China
April 20, 2023
Recently, Qi-Biodesign Biotechnology Company Limited (“Qi-Biodesign”) has successfully completed a pre-Series A financing round, raising over 100 million RMB. The round was led by CD CAPITA, with participation from SOURCE COOE CAPITAL、GAORONG CAPITAL、CSSD, and SHANG CAPITAL. The funds raised in this round will be primarily used for the development of next-generation autonomous and controllable precision gene editing tools and the expansion of the gene editing product pipeline. This financing round will further support Qi-Biodesign in maintaining its original innovative advantage in the research and development of plant gene editing platforms, and accelerate the commercialization of gene editing in biological breeding.
Qi-Biodesign was established in 2021 by internationally renowned gene editing scientists Dr. Caixia Gao and Dr. Kevin Zhao. It is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of autonomous and controllable gene editing technologies. The company has made significant progress in various areas, including the exploration of novel gene editing tools at the genetic editing platform level, optimization of gene editing tools with independent intellectual property rights, development of safe and efficient delivery systems, and breakthroughs in the creation of revolutionary germplasm resources. These achievements have formed a high-tech industrial chain centered around the SEEDIT™ platform.
Pursuing original innovation has always been the core element for Qi-Biodesign to thrive in the rapidly developing industry. Building upon years of technical research and development in the field of plant gene editing, the company has developed a series of gene editing core technologies based on the CRISPR-Cas system. These technologies enable precise gene knockout, base editing, precise DNA fragment deletion, fine regulation of gene expression, and precise insertion of long DNA fragments in plants, among other complex gene/genome manipulations. Currently, scientists from various fields worldwide are exploring multifaceted strategies to develop precise, efficient, and targetable tools for large DNA fragment insertion. Qi-Biodesign has initiated comprehensive research and development on the next generation of precise, efficient, autonomous, and controllable chromosome editing tools. By designing and developing precise, large DNA fragment site-specific insertion systems, the company aims to achieve the targeted insertion of multiple desired genes in multiple plant species. This approach enables the rapid and precise stacking of new traits while ensuring that the introduction of exogenous genes does not disrupt plant growth.
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Driving the industrialization of gene editing in breeding has always been the driving force for Qi-Biodesign to advance in line with national strategies. The company has established a comprehensive crop development system to meet the diverse needs of plant delivery technology research and development. Currently, Qi-Biodesign has accumulated and established an efficiency assessment system for in planta editing using protoplasts or Agrobacterium-mediated transformation for over 30 plant species. This includes important staple crops such as rice, wheat, soybean, and maize, as well as challenging-to-transform plants like sugar beet, mung bean, and cabbage. Autonomous delivery systems have been developed for these plants. With the product development framework of “advanced tools + precise delivery,” Qi-Biodesign has achieved precise improvements in yield and quality traits of multiple food and cash crops. For example, they have achieved wheat resistance to powdery mildew, herbicide tolerance in rice, sweetness enhancement in strawberries, and high vitamin C content in lettuce.
Dr. Kevin Zhao, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of the company, stated, “Since the first application of CRISPR-Cas9 in gene editing in 2012, gene editing technology has undergone several iterations. The first-generation CRISPR technology has been rapidly applied in various fields of life research. However, it has inherent randomness in editing, resulting in unpredictable mutation types and difficulties in achieving precise improvements in crop agronomic traits. The second-generation gene editing technologies, primarily based on base editing and guide editing, have been upgraded to enable the precise replacement of all four bases and the accurate insertion or deletion of short DNA fragments, achieving a leap from imprecise to precise editing.””Currently, gene editing technology worldwide has entered the third generation of development. The challenge lies in how to achieve efficient manipulation of large DNA fragments or even whole chromosomes, which is of significant importance in the fields of gene therapy and agricultural breeding. This financing round will further accelerate the development of Qi-Biodesign’s next-generation precise and efficient gene editing technologies. The company will focus on the research and development of targeted insertion of large DNA fragments, providing greater breadth and diversity to the company’s gene editing product development and contributing to the application of biotechnology in national breeding industrialization.”
Dr. Caixia Gao, co-founder and Chief Scientist of the company, stated, “We would like to express our gratitude to CD CAPITAL and all our new and existing shareholders for their trust and support. We also appreciate the efforts and dedication of our team. This financing round is of great significance to the development of Qi-Biodesign, as it further strengthens our strategic determination to conduct core technology research and development in gene editing and promote the industrialization of biotechnology in breeding. It greatly enhances and strengthens Qi-Biodesign’s comprehensive competitive advantage for future development.””In the future, Qi-Biodesign will seize the opportunity of the revitalization of the national seed industry, focusing on the health of people’s lives and the major needs of the country. We will always stay at the forefront of gene editing technology development and strive to develop more gene editing products that benefit farmers in cultivation and consumers in food consumption.”
CD CAPITAL stated, “We are optimistic about the tremendous potential of gene editing technology and its prospects for commercialization in the field of biological breeding. As a new player in China’s gene editing field, Qi-Biodesign has leveraged its specialized R&D team to establish a strong first-mover advantage and resource reserve in the field of plant gene editing technology. We are delighted to have the opportunity to lead the Pre-A round of financing for Qi-Biodesign. We look forward to Qi-Biodesign developing highly promising gene editing products and rapidly bringing them to the market, contributing to ensuring national food security and meeting consumers’ aspirations for a better life. We believe that Qi-Biodesign will bring about a new wave of transformation in the gene editing industry in our country.”
CD CAPITAL is an investment firm that focuses on innovative medical technology and cutting-edge biotechnology sectors. It is managed and operated by a professional team with a solid background in the medical industry. CD CAPITAL manages multiple RMB and USD funds. With the investment philosophy of “Focus, Excellence, and Reputation,” CD CAPITAL leverages its deep industry resources in the medical field and years of in-depth research to quickly identify the latest international technology trends and seize investment opportunities brought by technological innovation.CD CAPITAL is committed to discovering top-tier companies with industry-leading potential. Through a collaborative and win-win investment approach and a precise and pragmatic post-investment empowerment system, CD CAPITAL works together with entrepreneurs to build an industry ecosystem and achieve mutual growth. The firm aims to create sustainable and outstanding returns for investors.
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