Kaituo Biologics and ChemGenX Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance LNP-Based Nucleic Acid Therapeutics

Recently,Catug Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Suzhou)(hereinafter referred to as “Catug”) andKemeixin (Shanghai) Biopharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd.(hereinafter referred to as "Kemexin")Strategic Signing Ceremony Held in Suzhou.The two parties will engage in global technical collaboration on lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics, such as mRNA drugs, to accelerate the clinical development and commercialization of nucleic acid-based medicines. Dr. Wang Xiao, Co-founder and CEO of Catug, and Wu Lanlin, CEO of Kemeixin, along with other representatives from both companies, attended the ceremony.

Dr. Wang Xiao (left), Ms. Wu Lanlin (right)

In recent years, mRNA-LNP delivery technology has continuously expanded its applications due to advantages such as cost-effectiveness and safety, achieving ongoing clinical breakthroughs in emerging fields including infectious disease vaccines, cancer vaccines, immune cell therapies, and in vivo and ex vivo gene editing. However, challenges such as LNP patent restrictions, tissue targeting, and large-scale GMP manufacturing continue to hinder the rapid development of this field and require urgent resolution.

Catug focuses on innovative technologies in gene therapy and nucleic acid-based drugs, establishing four internationally leading technology platforms: plasmid production, mRNA synthesis, LNP delivery, and nucleic acid analytical method development. It provides global customers with one-stop CRDMO (Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization) services spanning R&D, clinical trials, and commercial-scale manufacturing.Catug has provided services in the field of RNA-LNP to over 130 companies both domestically and internationally. It possesses extensive experience in end-to-end process development and GMP manufacturing of mRNA technology across diverse application scenarios, and assists clients in actively expanding innovative LNP delivery solutions for intravenous systemic administration, non-liver targeted delivery, and immune cell delivery.

Kemeixin is dedicated to developing multiple platform technologies to advance next-generation cell and gene therapies. The company has established a non-viral vector gene delivery technology platform based on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), leveraging customized, precisely targeted, high-throughput, and in vivo screening capabilities for LNP design and preparation.We have established a proprietary library of over 1,500 cationic lipid-based liposomes, successfully screened dozens of patented LNP formulations suitable for immune cell therapy, in vivo and ex vivo gene editing, and tumor vaccines, and licensed or collaborated with multiple domestic and international clients to support their non-clinical and clinical application filings.

Catug and Kemeixin’s strategic partnership will achieve technological complementarity between the two parties.In the future, Catug will continue to leverage its technical strengths in gene therapy and nucleic acid therapeutics, fully utilizing Kemexin’s advantages in LNP-based non-viral vector gene delivery technology, to provide comprehensive solutions for liposomal delivery of RNA products.

Dr. Wang Xiao, CEO of CatugIt expressed great honor in establishing a strategic partnership with Kemexin, which possesses core technological advantages in the field of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Kemexin boasts an internationally first-class team and technical capabilities in cationic lipid platform development. Its professional expertise in LNPs will form a powerful alliance with Catug, better helping clients address pain points in liposomal delivery, accelerating the R&D process of gene and cell therapies and nucleic acid drugs, promoting the faster and better development of the mRNA industry, jointly expanding domestic and international markets, and creating more possibilities.

Ms. Wu Lanlin, CEO of KemeixinWe are deeply honored to establish a strategic partnership with Catug. Catug’s growth has demonstrated the remarkable “China speed,” and its precise strategic layout in gene therapy and nucleic acid drugs has reinforced our confidence in becoming an industry benchmark. Kemexin is dedicated to developing multiple platform technologies to advance next-generation cell and gene therapies. Currently, our two core technology platforms focus on an engineered red blood cell delivery platform for immunomodulation and a non-viral gene delivery platform based on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). We can develop optimal formulation processes tailored to different liposome structures and identify LNPs with global independent intellectual property rights through our high-throughput screening platform. We look forward to creating numerous opportunities for the global R&D of gene therapies and nucleic acid drugs through our collaboration with Catug, jointly fostering the robust development of the cell and gene therapy sector.

Catug is an innovative technology company focused on the development and application of new technologies in biopharmaceuticals. With R&D centers and industrialization bases in both Suzhou and Wuhan, Catug aims to provide one-stop CRDMO services across the entire industry chain for gene and cell therapy drugs and nucleic acid drugs, covering drug R&D, quality research, clinical applications, and industrialization. The core team of Catug comprises professionals from leading international and domestic biotechnology companies, as well as renowned universities and research institutions in China and abroad, bringing extensive industrial technical and management expertise in the fields of gene therapy and nucleic acid therapy. Starting with four core technical service platforms—high-quality, large-scale plasmid process development and production; full-process development and production of mRNA synthesis and delivery; and nucleic acid analytical methods and quality research—Catug is committed to building a top-tier process technology platform and striving to become a benchmark in the new generation of innovative biotechnology industries.

Carcell is a biotechnology company founded by EVX Ventures. Established in 2021, Carcell was founded by a team comprising serial entrepreneurs and seasoned biopharmaceutical executives. The founders include Lin Xiangqian, Chairman and Founder of EVX Ventures; Dr. Zhang Yi, Vice President and Head of the LNP Platform; and Wu Lanlin, former CEO of DanRui China. In 2021, Carcell successfully completed an oversubscribed $16 million seed financing round led by Huiding Capital. Carcell employs a diversified “hub-and-spoke” platform operating model and has established two technology platforms, one of which is its LNP platform. The platform’s library currently comprises more than 1,500 proprietary cationic lipids. These lipids are available for licensing to develop nucleic acid therapeutics targeting various diseases and applications. For more information about Carcell’s LNP technology platform, please visit www.carcell.com/lnp.