 consensus statement, “ESC/EAPCI Clinical Expert Consensus on the Use of RDN in the Management of Hypertension in Adults,” experts have shifted their stance on RDN positively: from being limited to clinical trials to becoming a recognized treatment option for hypertension in clinical practice. The indications have also been expanded; beyond resistant hypertension, RDN can now be used for uncontrolled hypertension and, with patient consent, for those who are unwilling or unable to take antihypertensive medications. RDN has thus become the third pillar of hypertension management, alongside pharmacological therapy and lifestyle interventions.

Renal Denervation (RDN) has seen frequent breakthroughs in recent years, transitioning from a turbulent period of clinical validation to a phase of rapid development. The European Society of Hypertension (ESH), the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) have all issued expert consensus statements affirming the efficacy of RDN and defining the appropriate patient populations. In March 2023, the Renal Denervation Therapy Committee of the Chinese Hypertension League was established. By the end of 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had successively approved the market applications for the Paradise uRDN system and the Symplicity Spyral radiofrequency ablation system. With these milestones, minimally invasive interventional therapy for hypertension has entered a new era!

BRATTEA's Self-DevelopedNetrod^®The Mesh Multi-Electrode Renal Artery Radiofrequency Ablation System is the first domestic radiofrequency RDN product to receive FDA “Breakthrough Device” designation.，Currently, Netrod^®The system has entered the final stage of registration review by China's NMPA.

In addition, BRATTEA’s EDN product is also expected to provide new therapeutic solutions for patients with inadequate glycemic control through pharmacological treatment. The latest edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas, released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in 2021, shows that the global number of people with diabetes reached 537 million in 2021, while China had over 140 million patients, ranking first worldwide. Moreover, the awareness, treatment, and control rates of diabetes in China remain below 50%, indicating persistently low levels. The companyPioneering EDN Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: Addressing Sympathetic Nervous System Overactivation via Interventional Treatment to Alleviate Insulin ResistancePreliminary clinical studies show that EDN achieves significant postoperative glucose-lowering effects with a favorable safety profile.

BRATTEA boasts a high-caliber, professional team with extensive work and management experience at renowned academic institutions and medical device companies both domestically and internationally. Meanwhile, it maintains close collaborative relationships with numerous globally recognized medical experts, prestigious universities, and hospitals. Mr. Cao Hongguang, the Founder and Chairman, is a successful serial entrepreneur in China’s medical device sector. He previously served as a neurosurgeon and Director of the Neurosurgery Research Institute at a Grade A tertiary hospital, where he gained profound insights and unique perspectives on clinical diagnosis and treatment as well as energy-based surgical technologies. He founded several industry-leading companies, including Shanghai Yirui Electronics Technology Co., Ltd. (688301.SH) and Beijing Weimai Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., and participated in multiple national-level projects and the formulation of major industry policies. The company’s core executive team members hail from foreign-invested and leading domestic medical enterprises, with an average of nearly two decades of deep expertise in the cardiovascular field. They possess substantial accumulation and rich management experience in product research and development, clinical affairs management, and market expansion.

Cao Hongguang, Founder and ChairmanIt was stated that despite the cooling of the capital market in 2023, BRATTEA was fortunate to continue receiving the trust and support of numerous investors. We also extend our gratitude to all parties for their full recognition of the company’s R&D technology, clinical efficacy, and sustainable innovation capabilities. Renal Denervation (RDN) has entered a new phase of rapid development, particularly over the past two years, marked by continuous milestones: endorsement by clinical guidelines, the establishment of expert consensus, sequential FDA approvals of two RDN products, and the formation of the Hypertension Alliance, among others. Through our joint efforts, we will continue to accelerate global multicenter clinical trials, facilitate the commercialization of RDN following future regulatory approvals, and enhance the development efficiency of other core pipelines, such as Endovascular Denervation (EDN). Remaining true to our original aspiration, we are committed to building a leading innovative enterprise in interventional therapy for chronic diseases, both in China and globally, with the aim of benefiting hundreds of millions of patients at the earliest possible date.

Dr. Wu Bin, CEO and Founding Partner of Zhongping CapitalIt was stated that the field of renal denervation (RDN) has finally achieved a breakthrough in recent years after more than a decade of twists and turns, which is inseparable from the firm belief and persistence of a group of companies including BRATTEA. The development of RDN technology has provided new clinical solutions for hypertension treatment, bringing hope to patients with resistant hypertension, and we are optimistic about the clinical value of this product. Since its establishment, regardless of industry changes, BRATTEA, under the leadership of Mr. Cao Hongguang, has overcome numerous difficulties, adhered to technological innovation, and taken transforming chronic disease treatment as its mission. It has proposed interventional surgical treatment plans in multiple subfields of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, gradually gaining international recognition. We are confident in the capabilities of the company’s team and technology platform, and will continue to empower the company in the future to jointly build a medical device platform company with global innovation capabilities.

Dr. Liang Weibin, Partner at SHCIt was stated that renal denervation (RDN) technology has accumulated extensive clinical trial data over the years, demonstrating its efficacy and safety. With RDN products officially receiving approval from the U.S. FDA, RDN is poised to become a new therapeutic pathway for treating uncontrolled hypertension. BRATTEA’s product features a unique design, and the published data from its registration clinical trials highlight its potential advantages. We believe that following its market launch, BRATTEA will provide hypertensive patients with a treatment option beyond medication, and further evolve into a leading innovative medical device platform company specializing in minimally invasive interventional therapies for chronic diseases, thereby benefiting a broader population of chronic disease patients.

Mr. Deng Ning, Partner at Dingxin CapitalDingxin Capital stated that it has consistently supported platform-based medical enterprises driven by independent innovation, focusing on “significant unmet clinical needs.” China has a large population of hypertensive patients, yet the rate of blood pressure control remains low. Renal Denervation (RDN), as a breakthrough innovative device technology, has demonstrated safety, efficacy, and long-term benefits for hypertensive patients through over a decade of clinical data validation abroad, offering new solutions for patients with resistant hypertension or those intolerant to medication. Under the leadership of Mr. Cao Hongguang, BRATTEA has positioned itself in the first tier of RDN product commercialization in China, competing on par with global industry leaders. The company’s innovatively developed six-electrode basket ablation catheter is poised to be the first to fill the domestic gap, backed by outstanding clinical data. Dingxin Capital is honored to participate in this round of investment, bullish on the company’s Class III active medical device technology platform built over years of accumulation, as well as the founding team’s extensive management experience and strong execution capabilities. We will continue to support BRATTEA and look forward to its early emergence as a global leader in active interventional medical devices.

Mr. Zhang Zhikang, Investment Director at Xiaochi CapitalXiaochi Capital stated that it continues to closely monitor disruptive therapeutic products in the field of chronic diseases, noting that BRATTEA has achieved breakthrough progress in the research and development of minimally invasive interventional devices. The clinical trial results of BRATTEA’s renal denervation (RDN) product for the treatment of resistant hypertension were a standout at the EuroPCR 2023 conference, demonstrating significant blood pressure-lowering efficacy. Compared with similar products, it achieved higher rates of blood pressure control and patient response. Furthermore, the clinical study results of BRATTEA’s endovascular denervation (EDN) product for the treatment of type 2 diabetes were presented as a world-first study at the 2023 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting (SIR 2023), showcasing China’s innovation on the international stage. We look forward to the early completion of market registration for BRATTEA’s products, providing clinicians with new options and benefiting chronic disease patients worldwide.