Yuanguji Secures Nearly RMB 100 Million Series A Funding to Empower High-Level LDT Development in Regional Central Hospitals

VCBeat learned at the earliest opportunity,Guangzhou Ancient Times of Genomics Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Ancient Times of Genomics”) announced the completion of its Series A financing round, raising nearly RMB 100 million.This funding round was co-led by Dongpingheng Capital and Danlu Capital, with Jiangsu Wuzhong Pharmaceutical Development Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: 600200), an A-share listed company specializing in respiratory medications, participating as a strategic investor. The proceeds from this round will be primarily used for the construction of medical laboratories, GMP-compliant manufacturing facilities, and on-site localized application centers within hospitals, as well as for the registration and approval of medical device products. These efforts aim to accelerate the deployment of localized solutions for mNGS and LDTs, thereby empowering regional central hospitals to achieve high-level development in their respiratory specialties.

ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS, established in 2019, has a founding team with five years of experience in comprehensive team building and collaboration, as well as over ten years of cross-industry success in marketing and operations. Based on policy trends and the founding team’s insights into the industry, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS keenly identified the market opportunity in pathogen detection for infectious diseases.

Data show that in China, infections caused by pathogens such as bacteria or viruses affect more than 200 million people annually, among whom over 50 million patients undergo pathogen infection testing each year. According to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths from infectious diseases account for 19% of total global mortality. Among various infectious diseases, respiratory infectious diseases are the most contagious. Severe cases of these infections are characterized by acute onset, rapid progression, and complex pathogens; therefore, the ability to detect pathogenic microorganisms more rapidly and accurately is critical.

Currently, sequencing technology is advancing rapidly in China. Due to varying disease manifestations, testing methodologies differ, making the precise integration of these technologies into clinical practice a significant challenge. The extent to which the entire workflow is optimized for clinical service directly determines the competitive differentiation among various solutions.

As a technology-driven enterprise centered on the respiratory infection sector, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS provides comprehensive clinical solutions for respiratory infections. These solutions are anchored in molecular diagnostics (including but not limited to mNGS, next-generation sequencing, and third-generation sequencing) and encompass the entire workflow, including testing, products, equipment, technologies, interpretation, multidisciplinary consultation, scientific research, pharmaceuticals, and treatment.

As the platform technology support company for the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS collaborates with the Institute to provide clinical professional service support, develop instruments and diagnostic reagents, and obtain certifications from the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA). Leveraging respiratory infection-related products as a focal point, the company utilizes its team’s expertise and advantages in regulatory certification to promote the industrialization and standardization of testing products. This effort aims to advance the localization of the entire molecular diagnostics industry chain while facilitating the industrial translation of precision respiratory medicine and testing products.

With a series of policy supports from the Shaoxing Municipal Government, including subsidies for factory leasing, GMP workshop construction, and laboratory platform development, as well as support from industrial funds, talent acquisition initiatives, and matchmaking with medical resources, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS has initiated the construction of a GMP-compliant cleanroom facility in Shaoxing. Subsequently, the company will establish a center for reagent registration certificate applications, leveraging this center to facilitate partial industrial transformation efforts.

ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS, with its core focus on the respiratory infection sector, deeply understands that specialized department development is a key direction for the future healthcare market. With the support of the National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, it provides clinical respiratory expertise and professional medical technical support to partnered regional central hospitals. The company engages in collaborative clinical services, including local laboratory development, precision medicine testing, research collaboration platforms, biobanking, and talent training, while also promoting localized Laboratory Developed Tests (LDT) solutions to establish long-term cooperative mechanisms.

Currently, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS has successfully signed contracts with numerous top-tier medical institutions across China and is jointly advancing the establishment of localized application centers.

In the future, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS will closely align with clinical needs and support the development of respiratory infection specialties. Leveraging its Molecular Testing Center as a platform and its Biobank for data support, the company will accelerate the localization of mNGS solutions, assist regional central hospitals in establishing LDT laboratories, promote high-level development of respiratory specialties, and facilitate precise clinical diagnosis and treatment of infections.

The Dongpingheng Capital Investment Team stated that it is honored to participate in this round of financing for ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS, marking a significant investment layout in the field of molecular diagnostics for pathogenic microorganisms. We are highly optimistic about the team at ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS, led by Chairman Bao Wei. This is an outstanding team characterized by passion, courage, and extensive R&D management experience in the field of molecular diagnostics. They are striving to use metagenomic sequencing technology as an entry point to enrich and expand other molecular technology platforms, dedicated to addressing the clinical need for faster and more accurate pathogenic microbiological diagnosis for infected patients. The company has also gained recognition and support from many senior clinical experts in the industry. As the first institutional investor in ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS, Dongpingheng Capital will remain committed to being a "nanny-style" investor, staying true to its original aspiration and mission, and working hand in hand with the team to forge ahead in the field of molecular diagnostics.

Ms. Lu Qinchao, Founding and Managing Partner of Danlu Capital, stated: “The field of respiratory pathogen detection holds immense potential. The management team at ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS boasts excellent overall competence and strong execution capabilities, with comprehensive integration capabilities across the upstream and downstream industry chain, experience in building service networks, and a long-term clinical collaboration with the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health. As a joint lead investor in the Series A round, Danlu is highly optimistic about the development of this sector and remains confident in the company’s future.”

Zhang Shuaixin, Deputy General Manager of Jiangsu Wuzhong Pharmaceutical Group, stated, “As an industry player specializing in respiratory antiviral drugs, we are firmly optimistic about the application of molecular diagnostics in the field of respiratory infections. Diagnosis is critically important in the treatment of patients with respiratory infections, and rapid, high-throughput molecular technologies have already demonstrated exceptional potential in this area. Driven by innovation, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS has provided highly promising, unique, and comprehensive solutions tailored to appropriate clinical scenarios. We are confident in the ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS team’s sustained creativity and extensive industry experience in the field of respiratory infections, and we look forward to their platform technologies and product portfolio bringing new clinical options to patients at an early date.”

Bao Wei, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS, stated: “We sincerely appreciate the recognition and trust from investors in this funding round. With the support of our investors and partner institutions, ANCIENT TIMES OF GENOMICS will accelerate its industry layout, continue to deepen its focus on the respiratory infection sector, and contribute to advancing the era of specialized precision medicine.”

Dongpingheng Capital is a core enterprise of the Nanjing Jiangning Science and Technology Innovation Investment Group. It currently manages multiple government fund-of-funds, the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Technology Transfer Fund, venture capital funds, and industry-specific funds, covering all stages from angel investing to venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE). It is a well-known early-stage professional investment institution in the industry. Dongpingheng Capital consistently adheres to the philosophy of “enhancing the value of what is already valuable,” vigorously promotes its corporate culture of “integrity, diligence, openness, and balance,” strives to serve entrepreneurs, and remains loyal to investors. The firm has received numerous accolades, including being ranked among China’s Top 100 Best Venture Capital Institutions, China’s Top 50 Best Chinese-funded Venture Capital Institutions, and China’s Top 10 Most Promising Venture Capital Institutions in the 2018 Zero2IPO Awards, as well as honors such as “Jiangsu Province Leading Brand Enterprise in Venture Capital,” “Jiangsu Province Outstanding Venture Capital Team,” and “Nanjing City’s Top Ten Venture Capital Institutions.”

Danlu Capital is an investment firm specializing in early-stage equity investments in innovative medical technologies. Founded in early 2018 by Lu Qinchao, former Partner at Sequoia Capital China, and Su Zhenbo, former Managing Partner at Fenxiang Investment Management, its core team members all hail from renowned venture capital firms and possess extensive healthcare industry resources in both China and the United States.

Currently, Danlu Capital manages two RMB-denominated funds, with investors including renowned market-oriented fund-of-funds, asset management firms, government guidance funds, industrial capital, family offices, and listed companies. Danlu Capital continues to deepen its focus on the early-stage healthcare and life sciences sector, systematically investing across multiple domains such as innovative medical technologies—including high-value consumables, in vitro diagnostic reagents, consumer healthcare, and digital health—as well as innovative drugs and novel healthcare services.

Jiangsu Wuzhong is a comprehensive pharmaceutical enterprise focused on multiple fields, including respiratory and infectious diseases. The company ranks among the Top 100 Chinese Chemical Pharmaceutical Industrial Enterprises in terms of comprehensive strength, is a National Key High-Tech Enterprise under the Torch Program, serves as a Vice-President Unit of the Jiangsu Pharmaceutical Industry Association, and acts as the President Unit of the Suzhou Pharmaceutical Industry Association. Jiangsu Wuzhong remains committed to the long-term development of drugs in the respiratory and antiviral sectors, building an integrated "big health" industry chain that combines pharmaceutical manufacturing with medical services.