Haichang Biotech Closes Nearly 500 Million Yuan Series C Round to Accelerate Development of Innovative Nucleic Acid Drugs and Complex Injectables

Recently, Hicence Biopharma, a domestic leader in nucleic acid drug delivery technology and complex formulations, announced the completion of its Series C funding round. The round totaled nearly RMB 500 million, led by SDIC (Guangdong) Technology Transformation Venture Capital Fund, with participation from multiple institutions. Gaorong Ventures participated in Hicence's Series B round in 2021.

The proceeds will be directed primarily toward nucleic acid innovative drug pipelines, R&D and clinical trials for novel extrahepatic delivery systems, and accelerated production base and capacity expansion.

Dual-Engine Growth: Nucleic Acid Innovative Drugs and High-End Formulations

As a national-level "Little Giant" specialized and innovative enterprise, Hicence focuses on drug delivery system technology development and industrial application. It has built proprietary technology platforms including QTsome®, with product pipelines spanning oncology, metabolic diseases, pain management, and infectious diseases. The company has successfully broken through international nucleic acid delivery patent barriers, achieving breakthroughs in critical "chokepoint" technologies.

HC0301, a small nucleic acid innovative drug for primary liver cancer developed on Hicence's existing technology platform, has entered international multi-center Phase II clinical trials in China (including Hong Kong), the US, and other markets — making it one of the most advanced pipelines globally in small nucleic acid tumor precision therapy. The next-generation TLR9 immune agonist HC016 liposome complex injection, the world's first based on lipid nanoparticle (QTsome®) delivery technology, has obtained IND approvals in both China and the US and entered Phase I clinical trials, demonstrating best-in-class (BIC) potential and strong innovative capabilities. Meanwhile, the company has multiple potential first-in-class (FIC) nucleic acid drug pipelines in development, as well as innovative in vivo cell editing therapies.

In the complex injectables space, Hicence's key product paclitaxel for injection (albumin-bound) has received marketing approval in nearly 40 countries and regions including China, the EU, the UK, and Peru. Dual manufacturing sites operated by CR Double-Crane Tiandong Pharmaceutical and Kexing Biopharm have both passed EU cGMP certification, spearheading the internationalization of China's high-end formulations, with multiple complex injectable products nearing launch.

Integrating Strategic Resources to Advance Global Expansion

Dr. Xiaobin Zhao, Hicence's founder and chairman, stated: "This funding round reflects the market's full recognition of Hicence's core technological advantages and strategic value, and will provide strong support for our long-term development strategy. Hicence will use delivery platforms such as QTsome® as strategic leverage to build a closed-loop R&D-production-commercialization system for high-end complex injectables and nucleic acid innovative drugs. Through capital empowerment, we will accelerate the global expansion of our core products, using technological innovation as our engine to continuously break through critical industry bottlenecks and contribute to global pharmaceutical industry transformation."

This round received backing from SDIC Venture Capital, CCB Investment, Songshan Lake Venture Capital, Heda Financial Services, Kexing Biopharm, and other institutions, forming a three-dimensional capital matrix of "national capital strategic leadership + local industrial capital coordination + industrial chain co-construction." Through efficient integration of strategic resources and steady advancement of global expansion, Hicence is comprehensively enhancing its core competitiveness, committed to becoming a significant player in the international pharmaceutical innovation arena and providing global patients with more clinically valuable innovative treatment options.