Biotheus

Biotheus is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2018 by Xiaolin Liu and Joanne Sun, with Xiaolin Liu also serving as the CEO. The company is headquartered in Zhuhai, China, and focuses on the discovery and development of antibody-based therapeutics to address unmet needs in oncology and inflammatory diseases. In a significant milestone, Biotheus was acquired by BioNTech in a deal announced in late 2024 and completed in early 2025, for an upfront payment of approximately $800 million with potential for further performance-based payments. Following the acquisition, Biotheus operates as an indirect subsidiary, expanding BioNTech's footprint in China with a local research, development, and manufacturing hub.

The company's core business revolves around developing next-generation antibody-based therapeutics, particularly bispecific antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Its business model is centered on the research and development of a robust pipeline of drug candidates, with the goal of bringing them through clinical trials to commercialization, often through strategic partnerships and licensing agreements with global pharmaceutical companies. Before its acquisition, Biotheus had successfully raised capital from investors including General Atlantic, New Alliance Capital, and IDG Capital. The acquisition by BioNTech followed a successful collaboration that began in November 2023, granting BioNTech initial rights to develop and commercialize a key asset globally, excluding Greater China.

Biotheus' product pipeline includes over ten programs, with a flagship investigational bispecific antibody, BNT327/PM8002, which targets both PD-L1 and VEGF-A. This candidate has shown encouraging clinical activity in various solid tumor types, including those that are typically less responsive to conventional checkpoint inhibitors. The mechanism involves fusing anti-PD-L1 domains to an anti-VEGF-A antibody, a design intended to enhance anti-tumor activity. Multiple registrational trials for BNT327/PM8002 are planned or ongoing for indications such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), both as a monotherapy and in combination with other treatments like chemotherapy and ADCs.

Keywords: antibody therapeutics, bispecific antibodies, oncology, inflammatory diseases, cancer treatment, clinical-stage biotech, antibody-drug conjugates, immunotherapy, Zhuhai, BioNTech acquisition, PD-L1 inhibitor, VEGF-A inhibitor, solid tumors, drug development, biopharmaceutical, BNT327, PM8002, non-small cell lung cancer, biologics, antibody discovery, cancer research, China biotech, checkpoint inhibitors, therapeutic antibodies, clinical trials