Elixiron Immunotherapeutics Secures Nearly RMB 200 Million in Series A+ Financing to Accelerate Development of Next-Generation Immunotherapies

VCBeat learned at the earliest opportunity,Elixiron Immunotherapeutics (“Elixiron”), a source-innovation enterprise focused on developing next-generation immunotherapies, announced the completion of its nearly RMB 200 million Series A+ financing round.This financing round was led by PanGu Venture Capital and Taishan Investment, with participation from CDIB Capital, DCI Partners of Daiwa Securities Group, Mega International Commercial Bank, Fubon Financial Holding, and Hongtai Electric, among other institutional investors.

The proceeds from this round of financing will be used to accelerate the company's development of multiple therapies, including those for the treatment ofCancer, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chronic Hepatitis B, and Autoimmune Diseasesinnovative immunotherapy drugs, including.

Anli Xirong byDr. Chen Hongkai, a Chinese-American and renowned expert in translational medicineFounded in 2017, the company’s executive team includes Dr. Pandelakis Koni, former R&D Director at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy in the United States, and Ms. Duan Xiaohua, who previously held roles in clinical development and medical affairs management at multinational pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca, Bayer, and GSK.

In August last year, Anli Xirong received a $1 million grant from the 2020 Part the Cloud-Gates Partnership, a collaborative initiative by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and the Alzheimer’s Association, to advance the clinical research and development of its novel immunotherapy drug candidate, EI1071. As the world’s largest non-profit research program dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, the partnership aims to accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics. Previous recipients have predominantly been top-tier research institutions in Europe and North America, making Anli Xirong the first awardee from Asia last year—a testament to the strong R&D capabilities of its research team.

It is reported that,Anli Xirong has advanced its novel immunotherapy drug candidate, EI1071, into Phase I clinical trials and is currently conducting multicenter clinical studies globally.It is also worth noting that Anli Xirong has made rapid progress in just one year, swiftly advancing its two other product pipelines—targeting chronic hepatitis B and immune diseases, respectively—to new stages.

Dr. Chen Hongkai, Founder and Chairman of Anli XirongDisclosed to VCBeat,The monoclonal antibody drug developed by the company for chronic hepatitis B is about to undergo Phase I clinical trials in Australia. In addition, Anli Xirong has partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim, a globally leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in the biopharmaceutical industry, to complete cGMP manufacturing and clinical trial application for this monoclonal antibody drug.

Leveraging its independently developed innovative T-action Technology platform, Anli Xirong will continuously develop more cutting-edge, high-quality product pipelines in fields such as cancer immunotherapy and advance innovation in drug development targets.The in-depth collaborations established with numerous world-leading research institutions and pharmaceutical giants will also provide substantial support for the company’s advancement of its R&D roadmap and the industrialization of its products. The company is internationally positioned, aiming to develop innovative medicines that truly benefit life and health for global clinical patients with unmet medical needs.

Regarding the successful financing, Dr. Chen Hongkai stated, “I firmly believe that only revolutionary innovation can create the greatest value. Therefore, since its establishment, Anli Xirong has been steadfastly committed to the path of independent innovation.”The first stage is innovation in clinical indications,We leverage translational medicine to deeply explore the key mechanisms of disease treatment, discovering novel immunomodulatory therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and chronic hepatitis B. Currently, two new drug candidates have been advanced into clinical trials.The second phase is the innovation of the antibody development platform,Leveraging the unique capability of our innovative T-action Technology platform to significantly enhance the activity of intratumoral T cells, we have established a pipeline of novel bispecific antibody drugs for cancer immunotherapy.The third stage is the innovation of targets,"Leveraging the strengths of our antibody development platform, we have accelerated the pace of target innovation. Particularly in the field of tumor regulatory T cells, our novel antibody drugs targeting newly discovered targets have entered the ranks of world leaders. This is the 'Innovation Trilogy' of Anli Xirong."

Ms. Duan Xiaohua, General Manager of Anli Xirong, stated, “The strong interest and robust support from both domestic and international investors in this financing round affirm the recognition of Anli Xirong’s team for its source-innovative R&D achievements. We will spare no effort to accelerate the development of next-generation novel immunotherapies. Through our dedicated efforts, we aim to achieve outstanding results across multiple fields of innovative medicines in China, provide more advanced therapies, and alleviate the suffering of patients.”

Li Lining, Executive Partner of the Life Sciences Division at PanGu Ventures, stated, “Anli Xirong Biopharmaceutical is an emerging innovative pharmaceutical company with global competitiveness. Notably, it is the first Asian pharmaceutical company to receive joint funding from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and the Alzheimer’s Association to collaborate on advancing clinical trials of an innovative immunotherapy for neurodegenerative diseases. This product has also attracted attention from multiple pharmaceutical companies; last year, Anli Xirong granted the development rights for the Chinese region to Fobei Bio, with a total contract value reaching RMB 900 million. Furthermore, in the hotly contested field of novel cancer immunotherapies, the company is developing a highly innovative pipeline of antibody-based new drugs in collaboration with the internationally renowned Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Therefore, we are very optimistic about the company’s future prospects.”

Dr. Wang Bin, General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim China BioPharmaceuticals, stated, “Congratulations to Anli Xirong on the successful approval of its novel antibody drug for clinical trials. We are delighted to witness our partner achieve another key milestone in its innovative drug development. Leveraging Boehringer Ingelheim’s world-class technology platform and manufacturing supply system, we remain committed to continuously supporting our partners’ innovative projects, ensuring high-quality standards throughout product development and production, and delivering more innovative therapies to patients worldwide.”

Global Media Contact: Janie Chu

Email: media@elixiron.com

Anli Xirong (Shanghai) Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. (Elixiron Immunotherapeutics (Shanghai) Limited) is a Shanghai-based, globally focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative immunotherapies driven by translational medicine. Its current R&D pipeline features multiple novel drug candidates for the treatment of cancer, neurological disorders, chronic hepatitis B, and autoimmune diseases.

Pangu Venture Capital, established in 2007, is an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to investing in emerging industries. With a well-developed investment philosophy and model, the firm has consistently adhered to an investment approach centered on corporate core competitiveness since its inception. Upholding the core values of efficiently allocating social resources and growing alongside creative and innovative enterprises and entrepreneurs through shared challenges, Pangu Venture Capital focuses its investments primarily on information technology, life sciences, artificial intelligence, and related fields. The company currently manages assets exceeding RMB 4 billion. In the life sciences sector, its focus spans various innovative technology platforms, including new drug discovery platforms, novel drug modalities and innovative therapies, as well as omics-based molecular diagnostics.

Boehringer Ingelheim BioPharma is a globally leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biopharmaceuticals. As a pioneer in the biopharmaceutical industry, the company boasts over 35 years of experience in the development and manufacturing of biological drugs and has successfully launched 40 biologics onto the global market to date. Boehringer Ingelheim’s partners span the globe, including top-20 multinational pharmaceutical companies, well-established biotechnology firms, and R&D-focused startups. Through its manufacturing network in Germany, Austria, the United States, and China, Boehringer Ingelheim’s biopharmaceutical CDMO business provides personalized, one-stop services ranging from DNA to finished drug products. It ensures the development and supply of products throughout their entire lifecycle—from research and development to commercialization—delivering biologics of international premier quality to patients worldwide.