In China, there are many Biotech companies china looking to capitalize on the country’s emerging markets. Some of these companies are Abogen Biosciences, Hutchison MediPharma, Harbour and Junshi Biosciences. While some of these companies are small and unknown, they are still able to raise significant amounts of capital to advance their research and development.
Abogen Biosciences
Abogen Biosciences, based in Suzhou, China, is a biotech company that specializes in the development of mRNA drugs. Its technology aims to create a plant-like processing plant for proteins, and it can be used for both treatment and prevention. The company is also working on vaccine development, and its lead candidate is a vaccine against COVID-19. The vaccine is currently in phase 3 testing, and it is on track to become China’s first approved mRNA vaccine.
The company has relationships with multinational biopharma companies. In 2011, it received a $75 million series A investment from Merck & Co., and later sold two drugs to Merck KGaA. In 2013, it ended its two drug deals with the German pharmaceutical giant.
Hutchison MediPharma
Hutchison MediPharma is a biotech company with a unique structure. It was founded by Hutchison Whampoa in 2000 and merged with CK Hutchison in 2012. The company developed a “commercial platform” from the start, building partnerships with established Chinese pharma firms, as well as joint ventures with distribution and marketing services. Its CEO, Weiguo Su, was previously with Procter & Gamble.
The company has over two hundred employees and a pipeline of cancer and autoimmune drugs. It is part of a global healthcare group, Chi-Med, which was listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange in May 2006. The group focuses on pharmaceuticals and health oriented consumer products.
Junshi Biosciences
Based in Shanghai and Suzhou, China, Junshi Biosciences employs more than 2,800 people worldwide. It also has offices in Maryland and San Francisco. The company also maintains two manufacturing facilities in Shanghai and Suzhou. The company has filed 1 patent. Junshi Biosciences expects to launch its first drug commercially in 2019 or 2020.
Its biopharmaceutical business is focused on the discovery and development of innovative drugs. Its pipeline includes antibodies drug conjugates and small molecule drugs. It plans to commercialize these drugs worldwide. The company also plans to continue expanding its collaboration with AstraZeneca.
Junshi Biosciences was founded in 2012 and has since transformed into a publicly-traded commercial company. Its first product, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, was marketed in China. Its vision is to pioneer translational medicine. While its initial focus was immuno-oncology, the company has since expanded its innovation repertoire to include other diseases, such as autoimmune disorders.
Harbour
Harbour Biomed is a biopharmaceutical company that is based in Shanghai. It is focusing on developing treatments for autoimmune disorders and cancer. The company has recently raised $85 million in Series B funding led by Singapore-based GIC Private. It has also received investment from Legend Capital, Advantech Capital and Vertex Ventures. The new capital will be used to accelerate the company’s development.
Harbour is developing an antibody that targets PD-L1 in immuno-oncology, which is an important target for combination therapy. It has also recently received FDA clearance to begin a phase 2 clinical trial in nasopharyngeal cancer.
Zai Lab
Zai Lab is a biotech company based in Shanghai that focuses on developing innovative medicines. Its strategic focus is developing drugs for infectious diseases and oncology. The company has offices in China, the United States, and Taiwan. Its global presence is growing at a rapid rate. It is pursuing its vision of being a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company that impacts human health around the world.
Zai Lab is seven years old and NASDAQ-listed. It has two commercial assets and is developing a pipeline. It has established productive collaborations with global biopharma companies. In addition, it has in-licensed two clinically-validated assets that are targeted at the Greater China market. Its management team consists of biotech executives with extensive experience in the global industry. Dr Samantha Du, for example, spent seven years at Pfizer in the US before founding the iconic biopharma company Chi-Med.
