WillingMed Completes Hundreds of Millions RMB Series B Financing to Lead the Precision Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market

VCBeat has learned that recently,WILLINGMED (Beijing) Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “WILLINGMED”) announced the completion of its Series B financing, raising hundreds of millions of RMB.This round of financing was jointly invested by Galaxy Innovation Capital, Haier Capital, and Hunan Medical Development Private Equity Fund.This marks another round of financing for WILLINGMED shortly after its Series A funding, underscoring the capital market’s strong recognition of the company.The funds raised in this round will be primarily used to accelerate the implementation of strategic initiatives, including regulatory registration and certification of medical device products, new product development, and the construction of the “Pathogenic Microorganism SkyNet Laboratory.”

As a national high-tech enterprise anchored in molecular biology technology platforms and dedicated to precision diagnosis of clinical infections, WILLINGMED’s core technical team hails from prestigious domestic and international research institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. With nearly two decades of deep expertise in pathogen detection, the company has independently developed and successfully obtained regulatory approval for a range of IVD products, including automated testing instruments, software, and diagnostic reagents, based on three cutting-edge technological pathways: next-generation sequencing (NGS), microfluidic chips, and transcriptome sequencing. More than 40 core technologies have been granted intellectual property rights.

WILLINGMED has always been driven by clinical needs, maintaining strategic focus, strengthening its core capabilities, and diligently executing its current priorities. Since its establishment three years ago, the company has consistently led the field of precision medicine for infectious diseases, leveraging its proprietary core technologies, distinctive products, and forward-looking strategic layout. It has received numerous accolades from government bodies and the investment community, earning recognitions such as National High-Tech Enterprise, Specialized and Sophisticated “Little Giant” Enterprise, Deloitte China Technology Fast 50 Rising Star, Postdoctoral Research Workstation, Top 100 Private Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Beijing, and Gazelle Enterprise.

To address the existing challenges in the precise diagnosis of infections, WILLINGMED has launched a range of innovative products and solutions:

First, the launch of combined DR testing for lower respiratory tract infections.WILLINGMED’s localized, fully automated solution demonstrated outstanding performance in the mNGS external quality assessment for lower respiratory tract infections organized by the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), where the overall pass rate was only 41.8%. WILLINGMED has exclusively developed PIseq^®DR co-testing technology enables simultaneous, comprehensive detection of both DNA and RNA without missed diagnoses, demonstrating significant efficacy particularly in the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract mixed infections and RNA viral infections.

Second, the launch of a dual-layer assay for hypersensitive detection of peripheral bloodstream infections.WILLINGMED’s globally pioneering PIseqBSI ultra-sensitive peripheral blood test can detect cell-free nucleic acids from non-viable pathogens in plasma, while simultaneously detecting pathogen particles within blood cells, significantly improving the positive detection rate in peripheral blood samples.

Third, launch the V2.0 version of intelligent report interpretation.To address the challenges in interpreting mNGS reports, WILLINGMED has partnered with the China Pneumonia Research Network to build an exclusive Patho-EBM evidence-based database on the clinical pathogenic significance of pathogens, providing clinicians with evidence-based information on pathogenicity to support clinical interpretation.

WILLINGMED’s mNGS-based IVD registration products are industry-leading and graduallyCompleted the industry's first on-premises automated implementation solutionThe seamless integration of equipment, reagents, and software lays the foundation for the routine implementation of mNGS projects in clinical laboratories. Currently, the solution has been deployed in more than 20 Grade A tertiary hospitals, and batch delivery capabilities have been established, enabling mNGS technology to benefit a broader patient population in future clinical practice.

In the first half of 2021, the CompanyFully independently developed, China's first PathoLab system^®High-Throughput Pathogen Laboratory System[Zhe Hang Xie Bei No. 20210912] achieves full-process automation of sample processing, cell lysis, nucleic acid extraction, and library preparation. This streamlines mNGS testing—previously requiring three rooms, four instruments, five operators, and six hours—to be completed by one operator using one instrument on one benchtop within four hours, significantly reducing the operational complexity and costs for medical institution laboratories.

In the second half of 2021, the companyFully independently developed and completed.China's First PathoReport^®Automated Intelligent Reporting System[Hunan Medical Device Registration No. 2022210045] Integrating a large-capacity Tier-3 pathogen database, dual-engine high-precision algorithms, a dynamic time-shift-based dual-threshold interpretation system, and AI training technology, this solution is compatible with hospital HIS systems to achieve fully automated and intelligent end-to-end reporting. It requires no bioinformatics personnel and only one server, enabling one-click generation of reports for 30 test samples within 30 minutes.

These two systems, when paired with WILLINGMED’s proprietary reagent kits and various sequencers from its Weiyang Medical series, have given rise to a comprehensive localized mNGS solution.

WILLINGMED will partner with its industrial shareholder, Runda Medical, to establish an exclusive delivery network barrier by leveraging nationwide channel resources. Focusing on pathogenic microorganism detection through WILLINGMED’s fully automated mNGS solution, the two companies will jointly advance the development of a platform for precision diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.Over a three-year period, we plan to collaborate with Runda, chain ICLs, hospital precision medicine centers, and hospital clinical laboratories to jointly establish more than 100 delivery centers. This initiative aims to complete our industrial layout, enable rapid detection of complex infections using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology, and create a new paradigm for the Pathogenic Microorganism SkyNet Laboratory.

Dr. Wei Gai, CEO of WILLINGMEDstated: “We sincerely appreciate the recognition and trust from investors in this round. WILLINGMED continues to uphold its design philosophy of ‘tailoring solutions for mNGS,’ accelerating the development of higher-quality products and services to give back to society and deliver tangible clinical benefits for patient diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, leveraging our nationwide laboratory and channel network, we will directly address the critical challenge of turnaround time in pathogen detection, providing robust support for the precise diagnosis of infections.”

Wang Hao, Investment Director at Haier Capitalstated: “WILLINGMED is an outstanding company whose values align perfectly with Haier Capital’s investment philosophy. We highly recognize the team’s dedication to product excellence and their market expansion capabilities. Following this investment, Haier Capital will leverage its robust full-ecosystem industrial co-investment model to extensively connect WILLINGMED with industry resources, empowering the rapid promotion of its fully automated mNGS solutions. Additionally, we will support the development of WILLINGMED’s ‘SkyNet Laboratory,’ accelerating the company’s leapfrog progress in clinical applications.”

Yi Yuyang, Chairman of Hunan Medical Development Private Equity Fundstated: “We have consistently maintained a close focus on the field of precision medicine in infectious diseases. As an industry pioneer, WILLINGMED demonstrates courage in innovation and is committed to addressing clinical pain points and unmet needs. The WILLINGMED team boasts proven success across the entire spectrum of research and development, regulatory registration, manufacturing, and commercialization, encompassing technology, products, and services. We are confident that, under the leadership of Dr. Gai Wei and through the concerted efforts of the entire team, the company will achieve substantial growth.”

Galaxy Innovation Capital, established on October 21, 2009, is the private equity subsidiary of China Galaxy Securities. Leveraging the advantages of China Galaxy Securities’ investment banking and comprehensive business platforms, it fully exploits synergies in industry research, investment project screening, and the listing, mergers, and restructuring of portfolio companies. The firm is committed to investing in high-growth enterprises characterized by strong performance and reputation, clear business models, significant market prospects, and excellent management teams, while providing them with a range of support services including capital operations and industrial operation.

Haier Capital, established in 2010 as the investment platform under Haier Financial Holdings, positions itself as a comprehensive industrial ecosystem investment platform, focusing on investments in sectors such as healthcare and intelligent technology. To date, it manages over RMB 30 billion in invested assets. Adhering to the philosophy of “deepening industrial investment and cultivating industrial ecosystems,” Haier Capital invests strategically around industrial ecosystem layouts. By leveraging a full-spectrum industrial ecosystem investment model, it connects diverse resources, drives industrial restructuring, and builds a collaborative ecosystem cluster that delivers shared value for all stakeholders.

Hunan Medical Development Private Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd. was established in 2015 with a registered capital of RMB 100 million. It is a subsidiary controlled by Hunan Medical Development Investment Group Co., Ltd. In accordance with the central government’s directive to pilot market-oriented reforms in elderly care across eight provinces, the company was approved for establishment by the Hunan Provincial People’s Government. It serves as a specialized institution dedicated to operating and managing guidance funds jointly financed by the central and provincial fiscal authorities. Currently, the total assets under management amount to approximately RMB 2.3 billion. By integrating various resources from the health and elderly care industry, financial sector, and government, the company continuously facilitates the landing and development of high-quality projects in Hunan Province, particularly in the fields of IoT-enabled medical and elderly care services, innovative biopharmaceuticals, and high-performance medical devices.

WILLINGMED (Beijing) Medical Technology Co., Ltd., established in 2019, specializes in the field of precision diagnostics for clinical infections and is committed to becoming a global leading provider of precision medicine products and services for infectious diseases. The company has pioneered the deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) within the industry, with multiple products filling gaps in the market. It has cumulatively served over 1,500 clinical hospitals, receiving consistent acclaim from clinical experts. Furthermore, it has established strategic and project-based collaborations with renowned institutions such as the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking University People’s Hospital, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, and the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, achieving a series of academic accomplishments that will lead precision infectious disease diagnostics into a new era. Currently, in partnership with Runda Medical (A-share code: 603108), the company has jointly established the "China Pathogenic Microorganism SkyNet Laboratory" project, which will help rapidly enhance China’s biosafety governance capabilities.