Keze Yongxin Secures Tens of Millions in RMB Financing to Advance Oligonucleotide Raw Materials and Novel Delivery Systems

VCBeat has learned at the earliest opportunity that a supplier of high-quality small nucleic acid raw material productsShanghai Kezx Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Kezx”)Announced the completion of a financing round worth tens of millions of yuan. This round of financing was led byCaleb CapitalandSEALAND INNOVATION CAPITALCo-led the investment,Springhill CapitalServed as the exclusive financial advisor. The proceeds will be used for the research and development of novel oligonucleotide delivery systems and the industrialization of oligonucleotide monomer raw materials.

Kezx was established inIn 2023,byETH ZurichPh.D.and Postdoctoral FellowCo-founded and Led by the Team，is a high-tech enterprise focused on the technological research and development and production of core raw materials and excipients for oligonucleotides.

The company offers cost-effective products and process solutions centered on nucleotide monomers and phosphoramidites; delivery systems such as LNP and GalNAc; mRNA raw materials and excipients including nucleotides, Clean Cap, and fluorescently labeled derivatives like Biotin-TP (dNTP/NTP), CY3-TP (dNTP/NTP), and CY5-TP (dNTP/NTP); as well as custom synthesis of fluorinated and heterocyclic compounds via CRO & CDMO services. We support production scales from milligrams to kilograms and provide flexible engagement models, including FTE, CRO, and CDMO, to meet diverse customer needs.

Leveraging the core team’s extensive experience in chemical synthesis and nucleic acid drug delivery system R&D, along with in-depth market research, Kezx has continuously optimized its internal control metrics and established a high-quality key technology platform. Meanwhile, the company is actively exploring new products in biochemistry and new directions in organic chemistry to develop novel nucleic acid drug delivery systems.

It is reported that the company has now partnered withETH Zurich, University of California, Davis, Shenzhen Bay Laboratoryand other senior nucleic acid delivery researchers, with the aim of better supporting the development of small nucleic acid drugs.

Regarding the completion of this round of financing,Dr. Zhang Kun, Founder of the CompanyHe stated, “Small nucleic acid drugs will become the new wave of therapeutics following small-molecule drugs and antibody-based therapies. Given their numerous advantages, these agents are poised to make significant contributions to human health, ranging from the treatment of rare diseases to chronic conditions. The original intention behind founding Kezx was to address the delivery challenges associated with small nucleic acid drugs, break the monopoly held by foreign patents, and overcome current obstacles in achieving extrahepatic targeting beyond liver-directed delivery.”

Ding Jiping, Managing Partner of Caleb Capitalstated: “We highly recognize the young, passionate, and dynamic entrepreneurial team led by Dr. Zhang. The company’s core team has been deeply engaged for many years in the field of upstream key raw materials for nucleic acid therapeutics. It possesses extensive experience and expertise in the synthesis, analysis, and purification of various raw materials, including nucleoside monomers, phosphorus reagents, phosphoramidite monomers, various complex modified nucleic acids, cap analogs, GalNAc, and oligonucleotides (Oligo), which are critical for small nucleic acid drugs and mRNA drugs. The team is capable of rapidly responding to downstream application scenarios and customer requirements, ensuring high-quality delivery of diverse products.”

"The company currently possesses the capability for synthetic delivery, ranging from small-scale development to kilogram-level production. It has innovatively developed a novel delivery system for nucleic acid drugs, dedicated to addressing the technical challenges associated with delivering small nucleic acid therapeutics. We remain firmly optimistic about the growth of the nucleic acid-related industry. We appreciate the company’s decision to partner with Caleb Capital among numerous investors, and we believe that collaboration with Kezx will further empower the development of nucleic acid-based therapeutics and promote the advancement of China’s biopharmaceutical industry."

SEALAND INNOVATION CAPITALstated: “This investment in Kezx represents SEALAND INNOVATION CAPITAL CO.,LTD’s strategic layout in the field of nucleic acid drug raw materials. In recent years, with the rapid development of nucleic acid therapeutics, demand for upstream raw materials has surged. This sector is characterized by high technical barriers and high added value, while qualified domestic suppliers remain scarce. The company’s product quality rivals that of industry leaders, making it one of the few Chinese enterprises capable of expanding into overseas markets. The Kezx team has been deeply engaged in the field of nucleotides and nucleic acids for many years, possessing strong independent R&D capabilities. Since its establishment, under the leadership of its core team, the company has built in-depth cooperative relationships with domestic and international clients by virtue of its high-quality products and services. We look forward to the company continuously launching new products, optimizing customer service, creating high-value-added offerings, empowering clients, and driving the vigorous development of the nucleic acid therapeutic molecule sector.”

Caleb Capital is an emerging, specialized investment management firm focused on growth-stage enterprises in China, distinguished by its commitment to delivering “best-in-class value-added services.” The firm specializes in the healthcare and related sectors. Guided by the principles of “reverence, sincerity, responsibility, and professionalism,” Caleb Capital’s investment management team fosters transparent collaboration with portfolio company founders and fund investors. Leveraging the team’s highly specialized value-added service capabilities, the firm facilitates value discovery and value enhancement for its portfolio companies.

Caleb Capital’s investors include Chinese and overseas listed companies, market-oriented funds of funds (FOFs), international investment bankers, China Top 500 enterprises, distinguished entrepreneurs, and professional investors. They will foster robust industrial synergy and experience sharing with portfolio companies, while providing global perspectives and resources.

Caleb Capital’s vision and mission are “to invest in entrepreneurs who can become global industry leaders, and to advance human health and healthcare through capital and specialized services.” Caleb Capital’s investment management team remains steadfast in its commitment to long-term value investing, striving to bridge the gap between financial capital and industry from an industrialization perspective, thereby establishing itself as a professional investment institution that truly understands both industries and enterprises.

Sealand Innovation Capital is a leading private equity fund management subsidiary of securities firms in China. As the sole platform under Sealand Securities engaged in private equity investment fund business, it has been consecutively selected from 2019 to 2023 for prestigious rankings such as the Top Ten Private Equity Fund Management Institutions of Securities Firms in China and the Top 100 Best Private Equity Investment Institutions. Sealand Innovation Capital has initiated and managed multiple equity investment funds, including comprehensive equity investment funds, industry-themed strategic investment funds, S-funds (secondary funds), and funds focused on private placements and block trades of listed companies, with cumulative assets under management exceeding RMB 20 billion.

Sealand Innovation Capital has assembled a team of top-tier talent, focusing on the two core themes of “Technological Innovation” and “Healthy Living.” It has long concentrated its investment strategy on strategic high-tech industries encouraged by the state, including healthcare, new energy, new materials, and advanced manufacturing, with cumulative investments in over 100 high-quality enterprises across various niche sectors.