Neukio Biotherapeutics on a New Mission
Corporate Overview
Neukio Biotherapeutics
Founded in June 2021 and headquartered at the Simbay Life Science Park in Shanghai Free Trade Zone, Neukio focuses on development of allogeneic cell therapies for solid tumor indications and autoimmune diseases. Products are based on iPSC-CAR-NK and iPSC-CAR-T approach, that are readily manufactured in large scale for efficiency and cost reduction. The first two product candidates have entered clinical trial for validation.
The management team has rich cell therapy experience, CEO and other key managers have led the Fosun Kite JV from the start and successfully launched the first CAR-T product Yescarta® commercialization in China (tech transfer, manufacturing, clinical trials and regulatory approval) in less than three years.
Supported by renowned VC investors including Lilly Asia Ventures, IDG Capital and Sherpa Capital, with a $40M angel round funding in July 2021. Since September 2022 to now，Neukio has closed $58 million in a Series A funding round that was led by CD Capital, with the participation of Alwin Capital, Surplus Capital, Alihealth and Panlin Capital as new investors. Existing shareholders Lilly Asia Ventures, Sherpa Healthcare Partners and IDG Capital have continued to support the company with additional funding. G&G Capital served as the exclusive financial adviser.
Building upon successful experience in commercialization of autologous CAR-T cell therapy products in China and the cutting-edge technologies, Neukio’s core team has designed a novel allogeneic immune cell therapy platform and innovative process to enhance activity and overcome disadvantages of NK therapy. Our innovation mainly focuses on two aspects:
1) Leveraging the advantages of gene editing technologies to modify unique signaling pathways and/or to engineer transgenes, we can create novel functions and reconstitute immune-response of iPSC-NK to overcome the challenges in treating solid tumors beyond cancer target selection. In addition, knocking-in and expressing target-specific CAR molecules will enhance target dependent cytotoxicity, and NK activation, leading to better clinical efficacy in specific indications.
2) Developing GMP-compliant bioreactor-based 3D suspension process for iPSC differentiation to NK cell and further expansion under perfusion conditions will ensure manufacturing highly pure and homogenic CAR-NK products in scale. Demonstration of clinical safety and efficacy of the engineered products will fulfill the unmet medical needs in solid tumor treatment, and bring hope of cure to patients world-wide.
Our Competitive Advantages
l Products from dual iNK/iT technical platforms, with FIC/BIC potential
l Strong cell therapy expertise and proprietary technologies (gene editing, CAR-T, CMC, regulatory)
l Parallel approach via internal R&D & external collaborations
l Highly effective team with strong execution record
l Supported by renowned investors with shared vision
Development History
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2021
June: Founded in China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone
July: Completed $40M angel round financing
September: Discovery laboratory center construction completed
December: GMP manufacturing facility construction completed
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2022
January: Collaboration with Biocytogen to screen antibody for nominated targets for construct next generation of CAR cellular immunotherapy products
February: Collaboration with EdiGene Inc. to explore novel therapeutic mechanisms and potential targets to be edited
July: Achieved the first gene editing and functional validation
July: Completed small scale manufacturing process
November: Collaboration with ExCell to develop customized serum-free medium for NK cells and other iPSC derived products
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2023
January: Completed GMP compliant 3-tier Banking (PCB/MCB/WCB) for manufacturing of clinical grade iNK
May: Completed mid-scale production of iNK
June: Closed Series A1 fundraising of $58M
August: Initiated in vivo efficacy studies, and observed siginicant anti-tumor activity
November: Accomplished toxicological studies for IIT
December: Ranked as top 50 in "China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition”
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2024
April: Completed the first GMP-compliant manufacturing of iNK cell products
April: Awarded "Top 20 Innovative Enterpreneurship in Pudong New Area"
April: Selected as "Shanghai Key Service Unicorn Potential Enterprise"
May: Approved by China Society for Drug Regulation to undertake the research project "Development and Application of ddPCR technology in the CMC, Pre-clinical, and Clinical Evaluation of iPSC-Derived Cell Therpay Products"
May:Initiated the first clinical study (IIT)
July: Included in the public list of small and medium-sized innovative enterprises in Shanghai
August: Included in the national small and medium-sized science and technology enterprise repository
November: Has been selected as one of six pilot companies in Shanghai to be exampted from the national ban on Foreign Invested Enterprise to conduct research and development of stem cell and gene diagnosis and therapeutic treatment
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
Corporate vision
Let Cell Therapies Eradicate Cancer Cells
Corporate mission
Focus on Innovative Technology and Therapy Development
Uphold High Quality Standards and Industry Leadership
Corporate value
Honesty and Integrity
Responsibility and Accountability
Respect and Collaboration
Result and Excellence
About Founder
Richard Liqun Wang Ph. D., MBA.
Founder, Chairman and CEO, Neukio Biotherapeutics, developing next generation cell therapy via iPSC-CAR-NK and iPSC-CAR-T approach
Former positions held：
Founding CEO, Fosun Kite Biotech
VP & CTO, Fosun Pharma
COO and General Manager, Cellular Biomedical Group
Head of Operations, GSK R&D Center in China
Director of Alliance, Externalization and Portfolio Management, AstraZeneca Innovation Center China
Associate Director, Discovery Portfolio and Project Management, Bristol-Myers Squibb, USA
Group Leader & Principal Scientist, P&G Pharmaceuticals, USA
Richard received B.S degree in Cell Biology from University of Science & Technology of China, Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from University of Maryland, Baltimore and MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati. He obtained postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health, USA. Over the 30+ years of pharmaceutical research career, he led several drug discovery and translational programs leading to clinical trials. In the last 10 years, he has focused effort on cell therapy research and product development. While in Fosun Kite, he led the team to complete tech transfer, registration trial and market authorization application for Yescarta (first CAR-T product approved in China) in less than three years, and built commercial strategy and teams for the launch.
Core Team
The core management team has rich experience in R&D, production and manufacturing of cell therapies.
40% previously worked in the management team of Fosun-Kite, and led Fosun-Kite to complete the technology transfer, facility construction, clinical trials, drug regulatory review and successful approval of Yescarta for commercialization in China.
