Hiwemed, an Emerging Player in Oncology Interventional Therapy, Secures Tens of Millions in Pre-A Funding Led by Sequoia China

VCBeat (WeChat: vcbeat) has learned that Haowei Microbiology, an emerging company in the field of interventional oncology, recently announced the completion of its Pre-A financing round, raising tens of millions of yuan. The round was led by HongShan, with participation from Huayi Capital and Suzhou International Development Venture Capital Holding. Ruiling Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor. The proceeds will be used to advance the research, development, and regulatory registration of multiple product pipelines in interventional oncology.

Suzhou Haowei Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. is a company dedicated to providing innovative “drug-device combination” products and solutions for minimally invasive interventional therapy, with its foundation in the research and development of biomaterials. The company has planned dozens of Class III medical device products, covering a wide range of therapeutic areas including vascular intervention, tissue intervention, and luminal intervention for various diseases. To date, the company has filed 11 invention patent applications. Multiple product candidates have completed preliminary R&D and are poised to enter the fast-track phase for regulatory registration and market launch.

Vascular Interventional Embolization TherapyVascular interventional embolization therapy is performed under the guidance and monitoring of medical imaging equipment (such as DSA, CT, ultrasound, or MRI). It involves inserting a puncture needle into a blood vessel, followed by the introduction of guidewires and catheters to perform vascular embolization. This procedure cuts off the blood supply to abnormal tissues, thereby inducing their necrosis. The technique offers several advantages, including minimal invasiveness, ease of operation, repeatability, and the ability to be combined with pharmacological treatments, thus enabling precise targeted therapy.

In fields such as liver cancer, vascular interventional embolization therapy has expanded from late-stage to early-stage clinical treatment. According to the "Chinese Expert Consensus on Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Treatment of Liver Cancer," Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) has become the preferred regimen for intermediate and advanced primary liver cancer. Following TACE, some patients may achieve downstaging, thereby becoming eligible for surgical resection. The combination therapy of "TACE + ablation + immunotherapy" represents a current hotspot and future trend. In recent years, the emergence of Drug-Eluting Beads (DEB) has further improved the therapeutic efficacy for liver cancer. DEBs can embolize tumor vasculature while enabling chemotherapeutic agents to act within the tumor for an extended period. Currently, the primary drugs loaded are chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin; in the future, they may be combined with various targeted therapies or other radiopharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, TACE intervention is gradually expanding beyond liver cancer to the treatment of other hypervascular malignant tumors, including lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and breast cancer. TACE also demonstrates promising application prospects in conditions such as uterine fibroids, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and arthritis.

Guo Ping, Founder of Haowei Microbiologystated: “We are deeply grateful for the recognition from the investors in this funding round. With the continued support of both existing and new shareholders, the company will adopt a global perspective, remain committed to source innovation, deliver more effective products to patients, and provide standardized solutions for clinical treatment.””

HongShan’s Project Team, the Lead Investor in This RoundHe stated, “With technological advancements and product iterations, Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) for tumor embolization is in a phase of rapid development. Its indications have gradually expanded from liver cancer to include arteriovenous malformations, chronic subdural hematomas, and uterine fibroids. The Haowei Medical team possesses extensive experience in the research, production, and sales of products across the entire TACE lifecycle. Our pipeline projects offer differentiated solutions addressing key pain points in clinical applications. We look forward to the early market launch of our company’s products, aiming to establish Haowei Medical as a leading platform enterprise for the development of vascular interventional embolization products in China, thereby benefiting a broad patient population.””

Marvin, Managing Director of Huayi Capitalstating: “Embolic microspheres represent a platform technology with significant application potential across multiple indications, including liver cancer, lung cancer, and osteoarthritis. Furthermore, advances in materials and technology enable the integration of radioactive seeds or even antibody-based drugs into microspheres, offering tumor patients more effective and diverse therapeutic options. The Haowei team is dedicated to R&D and innovation in the field of interventional oncology, backed by extensive industry experience. As one of the few domestic enterprises possessing both R&D innovation capabilities and large-scale production capacity, we look forward to Haowei launching more solutions to address clinical needs, benefiting a broader patient population, and leading the development of China’s interventional oncology industry.””

Guofa Venture Capital Project Team“TACE is minimally invasive, offers excellent vascular occlusion for hypervascular tumors, enables rapid patient recovery, and effectively prolongs survival. It has become the first-line interventional therapy for liver cancer and has been widely extended to other indications. The founding team of Haowei Microbiology possesses extensive industry experience and clinical resources in the field of interventional medicine. The company boasts a rich product portfolio in tumor intervention, with comprehensive coverage of clinical applications. Suzhou International Development Venture Capital Holding will continue to support Haowei Microbiology in product iteration and commercial boundary expansion.””

HongShan has always been committed to helping entrepreneurs build enduring, great companies by providing its portfolio companies with abundant global resources and valuable historical experience. As “entrepreneurs behind entrepreneurs,” HongShan focuses on investment opportunities in three sectors: technology, consumer, and healthcare. Over the past 17 years, HongShan has invested in more than 900 enterprises characterized by distinct technological features, innovative business models, high growth potential, and strong development prospects.

Huayi Capital focuses on investments in the healthcare industry and has co-established multiple healthcare industry funds with several domestic securities firms and listed companies. As a research-driven investment institution, it is one of the few initiators of Huayi Research Institute, a primary market investment research institute in China. The institute’s investment research framework covers six major sectors, 36 sub-industries, and over 180 niche fields, positioning it as the definer of the comprehensive landscape of healthcare investment in China.

Suzhou International Development Venture Capital Holding Co., Ltd. was established in May 2008 with a registered capital of RMB 3.8 billion. As a professional equity investment institution at the municipal level in Suzhou, it manages assets exceeding RMB 130 billion. Adhering to the corporate culture of “Responsibility, Professionalism, Cooperation, and Value,” Guofa Venture Capital insists on value-oriented investment and respects and protects entrepreneurship. It focuses strategically on emerging industries such as advanced equipment manufacturing, new materials, next-generation information technology, energy conservation and environmental protection, life and health (including biotechnology), and modern services, facilitating the listing or public quotation of over 70 companies in domestic and international capital markets.