Leadeer Bio Secures Over RMB 50 Million in Series B Financing from Jinhe Capital to Advance Global Commercialization of Its 'Full-Immune' Diagnostic Platform

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that on August 19, 2019, LDEBIO secured a Series B strategic investment from Kinghall Ventures (a fund affiliated with KingMed Diagnostics), amounting to over RMB 50 million. The company will comprehensively expand its global marketing network and accelerate the market launch of its “Total Immunity” diagnostic platform products.

Group Photo of the Signing Ceremony

Hao Bixi, Director, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Board Secretary of KingMed Diagnostics; Wang Zhifei, Executive Director of Kinghall Ventures; Li Jia, Vice President of Investment at Kinghall Ventures; Huo Wei, Investment Manager at Kinghall Ventures; Xu Jinfu, Chairman of Tinci Materials; Huang Muyun, Deputy Investment Director at Fortune Capital; Lou Jianrong, Chairman of LDEBIO; and their respective executive teams jointly witnessed the signing ceremony.

Mr. Hao Bixi, Director and Senior Vice President of KingMed Diagnostics (left), and Dr. Lou Jianrong, Chairman of LDEBIO (right)

Mr. Wang Zhifei, Executive Director of Kinghall Ventures (left), and Dr. Lou Jianrong, Chairman of LDEBIO (right)

This strategic financing will better drive the R&D and market promotion of LDEBIO’s two major diagnostic products (for tuberculosis infection and rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, respectively), meeting the clinical diagnostic needs in these two disease areas.

According to the 2018 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), there are up to 1.7 billion people with latent tuberculosis infection globally, with approximately 10 million new cases of tuberculosis each year. In China, the population with latent tuberculosis infection reaches 300 million, with 5 million tuberculosis patients and approximately 900,000 new cases annually. Tuberculosis prevention and control is not only a challenge for China but also a global issue.

Meanwhile, as immunotherapy gains increasing prominence, the FDA mandates tuberculosis (TB) infection screening prior to the administration of immunosuppressive agents (such as TNF-α antagonists), presenting new challenges for TB prevention and control. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed the "End TB Strategy" with a target year of 2035, explicitly highlighting that strengthening screening and preventive treatment for latent tuberculosis infection among high-risk populations is key to TB prevention and control!

LDEBIO’s AIMTB precisely meets the need for accessible diagnosis of tuberculosis infection. As the world’s first portable and easily deployable product for diagnosing tuberculosis infection, AIMTB is currently the only IGRA-based tuberculosis infection detection system on the market suitable for screening and use across healthcare facilities at all levels. Leveraging its core advantages of “high performance, ease of operation, and portability,” it not only serves as an aid in the clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis but is also well-suited for screening applications, offering new possibilities for alleviating the global tuberculosis burden and holding substantial market potential and commercial value.

LDEBIO AIMTB Tuberculosis Infection Detection System

Furthermore, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) currently suffers from a relatively high rate of missed diagnoses, necessitating highly sensitive products for screening. Often referred to as "undying cancer," RA affects 5 million patients in China, with one-third experiencing irreversible disability. Early diagnosis and timely pharmacological intervention to control disease progression are critical. While the 2009 ACR guidelines identify anti-CCP and RF as key diagnostic markers for RA, a 30% miss rate persists. The novel biomarker RA_CP can detect an additional 40–50% of RA cases that test negative for anti-CCP, thereby improving patient detection rates and reducing missed diagnoses.

As the world’s first high-sensitivity innovative product for rheumatoid arthritis detection via antigen testing, LDEBIO’s RA_CP holds a distinct advantage in the early diagnosis and treatment of complex cases. When used in combination with CCP, it significantly enhances the sensitivity of the current gold standard, has gained recognition from leading domestic experts, and is poised to be included in international guidelines in the future.

LDEBIO RA_CP Diagnostic Reagent

Dr. Lou Jianrong, founder of LDEBIO, brings over two decades of experience in the IVD industry, having worked at several renowned companies in the United States and successfully developed 15 international IVD products, some of which remain best-sellers in the market today. He stated, “Innovation is the primary driving force behind corporate development, addressing clinical needs is the gold standard for product development, and core technologies constitute the key competitive barriers for enterprises.” After years of dedicated effort, the AIMTB and RA_CP products developed on LDEBIO’s “Total Immunity” platform have not only achieved independent research, development, and manufacturing of core raw materials but also realized breakthroughs and innovations beyond traditional technologies. The strategic partnership with Kinghall Ventures will not only accelerate the market deployment of the AIMTB and RA_CP products but also support the development of new products. We are confident in establishing LDEBIO as a world-leading brand for in vitro diagnostics of immune diseases.

Dr. Lou Jianrong, Founder of LDEBIO

Mr. Hao Bixi, Director and Senior Vice President of KingMed Diagnostics, stated: “LDEBIO is a leading company in a high-growth niche sector, identified by Kinghall Ventures’ investment and research team through in-depth industry analysis. LDEBIO’s independently developed AIMTB system for tuberculosis infection detection and its RA_CP diagnostic reagents for rheumatoid arthritis are both major innovative products that lead the industry. In particular, the superior performance of its tuberculosis products has made ‘AIMTB’ stand out among similar offerings, with its exceptional cost-effectiveness and ease of clinical operation leaving a strong impression. Kinghall Ventures is delighted to invest in LDEBIO. We believe LDEBIO is a deep-tech company with tremendous potential. With this strategic partnership with Kinghall Ventures, the company’s future will be even brighter!”

Mr. Hao Bixi, Director and Senior Vice President of KingMed Diagnostics

Guangzhou LDEBIO Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “LDEBIO”), located in the Science and Technology Innovation Base of Guangzhou Science City, is a technology-driven enterprise specializing in “Total Immunity” diagnostic systems—a new generation of in vitro diagnostic technologies. Since its establishment in November 2013, LDEBIO has built a comprehensive platform for research and development (R&D), production, and sales. Currently, LDEBIO operates two R&D centers—one in Guangzhou, China, and the other in Gaithersburg, USA—as well as the LDE Medical Laboratory. The company has assembled a core team of R&D and laboratory professionals led by distinguished talents from Guangdong Province’s “Pearl River Talent Program,” Guangzhou’s Innovative Leading Talents, Guangzhou Development District’s Entrepreneurial Leading Talents, and overseas-returnee Ph.D. holders. Over 70% of its R&D staff hold master’s or doctoral degrees. LDEBIO has been recognized as a Guangzhou Science and Technology Little Giant Enterprise, a Postdoctoral Innovation Center, and a National High-Tech Enterprise.

Kinghall Ventures is an investment firm focused on the healthcare and medical sectors. The fund manager boasts over 20 years of experience in the medical industry and has successfully built China’s largest third-party medical laboratory testing institution. The inaugural fund has gained recognition from numerous institutional investors, including well-known domestic funds of funds. Kinghall Ventures will make strategic deep investments in fields such as in vitro diagnostics (IVD), build an industrial ecosystem, and is committed to leveraging the synergy between industry and capital to cultivate enterprises with international competitiveness.