Ablaze Pharmaceuticals
A medical method that delivers radionuclides to tumor cells through targeted molecules to precisely kill cancer cells at close range, so as to achieve therapeutic purposes.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | $75.0m | Series A | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Ablaze Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company established in 2021, operating from both Shanghai, China, and San Diego, California. The company was co-founded by Dr. Ken Song and Dr. Alex Qiao, who serves as the President and CEO. Dr. Song is also the President and CEO of RayzeBio, a key strategic partner for Ablaze. The formation of Ablaze was driven by the recognition that a dedicated company focused on the Chinese market was essential for successfully introducing targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies (TRT) to the region.
The company's core business is the development and commercialization of TRT for cancer treatment, specifically targeting the Greater China market. Its business model leverages in-licensing and strategic partnerships to build a robust product pipeline. A cornerstone of its strategy is a collaboration with US-based RayzeBio, granting Ablaze exclusive rights to develop and commercialize a portfolio of RayzeBio's TRT products within Greater China. This model combines RayzeBio's strengths in TRT discovery with Ablaze's clinical development expertise and infrastructure in China. To support its operations, Ablaze secured $75 million in a Series A financing round in November 2021, co-led by Vivo Capital and AdvanTech Capital, with participation from several other prominent life science investors.
Ablaze's services focus on advancing a pipeline of TRT products for solid tumors. One of its key development programs involves a novel peptide drug candidate targeting GPC3, a biomarker specific to liver cancer, which is a significant unmet medical need in China. The company manages the clinical development and future commercialization of these licensed therapies in the region. To facilitate its research and manufacturing, Ablaze has entered into strategic agreements, including a partnership with Yonghe Pharmaceutical Technology for CDMO services covering process development and cGMP manufacturing from preclinical to clinical stages. Additionally, a supply agreement with Eckert & Ziegler ensures the provision of Lutetium-177, a critical radioisotope for its clinical trials. In 2022, Ablaze also announced plans to build an R&D and manufacturing center in Chengdu to further bolster its capabilities.
Keywords: targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies, TRT, oncology, China healthcare, clinical-stage pharma, solid tumors, radioligand therapy, cancer treatment, drug development, RayzeBio partnership, GPC3 target, liver cancer therapy, Lutetium-177, peptide drug candidate, pharmaceutical manufacturing, cross-border biotech, clinical trials China, nuclear medicine, biopharmaceutical, venture capital-backed