AusperBio is a biotechnology company focused on the development of targeted oligonucleotide therapies that has recently concluded a $73 million Series B financing round. The large funding will be used to push their lead investigational therapy, AHB-137, forward towards achieving a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Company Overview

Founded with the aim of creating transformative therapies for chronic diseases, AusperBio is a company operating across the United States and China. The company utilizes its proprietary Med-Oligo ™ antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology platform to increase the effectiveness of ASO drugs. This platform has been built to target a wide variety of diseases, ranging from viral infections to genetic diseases.

Funding detail

HanKang Capital led the Series B round, with significant participation from Sherpa Capital, CDH Investments, and a strategic investor. Existing investors Qiming Venture Partners, InnoPinnacle Fund, and YuanBio Venture Capital also participated, reflecting sustained confidence in AusperBio’s strategic direction and technological capabilities. 

This funding comes after a well-ended Series A round, concluded in July 2024, with the company’s swift and steady progress and a clear vote of confidence from the investment community.

Investment Allocation

The $73 million will be used for:

• Advancing AHB-137 Development: Ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials in China and global studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of AHB-137 for the treatment of CHB.
• Scaling Manufacturing Processes: Establish commercial-scale manufacturing capabilities for AHB-137 in order to support the efficient production of AHB-137 in preparation for regulatory approval.
• Pipeline of Therapeutic Area: Investing in R&D in the pipeline to diversify the company’s portfolio into other serious chronic diseases aside from CHB.
• Enhancement of Operational Capabilities: Improving the infrastructure and resources of the company for continued growth and innovation.

Perspective of Leadership

We are honored by our investors’ confidence and support,” said Dr. Guofeng Cheng, co-founder and CEO of AusperBio. “This milestone financing recognizes our scientific and clinical accomplishments to date and enables us to accelerate our clinical programs and move closer to delivering a functional cure for CHB patients in need.”

Dr. Chris Yang, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, said: “AHB-137 continues to attract attention from the scientific and clinical communities, particularly after the late-breaking oral presentation at the recent AASLD conference. The promising clinical data further validates our Med-Oligo™ platform, strengthening our development of groundbreaking targeted oligonucleotide therapies for CHB and other serious chronic diseases.”

AHB-137: Next Therapeutic Hope

AHB-137 is a new unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide developed from AusperBio’s Med-Oligo™ ASO technology platform. Developed for chronic hepatitis B, the therapy will use a mechanism that would inhibit viral replication as well as induce immune-mediated clearance of infected cells.

The drug has shown excellent preclinical and early phase clinical trials results:

• Preclinical Data: Presented at the 2023 European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) conference, showcasing significant antiviral activity and a favorable safety profile.
• Phase 1 Clinical Data: Highlighted at the 2024 EASL conference, indicating dose-dependent reductions in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels among participants.
• Interim Phase 2a Results: Presented in a late-breaking oral session at the 2024 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) conference, further validating the therapeutic potential of AHB-137.

AHB-137 is currently being tested in multiple Phase 2 trials in China, with the company planning to expand these studies into global ones as part of its comprehensive development strategy.

The Global Burden of Chronic Hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B remains one of the toughest challenges to health globally since it infects around 296 million people and leads to at least 820,000 deaths yearly from complications arising from cirrhosis to liver cancer. Even when there is vaccination and antiviral treatment, a comprehensive cure remains unattained while making an imperative need to come up with innovative medication like AHB-137.

The Med-Oligo™ Platform: Shifting the Paradigm for Therapeutics

AusperBio’s proprietary Med-Oligo ASO platform is a major breakthrough in designing and developing antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics. Optimizing molecular structure and delivery mechanisms makes this platform improve the potency, specificity, and safety of treatments based on ASOs. This modular approach allows rapid adaptation to target a wide range of diseases, thus putting AusperBio at the forefront of oligonucleotide-based drug development.

Future Outlook

Following infusion with Series B funding worth $73 million, AusperBio will accelerate the development of AHB-137 and expand the pipeline of therapeutic drugs.

Summary:

AusperBio Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has successfully raised $73 million in a Series B financing round. This funding will accelerate the development of its lead investigational therapy, AHB-137, aimed at providing a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The capital will also support the scaling of manufacturing and the expansion of AusperBio’s therapeutic pipeline.