Amwise Diagnostics Secures Tens of Millions in USD in Series B First Close to Advance Precision Prognostic Assessment for Breast Cancer in Asian Populations

Amwise Diagnostics recently completed a multi-million-dollar financing round, led by Jiangsu Simcere Medical Diagnostics Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Simcere Holdings. The two parties have also established a strategic partnership. The funds raised will be primarily used to advance the comprehensive upgrade of RecurIndex®, an Asian breast cancer recurrence risk assessment test, in the mainland China market. Previously, Amwise Diagnostics’ patented technologies in precision oncology received Series A financing support in 2016 from Alibaba Group, WI Harper Group, Lippo Group Indonesia, and other private equity firms.

Anzhi Biomedicine is the technological leader in precision oncology in Asia. Since 2000, its Chief Scientist has developed the core technology of Rekeying at Duke University in the United States and Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center in Taiwan. Through 15 years of clinical follow-up, genetic research, and statistical analysis, the company has ultimately completed the world’s only breast cancer recurrence risk test developed using an Asian genomic database, providing precise tumor testing solutions for clinical practice.

Current treatment strategies for early-stage breast cancer are primarily surgical, often supplemented by chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation therapy postoperatively, based on pathological subtypes such as cancer stage and hormone receptor status, to reduce the risk of future recurrence. As breast cancer diagnosis and treatment become increasingly precise, breast specialists aim to accurately identify patients who truly require chemotherapy and radiation therapy, thereby alleviating patient suffering and improving diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency.

As breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide, meeting patients’ increasingly diverse and differentiated needs represents the greatest challenge for the industry. Cancer gene sequencing, serving as a foundational diagnostic tool for personalized medicine, has a clearly defined growth trajectory.

Not long ago, Anzhi Biomedicine won the first prize in the 2018 Hangzhou Overseas High-Level Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Maker Competition) by virtue of its core technologies. It was invited to establish its base in Xiaoshan, Hangzhou. Since then, the company has actively expanded its strategic layout in 2019, entering into a strategic partnership with Simcere Diagnostics. Leveraging Rekeying’s core technologies, it officially launched the “28-Gene Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk Assessment Test” and continues to attract elite talents from home and abroad to join its core team. Building on Simcere Diagnostics’ pioneering “pharmaceuticals + diagnostics” integrated business model in China, this strong alliance fosters mutual progress and drives the development of China’s molecular diagnostics market.

In particular, whereas current testing tools developed based on the genetics of European and American populations are limited to assessing the risk of distant metastasis in patients with early-stage luminal breast cancer, the Ruiking technology, developed using an Asian genetic database, is the first to differentiate between high and low risks of both distant metastasis and local recurrence. By integrating clinical and pathological factors such as patient age and tumor size, it provides a more comprehensive service to breast cancer patients, assisting physicians and patients in formulating appropriate postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens.

The lead investor, Simcere Diagnostics’ breast cancer project team, believes that historical understanding and management of breast cancer have largely been derived from Western research data. However, disease manifestations—including epidemiology and tumor biological characteristics—vary across different ethnic groups. To address these clinical concerns, Ruikeying Technology has the potential to evolve into a genetic diagnostic and risk assessment service better suited for domestic patients. Leveraging Simcere Diagnostics’ industry advantages and the standardized expertise established by the National Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine and Innovative Drugs under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Chinese breast cancer patients can now access precise, efficient, reliable, and technologically advanced diagnostic products and services domestically, without the need to seek care overseas.

In response, Huang Xianlin, CEO of Anzhi Biomedical, expressed his excitement about the participation of investors in this round, particularly partners with strong industry reputations and innovation experience such as Simcere Diagnostics. He extended his sincere gratitude to all investors for their continued recognition and commitment, working side by side with the Anzhi team to achieve a major breakthrough in the market promotion of Recoin technology in 2020, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of cancer patients.

Benefiting from the rapid development of China’s biotechnology and healthcare industries, the oncology genetic testing sector holds immense potential for growth and transformative impact. Every practical step taken today is crucial, as it contributes to the accumulation of real-world data and industry expertise. This foundation will enable comprehensive improvements in patient treatment outcomes and quality of life in the near future, ultimately benefiting a broader population of cancer patients.

AnZhi Biomedicine is a technological leader in precision oncology, leveraging patented gene analysis testing technologies to assist physicians and patients in formulating the most appropriate treatment strategies, thereby achieving optimized therapeutic efficacy and minimized side effects through personalized medical applications. Established in 2015, AnZhi Biomedicine has set up offices in Singapore and Taipei, Taiwan. In 2018, its project “Big Data on Genes for Predicting Tumor Recurrence” stood out among projects from over 20 countries and regions, including 225 entries by foreign nationals and 491 by overseas-educated Chinese participants, winning the First Prize at the Hangzhou Overseas High-Level Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Maker Competition). Subsequently, AnHuaiZhi Biomedical Technology (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. was established in 2019, with a base built in Xiaoshan, Hangzhou. The company continues to attract elite talents from both domestic and international markets, actively promotes scientific validation and clinical collaborations with top-tier (Grade A tertiary) hospitals in China, and advances precision treatment for breast cancer among the Chinese population while establishing a multi-gene testing database for Chinese breast cancer patients.

Jiangsu Simcere Medical Diagnostics Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Simcere Holdings, is a provider of precision medicine solutions dedicated to creating a diagnostic product and service system that is precise, comprehensive, rapid, and accessible in areas posing major challenges to human health. By integrating multiple leading molecular testing platforms with bioinformatics analysis capabilities, Simcere Diagnostics provides healthcare professionals and medical institutions with a foundation for precision medicine decision-making in therapeutic areas such as oncology, central nervous system disorders, infectious diseases, pharmacogenomics, and autoimmune diseases. Additionally, Simcere Diagnostics offers direct-to-consumer medical testing services, enhancing the quality, efficiency, and experience of public healthcare through innovative service models.