3H Health leads $67m Series B for China's EdiGene

Sequoia Capital China, Alwin Capital, and Kunlun Capital came in as new investors, while IDG Capital, Lilly Asia Ventures, Huagai Capital and Green Pine Capital Partners re-upped. It builds on a $10 million round last year led by IDG and Lilly, bringing total funding to date to around RMB700 million.

EdiGene has established four genome editing platforms since its inception in 2015 with a view to developing treatments for genetic diseases and cancer. The company, which was founded by Wensheng Wei, a professor at Peking University and a vice director of the Chinese Association of Genome Editing, has 11 products in pre-trial development phases and a manufacturing facility in Guangdong province.

“As one of the most disruptive biomedical technologies, gene editing is rapidly moving toward clinics globally,” Minchuan Wang, a partner at 3H, said in a statement. “EdiGene is leading the wave in China, as they have established outstanding research and development capabilities, and more importantly, they have developed an impressive portfolio of proprietary gene-editing tools and product candidates.”

Other recent activity in the gene-editing space includes funding rounds of RMB970 million and RMB400 million, respectively, for Chinese contract research organizations Biocytogen and GemPharmatech. Both provide genetically-modified mice for drug testing.

Biocytogen provides antibody development, gene-editing and preclinical testing services. It claims to have completed more than 4,500 gene editing projects and worked with 500 academic and industry clients on drug R&D.

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• Topics
• Greater China
• Healthcare
• Technology
• Early-stage
• China
• Sequoia Capital
• Lilly Asia Ventures
• IDG Capital Partners
• Green Pine Capital Partners
• Pharmaceuticals