CAR-T Pioneer Beijing Pregene Biopharma Secures Tens of Millions in Funding Led by Guozhong Venture Capital

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has confirmed with multiple investment industry insiders that Beijing Puruijin Technology Co., Ltd., a pioneer in the research and development of CAR-T immunotherapy, recently secured tens of millions of yuan in investment led by Guozhong Venture Capital. Shenzhen Guozhong Venture Capital Management Co., Ltd., which is entrusted with managing the first physical fund of the National Fund for Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises with a scale of RMB 6 billion, specializes in identifying highly promising and high-growth start-ups with its professional expertise.

CAR-T immunotherapy is gaining increasing attention worldwide due to its novel therapeutic approach and reliable efficacy. On July 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) unanimously approved Novartis’ CAR-T therapy for marketing with a 10:0 vote. China has also incorporated CAR-T immunotherapy into its 13th Five-Year Plan.

Beijing Puruijin Technology Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise that was among the first in China to dedicate itself to the development of CAR-T therapies in accordance with pharmaceutical standards. The company boasts a large team of experts and scholars from prestigious research institutions, including the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Academy of Military Medical Sciences of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and Peking Union Medical College. It has established a 3,000-square-meter cell manufacturing facility that complies with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and features comprehensive functionality, and it has obtained ISO 9000 certification. Puruijin was the first in China to independently construct a complete industrial solution encompassing research and development, preparation, standardized production, and treatment, and it holds core intellectual property rights.

Since August 2016, Puruijin has cumulatively completed 14 cases of leukemia and lymphoma treatment, with therapeutic efficacy reaching international standards. As a technological iteration, the company has also achieved the world’s first successful clinical application of CAR-T therapy incorporating nanobodies for the treatment of solid tumors. Currently, the first patient with colorectal cancer treated has shown no significant adverse reactions after the first course of therapy; imaging examinations revealed tumor necrosis, and symptoms have improved significantly. The company’s other product pipelines are also developing in a stepped manner, presenting extremely broad prospects.

Shi Anping, Chief Partner at Guozhong Venture Capital, stated: “Preclinics possesses the world’s only biopharmaceutical R&D platform integrating cell-based therapies with nanobody drugs. With an outstanding team and rapid progress in R&D and regulatory preparation, it is poised to become the first domestic company to file a CAR-T drug registration application with the CFDA.”