Editor's note: We at EqualOcean tracked the major funding rounds or industry events that took place in China's healthcare space in November 2022. And the following is a list of deals that we have selected for you, based on a number of criteria, including the funding amount, the financial backers, and the segments in which the startups operate.
Kairui Biotech
Zhuhai Kairui Biotech, Ltd (Chinese: 珠海恺瑞生物科技有限公司), a serum-free cell culture medium developer, recently closed a Series A financing round worth nearly CNY 100 million (USD 13.77 million). This funding round was co-invested by Juke Investment (Chinese: 钜科投资), Yanghe Investment (Chinese: 阳和投资), Gree Industrial Investment (Chinese: 格力产投), Jet Bio-Filtration (Chinese: 洁特生物) and Dingsheng Yunchuang Technology (Chinese: 鼎盛云创). The company will develop a comprehensive serum-free cell culture reagents system and provide CRO services for new antibody drugs and cell therapy products based on the new 6,000-square-meter R&D laboratory and GMP workshop.
Pulnovo Medical
Pulnovo Medical (Chinese: 帕母医疗), a global OTM innovative platform, announced in early November that it had completed a new round of financing worth tens of millions of USD. Yuanbio Venture Capital (Chinese: 元生创投) led this round, followed by OrbiMed (Chinese: 奥博资本), Cenova Capital (Chinese: 千骥资本), Lilly Asia Ventures (Chinese: 礼来亚洲基金), Gaorong Capital (Chinese: 高榕资本), Huihe Capital(Chinese: 惠合资本) and GC&H Investments. China Renaissance (Chinese: 华兴资本) served as the exclusive financial advisor. Established in 2013, Pulnovo Medical is a device pioneer in treating cardiopulmonary disease.
Cataya Bio
Cataya Bio (Chinese: 柯泰亚生物) announced its completion of a Series A+ round of financing worth more than CNY 100 million on November 7. This round was jointly led by Eight Roads (Chinese: 斯道资本) and Sequoia Capital China (Chinese: 红杉中国), with participation from existing shareholders Source Code Capital (Chinese: 源码资本) and Bits x Bites (Chinese: 食芯资本). Thriving Capital (Chinese: 元启资本) acted as the exclusive financial advisor. The funds will be used for pipeline development, team expansion and acceleration of production facilities construction and operation.
XellSmart
XellSmart (Chinese: 士泽生物) announced on November 8 that it had closed a Series A1 financing round exceeding CNY 200 million. This funding round was jointly led by Qiming Venture Partners (Chinese: 启明创投), Lilly Asia Ventures (Chinese: 礼来亚洲基金), Jinyuan Zhanhong Investment (Chinese: 金圆展鸿) and CSSC Capital (Chinese: 中新资本), with participation from Oriza Holdings (Chinese: 元禾控股), Founder H Fund (Chinese: 方正和生), and Peakvest (Chinese: 钧山资本). Existing investors Frees Fund (Chinese: 峰瑞资本), Sequoia Capital China (Chinese: 红杉中国) and Next Capital (Chinese: 嘉程资本) continued to invest. The funds will be used to accelerate the pre-clinical drug development of the company's iPS cell drugs for the treatment of neurological diseases, expand the professional team and pilot the production of clinical-phase iPS cell drugs.
SIMR
SIMR Biotech (Chinese: 赛默罗生物) announced on November 8 that it had completed a Series C1 funding round worth CNY 150 million. Guanzi Equity Investment (Chinese: 关子创投), Tianrui Fengnian (Chinese: 天瑞丰年) and Yixing Huarui (Chinese: 宜兴华睿) co-invested in this round. The funds will accelerate clinical trials for multiple projects in the company's R&D pipeline and the pre-clinical development of subsequent projects. Founded in 2014, SIMR Biotech is an innovation-oriented biotechnology company committed to discovering and developing new drugs for pain, inflammation, and central nervous system-related diseases.
Zenas BioPharma
Zenas BioPharma (Chinese: 泽纳仕生物), a global biopharmaceutical company, recently announced its completion of a Series B round of financing worth USD 118 million. This funding round was led by Enavate Sciences, with the participation from Longitude Capital, Vivo Capital (Chinese: 维梧资本), Rock Springs Capital, Perceptive Advisors, Agent Capital, Pivotal bioVenture Partners (Chinese: 鼎丰生科资本) and Superstring Capital. Existing investors Fairmount, Wellington Management, Tellus BioVentures, Quan Venture Fund (Chinese: 泉创资本), and Xencor, Inc. continued to invest. Based in the United States and China, Zenas BioPharma focuses on developing immunotherapy drugs with the commitment to becoming a leader in developing and commercializing immunology-based therapies for patients in need.
BRL Medicine
BRL Medicine (Chinese: 邦耀生物), an innovative pharmaceutical company focused on gene and cell therapy, announced its completion of a Series B financing round exceeding CNY 200 million (USD 28.32 million) on November 14. This funding round was led by Shanghai FTZ Fund (Chinese: 上海自贸区基金), with the participation from Oriental Fortune Capital (Chinese: 东方富豪), Tasly Capita (Chinese: 天力士资本), Betta Biomedical Industry Fund (Chinese: 贝达生物医药产业基金) and Gopher Asset Management (Chinese: 歌斐资产). BRL Medicine will continue to promote the transformation and implementation of cell and gene drugs and further accelerate its global R&D layout.
SynRx Therapeutics
SynRx Therapeutics (Chinese: 圣域生物), an innovative drug developer, announced that it had completed a pre-Series A funding round worth more than CNY 100 million (USD 14.16 million) recently. This round of financing was invested by Lapam Capital (Chinese: 龙磐投资), Fenghua Venture (Chinese: 海邦沣华), Westlake Innovation Capital (Chinese: 西湖创新投资), Long Yield Venture Capital (Chinese: 礼医医药) and other investors. The funds will be used to expand the company's R&D capabilities of innovative drug pipelines in DNA damage repair (DDR).
Yaohabio
Yaohabio (Chinese: 耀海生物) recently announced that it had completed the first phase of a Series B+ round of financing worth more than CNY 100 million (USD 13.95 million). This funding round was led by CICC Qide Innovation Biopharmaceutical Equity Investment Fund (Chinese: 中金启德基金), with the participation from Unifortune (Chinese: 乾道基金) and other investors. Founded in 2010, Yaohabio is a medical outsourcing service provider focusing on microbial expression systems. The company has built a one-stop CRDMO service platform covering recombinant proteins/peptides, plasmids, nucleic acid drugs, nanoantibodies, and new recombinant vaccines.
ViVest Medical
ViVest Medical (Chinese: 维伟思医疗), a medical device developer, announced the completion of a pre-Series B funding round worth hundreds of millions of CNY. This round was led by SDIC Unity Capital (Chinese: 国投创合), with participation from Dingxin Capital (Chinese: 鼎心资本) and Anji Liangshan Investment(Chinese: 安吉两山), with CEC Capital (Chinese: 易凯资本) acting as the exclusive financial advisor. Founded in 2019, ViVest Medical launched the first self-developed and self-produced device - AED (Automated External Defibrillator) with the mission of “protecting heart health”.
Anyeep
Anyeep (Chinese: 安益谱), a mass spectrometer manufacturer, announced its completion of a Series A funding round worth nearly CNY 100 million in late November. This round was led by Green River(Chinese: 绿河投资), with participation from Honest Capital (Chinese: 敦行资本) and Peakvest (Chinese: 钧山私募股权母基金). Existing shareholders Frees Fund (Chinese: 峰瑞资本), and Yuanbio Venture Capital (Chinese: 元生创投) continued to invest. Founded in 2016, Anyeep is dedicated to providing customers with a variety of application, laboratory and portable mass spectrometers.
PrimeLink Bio
PrimeLink Bio (Chinese: 普灵生物), an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) developer, announced on November 25 that it had completed a new round of financing worth hundreds of millions of CNY. Vertex Ventures (Chinese: 祥峰投资) led this round, followed by Fosun Pharma (Chinese: 复星医药) and Kaitai Capital (Chinese: 凯泰资本). This round of funding will mainly be used to construct and validate the technology platform with independent intellectual property rights and promote the early pre-clinical R&D of candidate ADC.
ZSHK
ZSHK Laboratories Limited (Chinese: 滬港中科), a pre-clinical CRO, announced the completion of a Series B round of financing worth nearly CNY 100 million on November 28. AstraZeneca-CICC Healthcare Industrial Fund (Chinese: 阿斯利康中金医疗产业基金) led this round, followed by existing shareholder Ascendum Capital (Chinese:济时资本). Proceeds will be mainly used to promote necessary vital resources to enhance pharmaceutical innovation/medical device pre-clinical evaluation and the development layout of Hong Kong and international business.
Rgenta Therapeutics
Rgenta Therapeutics, an innovative drug developer, announced its completion of a Series A round of financing worth USD 52 million. This funding round was led by AstraZeneca CICC Medical Industry Venture Fund (Chinese: 阿斯利康中金医疗产业基金), with participation from Korea Investment Partners, Delos Capital and the existing investors. The funds raised in this round will accelerate the construction of the R&D platforms for RNA-targeting small-molecule novel RNA drugs and developing the pipelines.
Trinomab
Trinomab (Chinese: 泰诺麦博), a fully native human monoclonal antibody (mAb) drug developer, recently announced that it had completed a pre-IPO funding round worth about CNY 750 million (USD 104.51 million). This round was jointly led by Zhuhai Gree Financial Investment Management Co., Ltd. (Chinese: 格力金投) and Kingray Capital (Chinese: 熙诚金睿), with participation from Efung Capital (Chinese: 倚锋资本), Shenyin & Wanguo Investment (Chinese: 申银万国), Zhuhai Shenhonggejin Medical and Health Industry Investment Fund (Chinese: 申宏格金), Jiaxing Weilong Equity Investment (Chinese: 嘉兴维龙), and other investors. Existing shareholders China Medical System (Chinese: 康哲药业), Wuxi Guolian Capital (Chinese: 无锡国联) and Jinhang Group (Chinese: 金航集团) continued to invest.