Qi Biodesign, a Biotechnology Company Completes Over 200 Million RMB Series A Financing, Accelerating Gene Editing Technology R&D and Commercialization

Recently, Suzhou Qihe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Qi Biodesign") completed a Series A financing round, raising over 200 million RMB. This round of financing was led by the Beijing Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Investment Fund, with participation from Chang Development Group and Mingzhe Assets, and existing shareholder CD Capital continued to increase its investment. The funds raised will primarily be used for in-depth research and development of the company’s gene editing technology, optimization and expansion of its gene editing product pipeline, and the establishment of its commercialization platform, further enhancing the company’s core competitiveness and market influence in the biotechnology industry.

Qi Biodesign is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel gene editing technologies and creating excellent biological traits and products. The company has established a globally leading, independent and controllable gene editing technology system. It has made significant progress in various areas, including the discovery and optimization of new gene editing tools, the development of safe and efficient delivery systems, and the creation of breakthrough germplasm resources. In 2023, it became the first in the world to achieve large DNA fragment precision insertion technology, leading global breakthroughs in gene editing technology and product innovation. This has provided strong technical support for gene stacking-based biological breeding and plant synthetic biology manufacturing industries, showcasing enormous application potential.

Qi Biodesign’s related achievements have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the 2023 “Top Ten Chinese Scientific Advances,” Cell’s 2023 Best Paper, and Nature’s 2024 “Seven Most Noteworthy Technologies,” fully demonstrating its strong technological strength. The company is at the forefront of commercialization in the industry, having already received two Chinese plant gene editing safety certificates and becoming the first Chinese company to obtain USDA exemptions for gene-edited products. Looking ahead, its forward-thinking technology system will also be applied to broader fields such as biomanufacturing and biopharmaceuticals.

After this round of financing, our R&D capabilities will be further strengthened, and the commercialization process will accelerate comprehensively. Our team will use the new generation of gene editing technology as a powerful tool to innovate the industrial ecosystem and business models, deeply explore the infinite potential of biomanufacturing and biological breeding, and contribute transformative power to the development of China’s strategic emerging industries. Especially in the field of biological breeding, we aim to create a new era of China’s independent agricultural biotechnology and build a strong defense line for national food security.

— Yang Haiquan

Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of the Company

Currently, global gene editing technology has entered a new stage, and we have been thinking about how to leverage innovative combinations of various gene editing technologies to provide the products needed by the market. To achieve this goal, we will continuously iterate and develop gene editing tools and delivery systems with independent intellectual property rights, upgrading our technological competitiveness.

— Dr. Kevin Zhao

Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of the Company

We would like to thank all our new and existing shareholders for their trust. Being in the biotechnology industry, we are confident but also deeply aware of the great responsibility we bear. This round of financing is a high recognition of our technological strength, team capabilities, and market potential. We especially thank the Beijing Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Investment Fund for its strategic support. We will make full use of these funds to accelerate the market transformation of biotechnology. At the same time, we will actively seek multi-party collaborations to jointly promote the robust development of the biological breeding and biomanufacturing industries, contributing greater power to the rapid application of new productive forces and global sustainable development.

— Dr. Zhang Bei

Co-founder and CEO of the Company