Qihui Bio Completes Tens of Millions RMB Series A Financing to Accelerate Development of Lipid Microbubble Ultrasound Contrast Agent Pipeline

Recently, VCBeat learned that Beijing Qihui Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Qihui Bio”) has completed a Series A financing round worth tens of millions of yuan. This round was led by Weidu Venture Capital, a professional medical investment institution, and followed by Qingdao Guoxin Financial Holdings Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Qingdao Guoxin Financial”).The financing proceeds will be used to build the company’s lipid microbubble technology platform and develop its lipid microbubble ultrasound contrast agent pipeline, thereby accelerating the company’s industrialization process.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) represents a key direction in the advancement of current ultrasonic medicine. In recent years, it has gained widespread clinical adoption and recognition, emerging as the third revolutionary breakthrough in ultrasound technology, following two-dimensional ultrasound, Doppler, and color flow imaging. In 2022, the growth rate of China’s CEUS contrast agent market exceeded 40%, positioning it as the next blue ocean in the contrast agent sector. International giants such as Bracco and GE hold an absolute dominant position in China’s CEUS field, leveraging their advanced technological advantages, with a combined market share exceeding 95%. However, no domestically produced lipid microbubble ultrasound contrast agent has yet been launched. The substantial domestic demand is fostering significant opportunities for development.

Established in June 2016, Qihui Biotechnology is a National High-Tech Enterprise, a “Specialized, Refined, Differential, and Innovative” (SRDI) SME, and a Zhongguancun Golden Seed Enterprise. Adhering to the principle of being “clinical value-oriented,” the company emphasizes breakthroughs in hard technology and cross-disciplinary integration, positioning itself as one of the earliest innovative enterprises in China to explore lipid microbubble technology. After years of development,Qihui Biologics has established a multidisciplinary R&D system comprising core experts from various fields, overcoming key technologies previously held by multinational corporations. It was the first in China to break through the industrialization bottlenecks for lipid microbubble ultrasound contrast agents. Leveraging its lipid microbubble technology platform, the company has developed a series of innovative products with independent intellectual property rights and significant technical barriers, poised to disrupt the long-standing market monopoly held by imported products.

As the lead investor in this round of financing,Weidu Venture Capital stated“The contrast-enhanced ultrasound agent industry, in which Qihui Biopharma operates, is a typical high-tech sector that has long been monopolized by a few foreign enterprises and is one of the key development areas prioritized for support under national industrial policy.”

Qihui Bio has developed lipid microbubble ultrasound contrast agents with independent intellectual property rights. Its self-developed core equipment and production processes ensure stable mass production of these products. Currently, the company has established a unique technology platform based on its core delivery technologies and manufacturing processes. On this platform, it has developed multiple contrast agent products, expanded new clinical application scenarios, and addressed pain points in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Meanwhile, the founding team of Qihui Bio possesses extensive experience in managing and operating innovative pharmaceutical companies, making it a startup team with both robust technical capabilities and comprehensive management expertise.

“Weidu Venture Capital believes that minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment guided by imaging equipment is a major trend, and various contrast agents are essential products for improving the safety and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. We look forward to Qihui Biologics advancing the clinical application of ultrasound contrast agents to new heights, bringing more products with significant clinical benefits to clinical diagnosis and treatment, and ultimately benefiting more patients.”

Qingdao Guoxin Finance stated“The theoretical market size for ultrasound contrast agents in China has long been substantial. With preliminary preparations completed—including the expansion of clinical medical guidelines, the widespread adoption of high-end ultrasound equipment with contrast imaging capabilities, and the establishment of medical insurance reimbursement mechanisms—the sector has entered a phase of rapid development. Characterized by a large market size and limited competition, this segment offers broad prospects for growth. Beijing Qihui Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. possesses strong independent innovation and R&D advantages, with significant technological strengths. The company has overcome critical technical bottlenecks in high-end ultrasound contrast agents, and its lipid microbubble technology platform demonstrates a high level of sophistication and strong scalability. The company’s product pipeline features a well-structured ecosystem that supports long-term sustainable development. We look forward to Beijing Qihui Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. achieving domestic substitution in this field at an early date.”

Weidu Venture Capital is a young and dynamic venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in the healthcare sector. Weidu Venture Capital focuses on cross-disciplinary applications of cutting-edge biotechnology and artificial intelligence in medicine, pursuing more precise, efficient, and intelligent diagnostic and therapeutic methods enabled by new technologies, as well as technology-driven business model innovations. The Weidu team boasts extensive industry experience and medical resources, dedicating itself to supporting the growth of portfolio companies by providing comprehensive empowerment at every stage, with a commitment to helping entrepreneurs “bridge the gap from vision to realization.”

Qingdao Guoxin Finance was established in August 2013. With the approval of the Qingdao Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Qingdao Municipal People’s Government, it became the first state-owned financial holding company in Qingdao City, with a registered capital of RMB 3.7 billion. Its business scope covers investment and operation of financial institutions and financial service entities, asset management and fund management, equity investment and capital operations, securities and fund investments, as well as investment planning and consulting services.

Leveraging the financial resources and policy support of Qingdao City and Guoxin Group, Qingdao Guoxin Financial Holdings has adopted strategic equity investment and operation based on core financial licenses as its guiding principle. Adhering to the development主线 of “cultivating and building core asset management capabilities,” it has made strategic investments in corporate financial institutions including banks (Bank of Qingdao, Qingdao Rural Commercial Bank), trust companies (Lujiazui Trust), insurance firms (Zhonglu Insurance), public mutual funds (Taixin Fund), futures companies (Gangxin Futures), and joint-venture securities firms, making it the local state-owned financial holding platform with the most comprehensive range of financial licenses in Qingdao. To date, it has established multiple specialized subsidiaries covering private equity fund management, private securities investment fund management, industrial fund investment, financial leasing, financing guarantees, microfinance, and financial information services, thereby empowering the sustainable development of the real economy.