Soluble Microneedle Technology Company Youwei Biology Completes Tens of Millions of Yuan in Series A Financing Led by Source Code Capital

源码资本·August 23, 2021·0·2

Effortless, painless drug delivery through a simple patch application.

On August 23, 2021, Youwei Biology (Zhuhai) Biotech Co., Ltd. (YOUWE BIOTECH.Co.,Ltd., "Youwei Biology"), a platform company focused on soluble microneedle transdermal drug delivery technology, announced the completion of a tens of millions of RMB Series A financing round led by Source Code Capital. The proceeds will be used to expand the company's business development in biopharmaceuticals and medical aesthetics, strengthen its talent pipeline, continue broadening the application of its platform technology across multiple fields, and solidify Youwei Biology's industry influence.

Founded in 2017 by several post-80s overseas-returned PhDs, Youwei Biology is a high-tech enterprise centered on the R&D and industrialization of soluble microneedle transdermal drug delivery technology. Its founding team hails from world-class microneedle transdermal research laboratories, with deep expertise in soluble microneedle process development, application scenario exploration, and industrialization.

From its inception, Youwei Biology has focused on innovative soluble microneedle process development and industrialization, creating several international firsts: a low-temperature one-step rapid molding process for microneedles, free-form microcrystal microstructure shaping technology, segmented precision quantitative drug loading technology, and a highly efficient, fully automated production line.

Soluble microneedle transdermal drug delivery formulations represent an international R&D hotspot in novel transdermal drug delivery technology. In Europe, America, Japan, and Korea, more than ten microneedle innovative drug formulations have already entered clinical trials, with applications in wellness and medical aesthetics still in their early stages — pointing to the future direction of drug administration. As a novel transdermal delivery method, it combines the advantages of both subcutaneous injection and traditional transdermal administration. In certain application scenarios, a painless patch similar to a band-aid can replace injection needles and injectable drug delivery. Rapid progress has been made in vaccine administration, controlled-release pain management, and neurological disease treatment, among other drug formulation improvements and innovations. A coin-sized microneedle drug patch can easily, painlessly, and effectively complete drug administration, significantly reducing patient discomfort while improving safety and convenience — breaking through the limitation of traditional transdermal patches that can only deliver small-molecule drugs.

Microneedle transdermal drug delivery principle

Imagine receiving a vaccine by simply applying a band-aid — no needles required — a more convenient and effective way to administer drugs. For beauty-conscious consumers, daily skincare routines using patches could, to some degree, replace injection needles, not only greatly reducing pain but also significantly enhancing skincare results, bringing medical-grade beauty experiences into the home.

Dr. Gang Leng, Founder and CEO of Youwei Biology, stated: "Youwei Biology takes as its mission to be an evangelist for soluble microneedle technology, dedicated to reducing human suffering and improving quality of life. We hope that through our innovative R&D and industrialization efforts, we can soon realize the application of soluble microneedle technology in China's new drug development, and achieve widespread adoption of this technology in the wellness sector — advancing China's transdermal drug delivery field and the soluble microneedle high-end transdermal formulation industry."

"We are recruiting globally for talent in pharmaceutical formulation, preclinical research, regulatory affairs, and other biopharmaceutical areas, as well as marketing and operations professionals in medical aesthetics and wellness. We aim to accelerate the advancement of our soluble microneedle technology pipeline in biopharmaceuticals and speed up technology promotion in the wellness sector. We are deeply grateful for the recognition and support from our customers and renowned investment institutions, and for the encouragement of innovation and transformation in this emerging technology. We will use our warm, human-centered products to interpret 'technology changes life' and create real value for our customers."

As an innovation-driven R&D enterprise, Youwei Biology has, in just over three years, built a highly integrated R&D, design, pilot-scale, and industrialization technology platform — supporting and driving the application of soluble microneedle transdermal drug delivery technology in new drug development, medical devices, wellness, and medical aesthetics skincare. Its pace of development far exceeds that of Japanese and Korean counterparts and the industry average. The company has already established strategic partnerships with multiple renowned pharmaceutical companies, globally leading cosmetics enterprises and emerging cosmetics brands, as well as several key domestic universities.

As the lead investor in this round, Sun Tong of Source Code Capital commented: "The medical aesthetics and pharmaceutical industries are themselves massive and continuously demand better technology and product innovation. Microneedles are at the very beginning of an incremental market. Youwei Biology has clear leadership in soluble microneedle transdermal drug delivery technology, with consumer products already launched and promising progress on the pharmaceutical front. We hope this team from a top laboratory will continue to break new ground, creating efficient production lines and precision drug-loaded products in the wellness sector."