Forecyte Bio Secures Hundreds of Millions in Series A Funding Led by Vertex Ventures to Advance CGT CDMO Capabilities

Recently, Forecyte Bio (short for “Yuanjian Youke Biotechnology Co., Ltd.”), a provider of comprehensive CDMO solutions focused on cell and gene therapy, announced the completion of its Series A financing round, raising hundreds of millions of RMB. The round was led by Vertex Venture Management Co., Ltd., with participation from BioTrack Capital and Hongning Hengtai. Moving forward, the company will continue to drive technological innovation in the field of cell and gene therapy, provide services to the domestic and international gene therapy industries, and promote the industrialization and large-scale production of gene therapies.

This round of financing will be used by Yuanjian Youke to initiate the construction of large-scale GMP manufacturing capacity in the Shanghai Pudong Free Trade Zone, encompassing process development and large-scale GMP production of plasmids, viral vectors, and cell products, with a total of 14 GMP production lines. Additionally, the raised funds will be used to launch clinical-scale GMP production of viral vectors and cell products in Maryland, USA, while accelerating the expansion of CGT manufacturing capacity both domestically and internationally, thereby supporting dual regulatory filings for clinical studies in the Chinese and U.S. markets.

Ms. He Yingke, Founder and CEO of Yuanjian Youke, stated: “We are deeply grateful to the investors in this round for their recognition and support of Yuanjian Youke’s team and service philosophy. Their investment provides abundant resources that will accelerate our execution in helping domestic and international clients streamline the journey from R&D to clinical development and commercialization, thereby realizing our vision of enabling patients to access the most effective and cutting-edge cell and gene therapies at the earliest possible time. We are honored to have the opportunity to integrate our team’s years of industry experience, advanced technologies, and innovative concepts into China’s booming and ever-evolving biopharmaceutical sector. In doing so, we aim to contribute to elevating the standard of cell and gene therapy in China and accelerating its internationalization, while also delivering flexible, efficient, and high-quality services to global clients. In the near term, Yuanjian Youke will focus on building manufacturing capacity in both China and the United States, assembling an exceptional team, and continuously innovating and exploring new technologies and platforms. While establishing and refining our existing technical platforms and providing premium services to clients, we remain committed to driving development and innovation in the field of cell and gene therapy.”

Yuan Jianwei, Partner at Vertex Ventures, the lead investor, stated: “Cell and gene therapy (CGT) represents an irreversible trend in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector. Significant industry resources are converging in this field, supported by substantial government incentives. High-quality CGT CDMOs serve as strategic infrastructure that can accelerate industry development and control production costs. Unlike traditional antibody GMP manufacturing, CGT CDMO involves more complex processes, production workflows, and accumulated expertise. In recent years, although China’s CGT sector has grown rapidly, there remains considerable room for improvement in its CDMO business compared to European and American markets. The founders of Yuanjian Youke possess 30 years of experience in CGT product manufacturing and have been deeply involved in and witnessed the history of CGT development in the United States. Leveraging exceptional corporate operations and management capabilities, along with extensive business development experience in the life sciences sector, we believe Yuanjian Youke is well-positioned to provide high-quality, comprehensive technical enablement and manufacturing services to both domestic and international cell and gene therapy companies, thereby enabling more patients to benefit from premium cell and gene therapy products.”

Forecyte Bio, a company dedicated to providing cell and gene therapy CDMO services with a presence in the Shanghai Pudong New Area Free Trade Zone and Xiamen, was established in July 2021 in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone by Ms. He Yingke, former head of GSK Japan’s Oncology Business Unit. As a novel therapeutic modality, gene therapy has brought revolutionary treatment options to the medical field and offered hope for many previously incurable diseases. With the Chinese government’s increasing attention and support for the biopharmaceutical sector, coupled with sustained capital investment in cell and gene therapy technologies, China’s cell and gene therapy industry has gradually become a focal point of the biopharmaceutical landscape. The core team at Forecyte Bio boasts decades of experience in the pharmaceutical, cell, gene, and CDMO industries. Upholding international high-standard practices and quality management systems, the company employs the most professional, standardized, and cutting-edge GMP manufacturing technologies. Its comprehensive services span from plasmid development and viral vector packaging to cell processing, as well as from process development and GMP manufacturing to the preparation of IND/BLA submission materials. Leveraging its process development and production facilities in Shanghai and Maryland, USA, Forecyte Bio provides integrated technical and manufacturing services to domestic and international cell and gene therapy companies.

Ms. Yingke He, CEO of Yuanjian Youke, served at GSK for over 20 years, working across multiple departments and regions (the US, China, and Japan) and covering every stage of drug development. She has extensive experience in strategic design, project advancement, resource integration, and team building. Her most recent responsibility was leading the reconstruction of GSK’s oncology business in Japan, where she served as the head of this sector.Dr. Shuyuan Zhang, CTO, has nearly 30 years of technical and management experience focused on process development and GMP manufacturing for gene and cell therapies, dating back to his time at the world’s first gene therapy company. Throughout his career at various biotechnology and CDMO companies (including the predecessor of Lonza, the world’s largest CDMO), he has gained exposure to virtually all CMC-related processes and technologies, including plasmids, viral vector packaging (adeno-associated virus, adenovirus, lentivirus, and oncolytic viruses), and cell therapy products. His most recent role was Vice President overseeing Process Development and Manufacturing at a publicly listed US-based cell and gene therapy company, where he supported the regulatory submissions of more than 10 INDs/CTAs and one BLA.Dr. Yujian You, COO, brings 14 years of business development and sales marketing experience in the life sciences sector, including eight years at Lonza responsible for North American market development, with deep familiarity with CRO/CDMO business models. His most recent position was Vice President of Business Development at a leading Chinese CRO company.

Vertex Ventures, established in 1988, is one of Asia’s earliest venture capital firms and a member company of Temasek Holdings. Headquartered in Singapore, Vertex Ventures maintains branches in entrepreneurial hubs such as China, the United States, Israel, and India. Vertex Ventures China launched its early-stage venture capital operations in China in 2008. With offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Singapore, it manages multiple USD and RMB funds, with assets under management exceeding RMB 10 billion. Vertex Ventures China has made extensive investments in the healthcare sector, including portfolio companies such as Chipscreen Biosciences, Harbour Biomed, Phoenix Healthcare Group, Recbio Technology, Edge Medical, BinHui Bio, Ruijian Medical, InventisBio, Rigor Pharmaceuticals, Baoyuan Biopharma, JNMedtech, Xingkangyuan, Puling Biotech, Chengfan Medical, Huaxia Yingtai, and Haici Medical.

BioTrack Capital, established in 2017, is a specialized investment firm dedicated to investing in and incubating outstanding healthcare startups in the Chinese market. BioTrack Capital is not merely an investor but also a long-term partner to entrepreneurs. The firm is committed to providing sustained support to the most exceptional healthcare entrepreneurs, fostering the next generation of leading enterprises in China’s healthcare industry.