Beijing VJT Bio Completes Hundreds of Millions RMB Series C Financing to Advance Innovative Veterinary Biologics

VCBeat News has learned that Beijing Weijiexin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. recently completed a Series C financing round amounting to hundreds of millions of RMB. The round was led by China Life Capital Investment Limited, with participation from Zhongguancun Science City Company, Wuxi Xinshang Capital, and the Industrial Intellectual Property Fund under Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Investment Group. Existing investors, including SDIC Venture Capital, Guangdong Shunde Science and Technology Innovation, and Fengchuan Capital, continued to increase their investments. The funds raised will be primarily used for product research and development, production base operations, and marketing, comprehensively enhancing the company’s integrated competitiveness in R&D, production, and sales, while taking a solid step toward the globalization of its products.

Beijing Weijiexin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. focuses on the global high-end animal protein therapeutics market, valued at hundreds of billions. As an integrated biopharmaceutical company specializing in the R&D, manufacturing, and sales of innovative drugs for animal health, it stands as a global leader in high-end animal protein therapeutics. Adhering to its philosophy of “Caring for Animals, Concerned for Humans; Revering Life, Devoted to Pharmaceutical Excellence,” the company advocates for green and safe farming practices. It develops high-quality protein therapeutics with “zero residue” to meet the large-scale, intensive, and high-quality development needs of livestock enterprises, thereby providing consumers with safer meat, eggs, and dairy products. Simultaneously, the company develops antibody-based therapies for pet diseases, bringing greater joy and emotional comfort to the hundreds of millions of pet owners and enhancing the quality of our lives.

Beijing Weijiexin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is dedicated to the research and development of veterinary recombinant proteins and antibody drugs. Its pipeline comprises more than ten innovative drug candidates, most of which are classified as Class I new veterinary drugs in China. The product portfolio spans three key areas: animal reproduction, disease prevention and control, and companion animal disease treatment. Several of these products are global first-in-class innovations protected by international PCT patents.In the field of animal reproduction, the company has developed the world’s first long-acting recombinant porcine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which is poised to fully replace pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) extracts. This innovation will be widely applied in synchronized estrus and batch production systems for pigs, cattle, and sheep, enabling truly intensive and efficient breeding practices.In the area of disease prevention and control, the company’s cytokine and subunit vaccine products have demonstrated significant preventive and therapeutic efficacy against conditions such as piglet diarrhea caused by Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV).In the realm of companion animal disease treatment, Weijiexin has developed multiple antibody drugs targeting tumors, autoimmune diseases, and pain management in dogs and cats. These products fill a market gap for high-end veterinary medicines in China and are backed by global patent portfolios, positioning them for future promotion and sales in the global pet healthcare market, which is valued at hundreds of billions of yuan. In 2022, Beijing Weijiexin received substantial support from three national key R&D programs under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan.

Core Technology Platforms:The company possesses a world-leading, high-efficiency expression technology platform for mammalian cell-based protein therapeutics. It maintains natural antibody and immune libraries derived from animal B cells, and has established a comprehensive technology platform for the design and screening of pet antibody drugs, encompassing antibody discovery, activity evaluation, and antibody optimization.

Weijiexin was established in 2016, with its headquarters located at the Yongfeng Beilun Industrial Park in Haidian District, Beijing. Its R&D and office buildings cover a total area of over 5,000 square meters. The Phase I production base is situated in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, and features China’s first GMP-compliant production line for recombinant animal protein drugs, covering a total area of more than 20,000 square meters. Weijiexin boasts a highly specialized biopharmaceutical team and possesses a complete industry chain, seamlessly integrating all stages from upstream R&D to pilot-scale production, regulatory submission to clinical trials, and manufacturing to market sales. Recognized as a National High-Tech Enterprise, a Beijing “Specialized, Refined, Differential, and Innovative” (SRDI) Enterprise, a Zhongguancun Frontier Technology Enterprise, a Zhongguancun High-Tech Enterprise, and a “Golden Seed” Enterprise, Weijiexin has received numerous honors, including first place in the agricultural technology category of the Beijing Zhongguancun Frontier Technology Competition and the highest award in the Taizhou, Zhejiang “500 Elite Plan.”

Investment Message:

China Life Capital Investment Limited stated:China’s animal health sector is experiencing robust growth, presenting opportunities for innovative upgrades and industrial transformation within the animal pharmaceutical industry. As one of the few domestic companies developing high-end animal protein therapeutics according to human pharmaceutical standards, Beijing Weijiexin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has successfully developed comprehensive recombinant protein drug solutions for reproduction and disease prevention and control in food-producing animals. Addressing key clinical challenges in companion cats and dogs, the company has laid out a pipeline of innovative drugs focused on three major therapeutic areas: oncology, autoimmune diseases, and pain management. The company’s core team possesses extensive experience in R&D, manufacturing, sales, and operational management within the animal health sector. We highly recognize the value of the company and its products, and we look forward to supporting its sustained growth, thereby injecting strong momentum into the innovative development of China’s animal health industry.

SDIC Venture Capital stated:Since 2020, despite adverse factors such as African Swine Fever and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has completed key Phase III clinical trials for its flagship products as planned. The results exceeded expectations, and marketing authorization applications have been submitted. The Company has demonstrated impressive progress in its pipeline development, team building, and pre-commercialization layout, indicating significant growth potential. As a major country in animal husbandry, China has clear demand for veterinary drugs that are more efficient, environmentally friendly, cost-effective, safer, and better suited to intensive and batch farming practices. SDIC Venture Capital remains optimistic about the substantial development space and broad market prospects for domestically produced high-end veterinary drugs, particularly novel recombinant protein-based veterinary pharmaceuticals. Through this additional investment, SDIC Venture Capital will continue to support Beijing Weijiexin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. in establishing a complete industry chain encompassing R&D, production, and sales, thereby further expanding into the global high-end veterinary drug market, which is valued at hundreds of billions of yuan.

Mr. Wang Tonghui, Executive Director of Zhongguancun Science City Company, stated:Animal health pharmaceuticals are a vital component of the biopharmaceutical industry. Whether in traditional animal breeding and disease prevention and control, or in the emerging sector of pet medications, the animal health pharmaceutical industry faces strong demands for industrial upgrading. Relying on its proprietary animal antibody library and highly efficient production processes based on CHO cells, Beijing Weijiexin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. balances product quality with production costs, significantly enhancing product value-added and accessibility. In the field of recombinant protein drugs for animals, the company has achieved multiple breakthroughs from scratch. As an investment service platform under the Haidian District government, Zhongguancun Science City Company aims to empower outstanding enterprises like Weijiexin through a “capital + services” model, fostering their robust growth. Meanwhile, it seeks to drive Haidian District to take a leading role in the development of the animal health pharmaceutical industry.

Introduction to Investment Institutions:

China Life Capital Investment Limited adheres to the philosophy of investing in the future, innovation, and value. Leveraging the professional advantages of insurance funds and China Life’s sense of responsibility, the company serves national strategies, supports the real economy, and demonstrates China Life’s commitment. With a focus on technological self-reliance and strength, China Life Capital Investment Limited concentrates on core technologies and has invested in numerous innovative high-tech enterprises that break foreign monopolies on technology and products and are dedicated to resolving critical “chokepoint” issues. The portfolio companies are distributed across key fields and pivotal links in the medical health and technological innovation industries, empowering a cohort of leading enterprises with significant voice and influence in industrial development, and striving to enhance the security and competitiveness of industrial and supply chains.

SDIC Venture Capital, established in 2016, is a venture capital fund management company specially set up by State Development & Investment Corp., Ltd. (SDIC) in a market-oriented manner to implement the national innovation-driven development strategy, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology, and accelerate the transfer and commercialization of national scientific and technological achievements. Through platforms such as the National Science and Technology Major Project Achievement Transformation Fund, SDIC Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Fund, SDIC High-Tech (Shenzhen) Venture Capital Fund, SDIC (Ningbo) Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Fund, and SDIC (Guangdong) Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Fund, SDIC Venture Capital has always centered on its investment objectives for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. It focuses on key sectors including advanced manufacturing, electronic information, biomedicine, and materials and energy, while aligning with national regional development strategies such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The company continuously promotes breakthroughs in independent innovation of core key technologies and strives to build a robust investment ecosystem for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovation Development Co., Ltd. was established in May 2019. It is a market-oriented operational platform funded by the Haidian District Committee and the Haidian District People’s Government, dedicated to supporting the construction of the industrial ecosystem in Zhongguancun Science City through service provision and investment. Its core business areas include industrial platform services, industrial investment services, and international cooperation services. Leveraging market-based mechanisms and collaborating with third-party resources, the company provides specialized, multi-dimensional services to innovation entities within Zhongguancun Science City, thereby promoting the optimization of its industrial ecosystem.