Aqbiopharma Secures RMB 30 Million in Equity Financing to Advance Fluorinated Drug Innovation and Production Facility
VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that AQ BioPharma (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. recently received investment from Lishui Nancheng New Area Investment Development Co., Ltd.Lead equity financing of RMB 30 million. The proceeds will be primarily used for the development of fluorine-containing novel drugs by the company and its subsidiaries.Lishui Lufu Technology Co., Ltd.'sConstruction of the production base, which is expected to be completed in2020To be completed and put into use by the end of the year.
AQ BioPharma (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries constitute a pharmaceutical R&D platform primarily focused on fluorine-containing drugs. Founded in 2007 in Zhangjiang Pharma Valley, the company has multiple shareholders, including Zhangjiang Torch Venture Capital. The company is mainly engaged in the R&D of new fluorine-containing drugs and the R&D and production of related products, such as building blocks for new fluorine-containing drugs or fluorinated pharmaceutical intermediates. It also specializes in process development for fluorine-containing drugs and provides related technical services. Led by Dr. Lu Shoufu, a recipient of the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award, the company has assembled a management team comprising multiple PhDs with extensive experience in innovative drug R&D, international market expansion, and international trade. The team possesses core technologies in the pharmaceutical field, as well as substantial domestic and international market and entrepreneurial experience.
It is reported that AQ BioPharma has undertaken numerous national and local scientific research fund projects. In 2019, the company jointly established the "Shanghai Green Fluorinated Pharmaceutical Engineering Technology Research Center" with Shanghai Institute of Technology. Currently, the company’s fluorinated pharmaceutical intermediate products are at an internationally advanced level, with 30% of its processes and products reaching a leading position. AQ BioPharma’s fluorinated new drug building block products have facilitated the progression of new drug projects for more than ten domestic and international enterprises to clinical Phase I–III stages. The company has filed 25 invention patents, and multiple fluorinated new drug R&D projects are currently underway.
In recent decades, fluorinated drugs have witnessed rapid development, occupying a prominent position among small-molecule therapeutics. Notable examples include sofosbuvir for the treatment of hepatitis C and favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19. Fluorinated drugs play a crucial role in the management of various diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, central nervous system disorders, cardiovascular conditions, and immune-related disorders. Since 2010, more than 30% of new chemical entities approved annually by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been fluorinated drugs, with this proportion exceeding 35% in recent years.
