Auson Pharma Completes Nearly RMB 100 Million Series B Financing to Advance Development and Commercialization of High-End Modified Drug Formulations

Recently, Shanghai Auson Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (“Auson Pharmaceuticals”) announced the completion of its Series B financing round, raising nearly RMB 100 million. The round was led by Deyi Capital, with follow-on investment from China Merchants Securities Co., Ltd. Existing shareholders, including Hangzhou Kaitai Capital Management Ltd., Shanghai Zhangkeherun Venture Capital Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Qiaobei Investment Management Partnership Enterprise (Limited Partnership), also increased their investments. The funds raised will be primarily used for the construction of a new production facility, market promotion of its innovative drug delivery platform, and the research and development, clinical trials, and manufacturing of its pipeline candidates.

Founded in 2019, Auson Pharmaceuticals is an international biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the R&D and industrialization of high-end modified formulations. Its R&D center in Pudong, Shanghai, is responsible for R&D, production, clinical trials, and regulatory submissions for projects in China; while Auson Pharmaceuticals INC, located in New Jersey, USA, handles product regulatory submissions, production, and commercial promotion in the United States.

Auson Company Logo

Auson Pharmaceuticals tailors drug improvements to address patients’ clinical needs, exploring novel therapeutic approaches—including new formulations, new indications, and new dosing regimens. Its products are submitted for approval to the U.S. FDA and China’s NMPA via the 505(b)(2) pathway or as Class II new drugs, and then introduced to the market to meet unmet clinical needs of patients both domestically and internationally. The company focuses on the research and development of innovative drug formulations with independent intellectual property rights, prioritizing areas such as pediatrics, vascular diseases, and antiviral therapies, with product commercialization as its ultimate goal. Dr. Lu Enxian, the company’s founder, holds a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutics from Fudan University, a Master’s degree in Biopharmaceutics from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Minnesota. With over twenty years of experience in multinational pharmaceutical corporations and startup biotech companies, he has held R&D and management positions at Barr Laboratories, Novartis, and other firms. In 2012, he co-founded Aucta and served as General Manager, leading the R&D efforts that resulted in the development and regulatory approval of multiple products.

Shanghai Auson Pharmaceuticals’ R&D pipeline covers multiple therapeutic areas, including pediatrics, cardiovascular diseases, and antiviral treatments. Its first product, ASN001, for the treatment of infantile hemangioma, has completed Phase I clinical trials in China. The multicenter confirmatory clinical trial is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2022, and a sales cooperation agreement has been signed with a renowned multinational pharmaceutical company. The cerebrovascular product ASN010 will submit its marketing application in China in Q3 2022. The improved new cardiovascular drug ASN006 will submit its New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. FDA in Q4 2022. Meanwhile, Shanghai Auson Pharmaceuticals has remained committed to researching solutions for difficult drug administration, aiming to provide accessible options for populations facing such challenges and to enhance the accuracy, safety, and convenience of medication. Its patented products, Leyipei and Yijiaan (for veterinary use), have already been launched and are commercially available.

Dr. Lu Enxian, Founder of the CompanyStatement: We express our gratitude to both new and existing investors for their trust and steadfast support throughout the development of Auson Pharmaceuticals, joining us in witnessing the company’s rapid growth. This round of financing will significantly bolster the expansion of our scale and accelerate the research, development, and commercialization of more innovative products. Auson Pharmaceuticals remains committed to identifying and addressing unmet clinical needs, leveraging its expertise and advantages to comprehensively facilitate the industrialization of improved new drugs, thereby enhancing the quality of healthy living for the public.

Zhang Li, Executive Head of Deyi CapitalStatement: We are optimistic about Lubo and the company team’s differentiated approach to project selection, their high-efficiency R&D advancement, and their ability to continuously uncover new market demands. These capabilities are built upon the management team’s many years of experience in drug development and work at multinational pharmaceutical companies, as well as a solid foundation in successful pharmaceutical manufacturing. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts with the team and both new and existing shareholders to support the rapid development of Auson, thereby addressing unmet clinical needs both domestically and internationally.

Deyi Capital prioritizes investments in sectors such as healthcare and next-generation information technology. Its management team boasts extensive experience in investment, securities, and industry operations, along with broad market resources and specialized post-investment service and management capabilities within the sector. In the biopharmaceutical field, Deyi Capital has invested in numerous innovative enterprises, including Zeltex Pharmaceuticals (688266.SH), Allist Pharmaceuticals (688578.SH), Yifang Biopharma (688382.SH), Aikobio, Boyun Biology, Yingli Pharma, Yuanli Life Sciences, Weilizhibo, GenFleet Therapeutics, and Zhimeng Pharma.

China Merchants Securities Investment Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned alternative investment subsidiary of China Merchants Securities Co., Ltd., with a registered capital of RMB 7.1 billion, primarily engaged in equity investments and financial product investments. Aligning with national policies and industrial layouts, the company’s equity investment activities focus on investment opportunities in healthcare, new energy and new materials, intelligent manufacturing, technology, and semiconductors, committed to providing full-industry-chain financial services to its portfolio companies. In the healthcare sector, it has established comprehensive coverage, having invested in over 20 leading enterprises across various medical sub-sectors, including Juyi Medical, Aokeda, Ruifeng Biotechnology, Mabwell, Lu Daopei Healthcare Group, Desano, Raistone Biosciences, Xidian Pharmaceutical, Allist Pharmaceuticals, Regend Therapeutics, and Jifan Biologics.

Kaitai Capital, established in 2009, is an innovative capital management firm focused on investments in biopharmaceuticals and life sciences, artificial intelligence and digital technology, as well as data intelligence and tech-driven consumer sectors. With a global perspective, forward-looking industry research, and an investment philosophy centered on industrial ecosystem development, Kaitai Capital has invested in and strategically positioned itself in more than 100 biopharmaceutical and life science enterprises both domestically and internationally, initially forming a collaborative industrial ecosystem. The firm has built an ecological investment portfolio across therapeutic areas including oncology, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, anti-infectives, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neuroscience, nephrology, ophthalmology, dermatology, as well as in gene therapy, cell-based medicines, pharmaceutical manufacturing, innovative biotechnologies, and the broader health and wellness industry.

Pudong Biopharmaceutical Sub-Fund Phase I – “Zhangke Herun Fund” adopts a market-oriented investment and management model, with the Pudong Science and Technology Innovation Fund of Funds serving as the cornerstone investor, while introducing social capital and professional expertise. The biopharmaceutical sub-fund focuses on high-quality, high-growth-potential enterprises in life and health-related sectors, including innovative drugs, medical devices, and healthcare services. With a total size of RMB 3 billion, Phase I amounts to RMB 1 billion. The fund’s operating entity is “Shanghai Zhangkeherun Biopharmaceutical Venture Capital Partnership Enterprise (Limited Partnership)” (“Zhangke Herun Fund”), managed by Zhangjiang Sci-Tech Investment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhangjiang Group.

Qiaobei Capital, established in September 2016 and headquartered in Shanghai, is a specialized fund management company focused on equity investment. Qiaobei Capital maintains an open attitude toward all potential investment opportunities, with deep expertise in the TMT, biotechnology, and consumption upgrade sectors. By integrating private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) models, the firm has made steady strategic investments in these areas, establishing a professional investment style. The founder, Mr. Niu Jijing, formerly served as General Manager of the Investment Banking Department at Guosen Securities and was among the first batch of registered sponsor representatives. He oversaw IPOs, refinancing, and mergers and acquisitions for nearly twenty companies. Leveraging his investment banking background, Qiaobei Capital provides comprehensive post-investment support to portfolio companies by capitalizing on its strengths in strategic resource matching, institutional selection, standardized operations, and M&A restructuring, thereby accompanying enterprises through their long-term growth.