Kactus Biosystems Secures RMB 30 Million Pre-A Financing Led by Dehui Capital to Advance Target Protein R&D Platform

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that on December 20, 2018, Kactus Biosystems, a protein tools company specializing in the immuno-oncology and diagnostic technology markets, announced the completion of its RMB 30 million Pre-A financing round. The round was led by Dehui Capital, with participation from existing angel investors. Previously, Kactus Biosystems had secured RMB 6 million in individual angel funding at its inception. Reportedly, the proceeds from this round will be used to build a target protein research and development platform and to establish commercial application teams in Shanghai, China, and Boston, United States.

Kactus Biosystems, established in March 2018 and headquartered in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, operates a 400-square-meter laboratory facility in Zhangjiang Pharma Valley. The company possesses a proprietary innovative platform for the research, development, and production of functional recombinant proteins and antibodies, known as Structure-Aided Design and Multiplex Screening (SAMS).^TM, focusing on global innovative drug R&D enterprises, providing structure-based design services for functional target proteins, particularly membrane proteins, as well as catalog products.

Mr. Wang Gang, Founder and CEO of Kactus Biosystems, told VCBeat that SAMS^TMThe platform offers high-activity recombinant proteins based on unique structural biology designs and innovative monoclonal antibody screening technologies, supporting the discovery of oncology immunotherapy drugs and the preparation of target proteins, antibody raw materials, T-cell immunoassay reagents, and clinical kit products for in vitro diagnostics.

Currently, Kactus Biosystems has established business collaborations with more than twenty innovative antibody drug R&D and cell therapy companies both in China and abroad, and over the past six months, through SAMS^TMThe platform successfully delivered customer orders worth millions of yuan.

The founding team of Kactus Biosystems comprises scientists and business executives with many years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, hailing from world-class enterprises and research institutions. Mr. Wang Gang holds an MBA from CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) and a Master’s degree in Biology from Fudan University. Over the past 15+ years, Mr. Wang has held management positions at major multinational life sciences companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific and Agilent Technologies, accumulating extensive experience in marketing, product management, and sales management within the life sciences industry. Furthermore, Mr. Wang is a serial entrepreneur who has participated in team building and business operations for domestic biotechnology startups.

Dr. Manhee Suh, Co-Founder and CTO, is an industry expert in protein structure. He has many years of experience developing bioprotease and vaccine projects in the U.S. industrial sector, as well as over a decade of research experience in protein crystallization and membrane proteins at Cornell University. During the establishment of Kactus Biosystems, he led the R&D team in building SAMS, an innovative platform for the development of antigenic proteins against difficult targets.^TM-Structure Aided design and Multiplex Screening。

Mr. Wang Gang told VCBeat, “We are deeply honored that our team’s technical capabilities and the company’s growth potential have been recognized by investors and industry-leading clients, enabling Kaige Biologics to rapidly become a partner for innovative biopharmaceutical R&D companies. This round of financing is strategically significant for the company’s development. We will use these funds to build a world-class target protein R&D platform, enhancing product quality and delivery efficiency. Additionally, we will establish commercial application teams in Shanghai and Boston to better provide products and services to global new drug R&D clients.”

Mr. Bian Jin, Founding Partner of Dehui Capital, the lead investor in this financing round, expressed strong confidence in the collaboration: “The founding team of Kaige Biology possesses exceptional execution capabilities and extensive industry experience. We are delighted to partner with Kaige Biology to jointly provide better R&D tools for China’s original drug developers, thereby enhancing the international competitiveness of Chinese pharmaceutical companies.”

Kactus Biosystems, established in March 2018, is an innovative company specializing in the research, development, and service technologies of protein tools. Focusing on global clients in the innovative drug R&D sector, it provides CRO services and catalog products based on structure-designed functional target proteins, particularly membrane proteins.

Dehui Capital was established in 2009 with the vision of “Connecting to a Better Future Life,” focusing on entrepreneurial support and investment opportunities in sectors such as consumption upgrading, education, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. Adhering to its core values of “Trust, Value, Sharing, and Cooperation,” Dehui Capital is a believer and beneficiary of the “Davis Double Play” theory. Over the past decade, it has followed the philosophy of “Long-term Investment and Value Discovery,” investing in and assisting visionary and creative enterprises to successfully launch, rapidly develop, and sustainably grow, thereby achieving outstanding investment performance and notable venture capital case studies.