Shanghai Kangkang Biotechnology

Shanghai Kangkang Biotechnology (KangaBio) is a clinical-stage biotechnology firm established in 2021 by Dr. Weidong Jiang and headquartered in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Biomedicine Valley. The company focuses on developing immunotherapeutics for cancer treatment, specifically prodrugs of immune-stimulating agents and multi-specific biologics designed to reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy.

The founder and CEO, Dr. Weidong Jiang, has an extensive background in the biotechnology industry. He earned his Ph.D. from Giessen University in Germany and completed post-doctoral work at the University of California. His career includes senior scientific and directorial roles at companies like Millennium/Takeda, Eli Lilly, and Catalyst Biosciences. Dr. Jiang previously co-founded Shanghai Henlius Biotech in 2009, which became a publicly listed company on the Hong Kong stock exchange and successfully launched multiple biologics in Chinese and European markets. The CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls) Vice President is Dr. Haixiang Wu, who has nearly two decades of experience in new drug R&D, with a focus on recombinant protein and antibody drugs.

KangaBio's business model centers on the research, development, and commercialization of its proprietary and licensed drug candidates. The company's pipeline includes KGX101, an engineered interleukin-12 (IL-12) prodrug that has completed its first patient dosing in China and has received IND approval in the United States. Other pipeline products include KGX103, a procytokine with antitumor functions, and KGX105, a T-cell engager for solid and advanced tumors. KangaBio has engaged in strategic collaborations, including a licensing agreement with Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals for a monoclonal antibody drug. In June 2023, the company secured approximately CNY 200 million in a Seed funding round from investors including TEDA Venture Capital, Tigeryeah Capital, Tao Capital, and Ding Fu Investment.

Keywords: immunotherapeutics, oncology, prodrug development, multi-specific biologics, cancer treatment, antibody drugs, cytokine prodrugs, T-cell engagers, interleukin-12, clinical-stage biotechnology, monoclonal antibody, biopharmaceuticals, solid tumors, immune agonists, drug discovery