RealBio Tech Secures $100M Series B Financing to Accelerate Commercialization of World’s First Dual-Target Anti-HIV Drug

On August 26, Genuine Biotech Limited announced the completion of its $100 million Series B financing round,This round of strategic financing was led by Yifeng Capital and Yingke Capital, with participation from Desano, Yashang Capital, and Fuqiang Financial.. The funds raised will be used for product research and development, clinical project registration, and the commercial expansion of Azvudine, the world’s first approved dual-target Class 1 new drug for HIV/AIDS.

The completion of this $100 million financing round will not only comprehensively empower the development of Genuine Biotech but also accelerate the R&D progress of its various innovative drugs. The commercialization of Genuine Biotech’s flagship product, Azvudine, will also be expedited, bringing benefits to AIDS patients worldwide.

Genuine Biotech, established in 2012, is an innovative pharmaceutical R&D enterprise integrating independent research and development, production, and sales. It is dedicated to the development of innovative drugs for antiviral, anti-tumor, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, and liver diseases.

In the field of innovative anti-HIV drugs in China, Genuine Biotech is one of only three companies with such drugs currently on the market.

The company boasts a first-class management and R&D team, with all core team members having work experience at renowned overseas research institutions and a proven track record of successful new drug development.

In the field of new drug development, the company boasts a robust product pipeline. In the antiviral segment, it has Azvudine, a Class 1 new drug approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). In the oncology segment, Doxitinib Mesylate, a Class 1 new drug for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), has entered clinical trials. Furthermore, several other Class 1 new drugs with significant market potential are undergoing preclinical research in areas such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease treatment and long-acting HIV therapy.

In recent years, Genuine Biotech has experienced rapid development. It has established small-molecule and large-molecule R&D centers in Shanghai and Shenzhen, respectively; assembled medical, clinical, regulatory, and commercialization teams in Beijing; and built a production base in Pingdingshan that complies with national GMP standards, thereby creating a comprehensive biopharmaceutical industry chain.

Wang Chaoyang, Chairman of Genuine Biotechstated: “The successful completion of this round of strategic financing marks a new starting point and a significant leap forward for the company’s development. It will inject substantial momentum into Genuine Biotech’s growth, support its ongoing multiple new drug clinical trials, and accelerate the commercialization process of Azvudine. In the future, building on its existing product pipeline, the company will further enhance R&D efficiency, expedite the commercial launch of its products, and strengthen its competitive advantage in the field of innovative biologics.”

Zhu Jinqiao, Chairman of Yifeng Capital“The statement reads: ‘Genuine Biotech boasts a world-class R&D team for innovative drugs, with its core researchers possessing profound expertise in pharmaceutical sciences and extensive experience in new drug development. The approval and market launch of Azvudine demonstrate Genuine Biotech’s robust R&D and execution capabilities. We look forward to the company gradually becoming a leading innovative pharmaceutical enterprise in China and globally. Yifeng Capital will maintain a long-term positive outlook on Genuine Biotech’s R&D strategy and firmly support its innovative development.’”

Genuine Biotech’s research advantages in the antiviral field are already evident. The company is a global leader in the development of unique, all-oral, long-acting antiviral drugs.

In July 2021, Azvudine, a Class 1 novel drug for HIV treatment independently developed by Genuine Biotech, was approved for market launch. Azvudine is a novel nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and Vif accessory protein inhibitor, representing the world’s first dual-target innovative anti-HIV medication. As an orally administered anti-HIV drug with independent intellectual property rights, it is advanced globally and pioneered in China, having received support from the National Major Science and Technology Special Project on “Major New Drug Development.”

The launch of Azvudine represents a major breakthrough in the global field of antiviral drugs, offering HIV/AIDS patients a novel and superior therapeutic option. Clinical studies have demonstrated that Azvudine offers the advantages of low-dose administration, multi-target activity, and long-acting oral efficacy. Furthermore, it does not exhibit cross-resistance with currently marketed drugs such as lamivudine (3TC), thereby addressing the issue of drug resistance in certain patients.

According to Genuine Biotech, azvudine exhibits broad-spectrum antiviral and anticancer effects. In addition to its activity against HIV, it has demonstrated efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis B virus, acute leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

In October 2020, a Nature subsidiary journal published the latest progress on azvudine for the treatment of COVID-19. The study found that azvudine demonstrated favorable therapeutic efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, enabling rapid nucleic acid test conversion to negative in newly diagnosed patients, and holds promise as a candidate specific drug for treating COVID-19.

Genuine Biotech Introduction: The Phase III clinical trial of Azvudine for the treatment of COVID-19 is being accelerated in China, Brazil, and Russia.

The applications of azvudine extend beyond the field of HIV/AIDS; this superior drug holds broader market prospects yet to be tapped. Genuine Biotech’s future development blueprint is both ambitious and clear.

Chairman of Genuine Biotechstated, “In recent years, the atmosphere and environment for innovative drugs in China have continued to improve, with Chinese innovative pharmaceutical companies flourishing. Genuine Biotech has caught up with the best era for China’s innovative drug industry. Following the completion of our Series B financing, we will also initiate the process for an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.”

Genuine Biotech, established in 2012, is an innovative pharmaceutical R&D enterprise integrating independent research and development, production, and sales. The company is primarily dedicated to the development of novel drugs for antiviral, anti-tumor, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, and liver diseases. Genuine Biotech boasts a robust pipeline of new drug candidates, among which Azvudine, a Class 1 novel drug for HIV/AIDS, has recently received marketing approval. Phase III clinical trials of Azvudine for the treatment of COVID-19 are being vigorously advanced in China, Brazil, and Russia. In addition, Docosahexaenoic acid methanesulfonate (Doxitinib Mesylate), another Class 1 novel drug, has been approved for clinical investigation in China and is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Several other Class 1 novel drugs, including next-generation cardiovascular and cerebrovascular therapeutics and long-acting HIV treatments, are in preclinical studies. Genuine Biotech’s globally leading research on unique, all-oral, long-acting antiviral agents is nearing completion of preclinical studies, promising to provide new and superior therapeutic options for chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B.

Yifeng Capital is one of the earliest specialized biopharmaceutical investment firms in China. Its investment team comprises PhDs in biopharmaceutical sciences from top-tier universities both domestically and internationally, focusing on global venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investments in the biopharmaceutical sector. The firm has successfully facilitated the public listings of companies such as Chipscreen Biosciences, Frontier Biotechnologies, Ascentage Pharma, Pumen Technology, and Harbour BioMed. Furthermore, Obio Technology, Yahong Medicine, 3D Medicines, and Northcore Life Sciences have all submitted IPO applications and are poised to list on the STAR Market and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in due course.

Yingke Innovation Asset Management Co., Ltd. was established in 2010 and is headquartered in Shanghai. It was among the first institutions to be registered with the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC). The company is a mixed-ownership enterprise with equity participation from large financial institutions and multiple state-owned enterprises. As of the end of 2020, its assets under management (AUM) totaled nearly RMB 50 billion. Over 90% of the funds under its stewardship come from large institutional investors, including financial institutions, central state-owned enterprises, and listed companies, making it one of the private equity (PE) firms with the highest number of appointments to the white lists of asset managers maintained by financial institutions.

Desano was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in the Zhangjiang High-Tech Park in Shanghai. Focusing on antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS, the company is dedicated to the research and development, manufacturing, registration, and global sales of high-quality pharmaceuticals. Desano comprises four high-tech enterprises and operates five production bases in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi that comply with cGMP and EHS standards for the manufacture of drug formulations, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and intermediates.

Yashang Capital is the equity investment platform of Yashang Group and one of China’s earliest professional institutions engaged in venture capital and private equity. Focusing on entrepreneurs in high-growth industries and growth-stage companies with strong expansion potential, Yashang Capital has established and managed over ten funds totaling more than RMB 7 billion since 2000. The firm specializes in early-stage and growth-stage investments, providing value-added services to portfolio companies. With branches and subsidiary funds located in major economic hubs across China, Yashang Capital collaborates with local government guidance funds to deeply cultivate and support regional enterprises.

China Fortune Financial Group Limited is an investment holding company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, with stock code 290. Through its principal subsidiary, Fortune Financial (Holdings) Limited, the Group holds Fortune Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, Junyi Futures Limited, Fortune Wealth Management Limited, Fortune Asset Management Limited, Fortune Media Consulting Limited, China Fortune Group Strategic Investment Limited, as well as representative offices established in Shenzhen and Beijing. The Group’s principal activities include brokerage services for securities, futures and insurance, margin financing, wealth management and immigration advisory services, asset management, as well as corporate finance, media consulting and corporate promotion services.