Zhongyi Anke Completes RMB 250 Million Series A Financing to Advance Independent R&D of Human Vaccines

Arterial New Medicine (WeChat ID: biobeat1) has learned that Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. recently announced the completion of its Series A financing round, raising RMB 250 million. The round was jointly funded by new and existing investors, including Beizeng Asset, Yifeng Capital, Huaige Capital, China Securities Co., Ltd., Kunding/Guoyu, and Guosheng Biology. Jenner Biological Technology disclosed that the proceeds from this financing will be primarily used for the construction of a new manufacturing facility, as well as for new product development and clinical trials.

Mr. Gao Hui, Chairman of Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., stated, “We are delighted to secure financial support from prestigious professional investment institutions. This round of financing reflects the investment community’s recognition of Jenner Biological Technology’s position in China’s human vaccine technology sector and its achievements in new product development. The funding will help accelerate the market launch of our new products. We will strive even harder to reward the trust of both existing and new shareholders through concrete actions and performance.”

Mr. Cheng Zhipeng, Partner at Beizeng Asset Management, stated that investment in the vaccine sector is primarily driven by considerations of social value and market demand.

As is well known, the social cost of effective disease prevention is far lower than that of disease treatment. Statistical data from developed countries show that the benefit-to-cost ratio of the vaccine industry can exceed 16:1, demonstrating that vaccination is a highly cost-effective measure for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

Currently, the market penetration rates of many Category II vaccines in China are far lower than those in developed countries, resulting in supply falling short of demand. For instance, the supply-to-demand ratio for influenza vaccines was approximately 1:3 in 2018. However, due to the impact of the Shandong vaccine incident and the Changsheng Bio-technology scandal, the investment community has generally remained cautious toward the vaccine industry. Given the high barriers to R&D, substantial capital requirements for production, and lengthy approval cycles, leading domestic vaccine enterprises require financial support for their development, thereby creating favorable opportunities for investment.

Mr. Cheng Zhipeng pointed out that Beizeng Asset’s investment in Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. was primarily driven by the company’s differentiated product technology. With its unique technology platform and a strategy focused on product differentiation, Jenner Biological is better positioned to meet the disease prevention needs of diverse populations. Meanwhile, the company boasts a robust pipeline of products, including vaccines for meningococcal disease, rabies, rubella, and varicella.

Secondly, Jenner Biological Technology boasts an excellent core team. Its actual controller possesses strong operational and management capabilities and has been passionately dedicated to the vaccine industry for the past decade. From R&D and production to sales, the senior executive team comprises well-known industry veterans.

Finally, the company maintains a reasonable equity structure. In addition to the absolute controlling stake held by the actual controller, the company has granted significant equity incentives to senior executives and core technical personnel, accounting for more than 20% of the current total share capital. This robust incentive system ensures high stability within the core team. With the expansion of production capacity at its Tianjin headquarters and Liaoning production base, coupled with market expansion of existing products and the launch of new varieties, Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. is expected to reach a new level of development, thereby creating greater social and economic value.

Dr. Lei Ning, Managing Director at Yifeng Capital, stated: “In investing in Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., we identified several key highlights. First, its products are positioned in the mid-to-high-end segment, targeting influenza—a condition with chronic vaccine shortages—where current market penetration is low and growth potential is substantial. Second, the company has sustained R&D investment over many years, resulting in a robust product pipeline and scarce bacterial strains. Third, it maintains consistent cash flow and an improving financial position. Fourth, the actual controller demonstrates clear strategic vision, strong capabilities, and effective execution.”

Dr. Du Jiangbo, Partner at HuaiGe Capital, told VCBeat New Medicine, “Currently, among the more than 30 domestic vaccine manufacturers with batch release volumes, over half only have one vaccine approved for batch release, indicating limited R&D capabilities and a singular product portfolio. Furthermore, the national government is continuously raising the entry barriers for the vaccine industry, forcibly driving internal consolidation within the sector. Based on this logic, the HuaiGe team has proactively positioned itself in the vaccine industry, seeking vaccine enterprises with the potential to become leaders in niche markets. The R&D and production team at Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. possesses extensive experience; the company has one marketed product, multiple candidates in clinical stages, comprehensive bacterial and viral strain resources, and deep technical reserves. All these factors have laid a solid foundation for Jenner Biological to stand out in future industry consolidation. Meanwhile, the HuaiGe team highly aligns with the company’s management team regarding their future planning and strategic path, remains optimistic about the enterprise’s future development, and is committed to growing alongside the company.”

CITIC Securities Capital stated: “The vaccine industry features high technical barriers and long R&D cycles. We remain firmly optimistic about China’s path toward independent innovation in vaccines, with a particular focus on companies equipped with top-tier scientific research teams and those developing breakthrough novel vaccine candidates. We are bullish on the management team and technology platform of Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. We will continue to identify investment opportunities in the vaccine sector, supporting the development of domestically produced vaccines toward greater safety and efficacy.”

Mr. Lu Lihui, Partner at Ningbo Guoyu Asset Management Co., Ltd., stated: “Vaccines are essential products for safeguarding human health, and ‘prevention first’ is the guiding principle of China’s public health work. Relevant reports indicate that the annual vaccination rate for seasonal influenza vaccines in European and American countries accounts for 40% of their total populations, whereas China’s rate has reached only 2%. We believe that with the promulgation of the National Vaccine Administration Law, the industry has embarked on a path of regulated, law-based management, presenting significant opportunities and major benefits for industry development.”

“Ningbo Guoyu focuses on investment in the broader health sector, adhering to the philosophy of professional services and value-based investing, with years of deep engagement in the biopharmaceutical industry. Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. is a human vaccine enterprise integrating R&D and manufacturing. It boasts a clear corporate development strategy, advanced technologies, a rich product pipeline, and an expert-led management and operations team. It is a company we have long monitored and look forward to.”

Jenner Biological Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., established in September 2001 and headquartered in the Beichen Science and Technology Park in Tianjin, has two wholly-owned subsidiaries: the Beijing R&D Center and the Maokangyuan Production Base. The company is recognized as a National High-Tech Enterprise and a Tianjin Municipal High-Tech Enterprise, and hosts an Academician and Expert Workstation, a Postdoctoral Research Station, and a Tianjin Key Laboratory.

Jenner Biological Technology is primarily engaged in the R&D and production of high-quality, innovative vaccines. Its currently marketed product, the influenza virus subunit vaccine, is the only one of its kind available in China. In addition, Jenner’s independently developed “quadrivalent influenza subunit” vaccine has been submitted for clinical validation. This technological breakthrough fills a gap both domestically and internationally, and relevant patents have been applied for.

Meanwhile, Jenner Biological Technology’s vaccine product line leverages two key technological R&D platforms: 1. Subunit vaccine technology; 2. Serum-free vaccine technology. Currently, the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (phenol-free), serum-free rabies vaccine, and serum-free rubella vaccine are undergoing clinical trials. In addition, the company boasts abundant bacterial and viral strain resources with complete regulatory documentation. It has multiple other pipelines under development and has filed 14 patent applications in China.