NeoPMS Biotech Co., Ltd. Announces Completion of Tens of Millions RMB in Pre-A Financing to Advance AI-Powered Large Molecule Drug Discovery Platform

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) recently learned that an innovative technology company focused on applying artificial intelligence to the development of macromolecular drugs—Jiaojing (Beijing) Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Jiaojing Biotech”)Announced the completion of a pre-A financing round worth tens of millions of yuan,Led by Beijing Life Science Park Innovation Investment Fund, with co-investment from Weiyi Capital.The funds raised in this round will be used to further optimize the company’s AI-powered macromolecular drug discovery platform, build a management team with extensive industry experience, and accelerate collaborative development projects with major pharmaceutical companies both domestically and internationally.

Kakui Bio byLiu Jun, a renowned professor in the Department of Statistics at Harvard University, recipient of the COPSS Presidents’ Award—the highest honor in international statistics—and winner of the Morningside Gold Medal of Applied MathematicsandDr. Zhou Yiming, former Chief Scientist of Biomedical Big Data under the “863” Program and Chief Medical Information Officer at Boao GroupCo-founded. Since its inception, the company has been dedicated to leveraging innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and omics big data to accelerate novel drug discovery and validation. By organically integrating its AI algorithm team, seasoned large-molecule drug R&D team, and high-throughput wet lab platform, the company has fully built NeoOne, an AI-enabled next-generation large-molecule drug discovery platform.^®, helping pharmaceutical companies rapidly conduct drug target discovery and screening, explore mechanisms of drug action, and optimize macromolecular drugs such as specific antibodies.

The company has established an experienced professional team comprising top-tier AI algorithm scientists, data scientists, experts in large-molecule drug R&D, and senior business development leaders. It has also partnered with several leading pharmaceutical companies to jointly conduct research and development of antibodies and other innovative drugs.

Notably, in July 2021, Jiaojing Biology signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Zhongguancun Life Science Park to jointly build the “Zhongguancun AI Drug R&D Platform,” which has a building area of approximately 1,200 m².², including an automated experimental platform and a computing center, is scheduled to be completed and put into operation in November. The platform collaborates with the national medical data center, renowned Grade 3A hospitals, and universities to jointly conduct drug development based on massive medical data. The establishment of this platform will significantly enhance Jiaojing Bio's technical service capabilities, ensuring the company can expand into more collaborative development projects.

“For the past 30 years, we have been dedicated to researching the fundamental question of how genes regulate life through computational methods. Based on this work, we have developed various models and algorithms to enhance our understanding of the human immune system. Over the last decade, with advances in high-throughput biotechnology and artificial intelligence, we have recognized that the era of computation-driven drug development has arrived. Consequently, my student Zhou Yiming and I founded Jiaojing Bio. The company’s vision is to pioneer breakthrough algorithms that accelerate drug discovery and bring new hope for disease treatment.”Professor Liu Jun, Founder of Jiaojing BiotechIntroduction: “Our current team comprises world-leading experts in computational science and antibodies. Leveraging vast datasets of antibody sequences and antibody-antigen pairing information, we will employ cutting-edge statistical and AI algorithms to design highly developable antibodies, pioneering a new paradigm in which therapeutics address unmet clinical needs.”

Xue Yuan, Partner at the Life Science Park Venture Capital Fund (Lead Investor)Statement: China’s biopharmaceutical industry has gradually entered a new wave of independent innovation in drug R&D. High-performance computing platforms and data analytics systems will significantly accelerate the drug development process, optimize R&D efficiency, and substantially improve the accuracy of predictions, as well as drug efficacy and safety. Building on advances in structural biology and the breakthroughs achieved by AlphaFold2, we believe that artificial intelligence technologies will also drive revolutionary progress in the field of biomacromolecule drugs, particularly in understanding protein–protein interactions and antibody–antigen mechanisms. As an angel investor, Life Park Venture Capital Fund is optimistic about Academician Liu Jun’s world-class influence over many years in mathematics, computational science, genomics, and immunology. We recognize Jiaojing Bio’s capabilities in algorithm development and wet-lab validation, as well as the execution strength of its diverse, synergistic, and complementary founding team. We look forward to Jiaojing Bio making rapid strides in AI-driven drug discovery and contributing excellently to the development of innovative drugs in China.

Tang Xiaoming, Founding Partner of Weiyi CapitalStatement: Weiyi Capital continuously seeks out entrepreneurial ventures that drive technological innovation and disrupt traditional application scenarios with new technologies. In recent years, we have observed breakthrough advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which has generated substantial value in sectors such as security, finance, and consumer goods. We believe that AI will transform production methods across various industries and significantly enhance operational efficiency. Jiaojing Bio is among the first companies globally to establish a technology platform applying AI to the development of macromolecular drugs. Under the leadership of Academician Liu Jun, the company has built a multidisciplinary and experienced technical team, achieving preliminary validation in several projects. We are confident that Jiaojing Bio will become a leading enterprise in this field, and we are committed to growing alongside the company, leveraging breakthrough technological innovations to benefit more patients.

Led by Zhongguancun Development Group’s Lingchuang Investment and Zhongguancun Capital, the Beijing Life Science Park Venture Capital Fund is a specialized fund that leverages the Beijing Science and Technology Innovation Center and the Zhongguancun Life Science Park as its primary incubation bases. With a nationwide reach, the fund focuses on providing investment and financing services for technological innovation. Guided by the vision of “discovering scientists and entrepreneurs who change the world and jointly creating tangible social value,” the fund draws upon the extensive resources of Zhongguancun Development Group. While concentrating on the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements from major national and Beijing-based research institutes and universities, it also invests in high-tech, high-growth startups and growth-stage enterprises across society. Its investment portfolio spans biopharmaceuticals, high-end medical devices, life information technology, synthetic biology, and premium healthcare services.

Established in 2015, Weiyi Capital focuses on early-to-mid-stage investments in innovative projects driven by both technology and content. Its investment scope covers technological innovations and the transformation of application scenarios through new technologies, with a particular expertise in identifying opportunities within technical services amid media ecosystem shifts and consumption industry upgrades. Guided by industry research, the fund adheres to a top-down research methodology encompassing “macro trends – meso-level industries – niche segments – industrial chains – potential targets,” and has established an independent and objective framework for industry analysis and evaluation. With total assets under management exceeding RMB 2 billion, Weiyi Capital has invested in nearly one hundred high-quality enterprises. Notable portfolio companies include Qingting FM, Kaishu Storytelling, Mokuaitech, I-Yunbao, Walnut Coding, CBH, Dayu Zhixin, and Fanding International. The limited partners (LPs) of its previously managed funds are primarily national and provincial government guidance funds. Demonstrating excellent investment performance and strong market presence, Weiyi Capital has cultivated a robust LP resource ecosystem through managing diverse types of funds.