Liangzhun Completes Tens of Millions of USD Financing to Accelerate Development and Production of NanoSPR Biosensors and Detection Instruments
VCBeat has learned that on February 18, 2022, Quanzhun (Shanghai) Industrial Co., Ltd., a company specializing in the R&D and production of NanoSPR biochip detection equipment and reagents based on chip-based biomicrofluidic technology, announced the completion of a financing round worth tens of millions of US dollars. This round was co-led by Huoshan Stone Investment and Gaoke Xinjun. BFC Group served as the exclusive financial advisor for Quanzhun’s current financing round.
Quanzhun specializes in leveraging its proprietary sensor chip design and manufacturing patent technologies to develop innovative biosensing chips and corresponding detection equipment. These products are utilized as life science instruments in biomedical R&D, as well as diagnostic reagents and devices for clinical in vitro diagnostics (IVD). Quanzhun’s independently developed and manufactured wafer-level high-performance NanoSPR (Nanoplasmonic Surface Plasmon Resonance) chips have achieved technological breakthroughs surpassing traditional drug screening chips and molecular interaction detection systems. By offering significant cost-performance advantages, these products have broken the monopoly of imported detection solutions, expanded into broader biomedical R&D applications, and facilitated independent innovation within the biomedical technology industry.
Quanzhun NanoSPR Biochip
Quanzhun’s newly launched open-format NanoSPR microplates, microfluidic NanoSPR chip cartridges, and their corresponding semi-automated and fully automated detection instruments will provide label-free, real-time molecular interaction analysis, precise affinity determination, antibody screening and optimization, and rapid high-throughput expression quantification. These flexible, high-performance analytical capabilities are designed to meet the specific testing requirements in the R&D and production of various specialized fields, including targeted small-molecule drugs, biologics, gene and cell therapies, synthetic biology, and IVD raw materials.
Quanzhun NanoSPR Microplate and Detection System
This round of financing will help Quanzhun further enhance its R&D and production capabilities, optimize the performance of its biomolecular interaction detection biochip sensors and testing equipment, expand its product pipeline and applications in biomedical R&D, and strengthen collaboration with upstream and downstream partners in the industry.
On the other hand, Quanzhun pioneered the extension of SPR-based bioassays into the field of in vitro diagnostics (IVD) in China by leveraging its proprietary NanoSPR biochip technology, thereby developing independently researched and manufactured immunoassay and molecular diagnostic chip products. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, supported by the National Key R&D Program for Emergency Response to COVID-19 under the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Quanzhun has developed the world’s first and currently only high-throughput, one-step rapid test kits and portable devices for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigens and neutralizing antibodies based on its patented NanoSPR detection method. The products have obtained CE certification from the European Union and have been deployed in overseas healthcare markets.
Following this round of financing, Quanzhun will continue to optimize its proprietary patented technologies, including digital NanoSPR imaging microfluidic chips and NanoSPR nucleic acid amplification detection chips, to further enhance detection throughput and sensitivity. This will enable the clinical and point-of-care testing (POCT) diagnostic applications of its high-throughput multiplex immunoassay products and rapid multiplex nucleic acid detection products based on NanoSPR chips for autoimmune diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases.
Dr. Liu Gang, Founder of Quanzhun, is currently a Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and a former Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned dual Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is also a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Dr. Liu Gang stated:“We sincerely appreciate Volcanic Stone Investment and Gaoke Xinjun for their high recognition of Quanzhun’s technical product innovation capabilities and for the substantial support provided to the company’s development. Quanzhun has already established fully independent design and manufacturing capabilities for wafer-scale nano-plasmonic resonance biochips, and its initial products have demonstrated significant potential in both life science R&D tools and clinical in vitro diagnostics (IVD) applications. This round of financing will help the company further attract diverse talent and strengthen its core competencies. The company aims to rapidly introduce its cost-effective life science tool products to a broader base of grassroots biomedical innovation and R&D institutions, enabling more researchers in the life sciences and pharmaceutical fields to conveniently access high-performance molecular interaction detection instruments and chips for drug testing and screening. Meanwhile, the company is committed to accelerating the clinical launch of IVD products based on biochip detection technology, providing more affordable and high-quality technical solutions for multi-marker disease diagnosis in primary healthcare settings.”
Co-founder Mr. Xu Hao believes:“Quanzhun’s pioneering innovation in SPR-based molecular interaction detection technology has given rise to the world’s first NanoSPR biochip. This disruptive technology involves the cross-disciplinary integration of multiple technical platforms spanning biopharmaceuticals, high-end equipment R&D, big data integration, and sensor chip development. Quanzhun will continue to forge ahead with unwavering determination, striving diligently and increasing its investment in top-tier talent and advanced technologies. The company aims to continuously launch breakthrough platform-level products within the next three to five years, thereby generating substantial societal benefits.”
Mr. Zhang Suyang, Partner at Volcanic Stone Investment Management, stated:“Faster, more accurate, and more cost-effective solutions represent the development direction of the diagnostics industry. NanoSPR biosensing technology, which integrates semiconductor technology, information processing techniques, and physical detection principles, is a significant innovation in the field of label-free detection. This technology has been successfully applied to drug screening and, for the first time internationally, to the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) sector, substantially reducing existing testing costs. The NanoSPR platform offers high scalability and, in principle, can detect any substance. Led by Dr. Liu Gang, the team combines robust scientific R&D capabilities and a spirit of scientific inquiry with keen market insight. We are optimistic about the company’s team and products, and we hope that the company will make contributions to the development of the biopharmaceutical industry.”
Dr. Wang Lin, Partner at GaoKe XinJun, stated:“It has been a great honor to engage in in-depth exchanges with the interdisciplinary innovation team led by Professor Liu Gang during Quanzhun’s current round of financing. Quanzhun’s platform technology holds broad application prospects across multiple fields, including scientific research, clinical diagnostics, animal disease prevention and control, and the pharmaceutical industry. It aligns with the national strategy of fostering original, independently controllable technologies and possesses the intellectual property foundation necessary for entering international markets. The New Jun team has actively facilitated strategic collaborations between Quanzhun, its existing portfolio companies, and relevant industry peers, jointly promoting the development of next-generation deep-tech biotechnology enterprises.”
Volcanic Rock Investment was established in 2016, dedicated to discovering, investing in, and serving high-growth-potential startups in China’s pan-intelligent technology and healthcare sectors. We provide sustained value-added services and grow alongside our portfolio companies. Currently, Volcanic Rock Investment manages assets exceeding RMB 3 billion through dual-currency funds (RMB and USD). The fund managers have collaborated closely for many years, accumulating over 60 years of combined experience in investment and corporate management, along with deep industry resources. Volcanic Rock Investment aims to harness explosive energy and serve as the cornerstone of entrepreneurial success.
Neovision Capital is a professional firm specializing in venture capital, innovation-driven investments, and mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare and high-tech sectors. It has invested in numerous high-growth enterprises in the biopharmaceutical and high-tech fields. Representative portfolio companies in the biopharmaceutical sector include Allist Pharmaceuticals (688578), ACROBiosystems (301080), Hualan Medical Packaging (301093), Rendu Biology, Huahao Zhongtian, Jiangsu Genking Pharmaceutical, Zhengya Dental, Yimai Yangguang, and Newreat Medical.