Shanghai Best-Link Bioscience

About Shanghai Best-Link Bioscience

Shanghai Best-Link Bioscience is a high-tech biopharmaceutical company founded in Pudong, China, in 2021 by Fuyao Zhang. The company focuses on the research and development of innovative drugs for precision cancer treatment and tumor immunotherapy. Best-Link Bioscience has secured funding from institutional investor Hyfinity Investments, completing an Angel round of ¥80 million in June 2021 and a Series A financing of ¥182 million in April 2023.

The founder and CEO, Fuyao Zhang, has an extensive background in science and drug development. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Polymer Science from Zhejiang University, a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. Professionally, Zhang was a principal scientist at Eli Lilly and Company and co-founded Shanghai Unitris Biopharma and Shanghai Selection Bioscience before establishing Best-Link.

Best-Link Bioscience is pioneering a novel nano-conjugate drug platform called NMPDC®, based on a concept the company terms "Nano-Train Conjugate Drugs". This technology aims to overcome the delivery and penetration challenges of traditional Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs). The NMPDC platform uses advanced conjugation and nanotechnology to create nano-conjugates that effectively deliver therapeutic payloads into the tumor microenvironment. By controlling the particle size, charge, and release timing, the system enables selective release of active payloads, which then penetrate deep into the tumor, causing sustained damage. This approach enhances drug delivery efficiency and penetration, leveraging a bystander effect to target tumor cells.

The company's business model is centered on developing and advancing its pipeline of drug candidates through clinical trials to address unmet needs in oncology. Its versatile platform shows pan-tumor treatment potential. The pipeline includes several candidates that have entered the clinical stage, such as BL0006 for advanced solid tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma; BL0020 for pancreatic cancer; BL0175 for breast cancer; and BL0161 for solid tumors. Preclinical results have shown efficacy against a range of cancers, including pancreatic, lung, colorectal, triple-negative breast cancer, and malignant thymoma. The company has received Investigational New Drug (IND) application approvals from both the FDA in the United States and the NMPA in China for its candidates.