Yicoll Biotech Secures Additional Investment from Huatai Zijin to Advance Biosynthesis Platform

VCBeat (WeChat: vcbeat) has learned that Huatai Zijin’s Zijin Hongyun Fund has recently made a follow-on investment in Abiochem Biotechnology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (“Abiochem”). The proceeds from this financing round will be used to initiate the preliminary construction of a new industrial transformation platform in the Chongqing Changshou Economic and Technological Development Zone. Other co-investors include Haifu China-Belgium Fund, Xiaomiao Fund, and existing shareholder Broadhi Capital.

Abiochem Biotechnology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. is an innovator and leader in the emerging fields of biosynthesis and synthetic biology in China.

Biosynthesis is a frontier research area in contemporary biology. It is gradually replacing traditional chemical synthesis methods and has become a key technology in international “green synthesis.” Unlike traditional chemical synthesis, the core of biosynthesis lies in the use of biological enzymes as catalysts. In contrast to traditional chemical reactions, which generate substantial waste, cause severe pollution, require harsh reaction conditions, and pose significant safety hazards, enzyme-catalyzed biosynthesis offers prominent advantages, including being environmentally benign, safe, highly specific, and exhibiting high atom economy. It represents a technological innovation with enormous potential for industrialization.

Synthetic biology is an innovative branch that represents a further extension of biosynthesis toward engineering, and it is regarded as one of the emerging technological industries with the potential to lead future transformative changes. By applying engineering principles and methods to the field of biotechnology, and guided by the concept of “rational design of life,” synthetic biology integrates enzyme engineering and genetic engineering technologies to achieve the artificial design and synthesis of biological systems, ranging from gene fragments, DNA molecules, gene regulatory networks, and signal transduction pathways to entire cells. This approach enables the large-scale industrial production of complex natural products.

Abiochem is currently a leading enterprise in China’s biosynthetic catalysis sector, boasting robust R&D capabilities. It possesses an enzyme library of over 20,000 enzymes, covering 21 classes of chemical reactions. The company also has the capacity for innovative enzyme engineering, fermentation, immobilization, and application in large-scale production, continuously expanding its competitive edge through sustained innovation.

Furthermore, Abiochem is one of the few synthetic biology companies in China with a complete “industry-academia-research” value chain. It has successfully industrialized laboratory research achievements at its own production base (Abiochem (Taizhou) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), with annual output value rapidly exceeding RMB 200 million within one year after the full acquisition.

Abiochem is also one of the fastest companies in China to industrialize synthetic biology, having already achieved the industrial production of high-value chemicals. Abiochem has upgraded its route from biocatalysis combined with chemical synthesis to an “in vivo” synthetic biology approach, enabling the mass production of multiple products.

Since its establishment in 2015, Abiochem Biotechnology Co., Ltd. completed its Series A financing led by Honghui Capital in 2018 and its Series B financing led by Huatai Zijin Investment Co.,Ltd. in 2019. Other investors included Broadhi Capital, New Agricultural Capital, and Yida Capital. To date, the company has secured a total of RMB 350 million in financing.

Huatai Zijin has cultivated deep expertise in the healthcare sector for many years, establishing a precise investment positioning and accumulating extensive industry resources to build a healthcare ecosystem with distinctive Huatai characteristics. By focusing on leading enterprises as strategic anchors, Huatai Zijin has seen several portfolio companies in the broader health segment—including Mindray Medical (300760), Getein Biotech (603387), Borui Medicine (688166), Pumen Technology (688389), Shuoshi Biotech (688399), Adda Pharma (688488), and RemeGen (9995.HK)—successfully list on stock exchanges. Additionally, multiple other projects are currently in the process of or preparing for imminent listings on domestic and international capital markets.

Haifu Industrial Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd. is the first industrial investment fund management company approved for establishment by the State Council, formed as a joint venture between Haitong Securities Co., Ltd. and BNP Paribas Investment Partners BE Holding Company (formerly Fortis Investment Management of Belgium). The company currently manages the China-Belgium Direct Equity Investment Fund (hereinafter referred to as the “China-Belgium Fund”) and Haifu Changjiang Growth Equity Investment (Hubei) Partnership (Limited Partnership) (hereinafter referred to as the “Haifu Changjiang Growth Fund”). Its limited partners (LPs) include major institutions such as the National Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Finance, China Development Bank, China State-owned Capital Venture Investment Company, and China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation. To date, the company has invested in over 80 projects, with nearly 30 achieving exit through A-share initial public offerings (IPOs). Notable portfolio companies include Goldwind Science & Technology, Ganfeng Lithium, Changxin Technology, Huayou Cobalt, and JL Mag Rare-Earth. With investment returns ranking among the industry leaders, the company has been repeatedly recognized as one of China’s Best Private Equity Firms by Forbes China, Zero2IPO, China Venture, and Financing China.

Broadhi Capital, established in 2010, has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Henan. With investment activities spanning across China, it has grown into a leading professional equity investment firm in the country. The firm currently manages over ten funds, with assets under management nearing RMB 4 billion, focusing on investments in healthcare, consumption upgrading, and other sectors. It has completed nearly 100 project investments, with almost 20 portfolio companies successfully going public, including Meinian Onehealth (002044), Wanrun Shares (002643), and Haoxiangni (002582).

Shanghai Zizhu Xiaomiao Equity Investment Fund Co., Ltd. was established in July 2015 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shanghai Zizhu High-Tech Park (Group) Co., Ltd. Adhering to the philosophy of “Base + Industry + Investment,” Xiaomiao Fund is committed to contributing to the development of Shanghai’s Science and Technology Innovation Center. Based in the Zizhu National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, with a focus on Minhang District and coverage across Shanghai, the fund also extends its reach domestically and internationally. Leveraging the agglomeration advantages of renowned universities and enterprises, Xiaomiao Fund specializes in investing in technology-driven projects, with core focuses on next-generation information technology and intelligent manufacturing, while also covering other fields of technological innovation. Guided by the needs of tech entrepreneurs, the fund provides portfolio companies with a range of value-added services, including strategic planning, corporate governance, refinancing, management improvement, resource matchmaking, and capital operations, thereby helping startups overcome survival challenges, achieve growth, and successfully go public.