AusperBio raises $120M Series C to push hepatitis B therapy toward market
What's the deal? AusperBio, a near-commercial biopharmaceutical company developing oligonucleotide therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), has closed a $120 million Series C. RA Capital Management joined as a new investor, with continued backing from HanKang CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Sherpa CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, InnoPinnacle FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Qiming Venture Partners, YuanBio Venture CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and CDH Investments.
Where the money goes: The bulk funds AHB-137, AusperBio's lead antisense oligonucleotide therapy for CHB, including its Phase 3 registrational program and commercialization readiness. Proceeds will also accelerate AHB-171, an investigational HBV siRNA candidate, and next-generation combination approaches aimed at a functional cure.
What's the endgame? AHB-137 is designed to suppress hepatitis B surface antigen production, inhibit viral DNA replication, and promote immune reactivation. It is now in a Phase 3 trial in China, following a global Phase 1 study and multiple Phase 2 studies.
By the numbers: The round brings AusperBio's total raised to $360 million since 2024. Among Series C rounds in China's health sector over the trailing 48 months, the $120 million deal ranks in the 96th percentile across 157 comparable rounds.
In their words: "This financing represents an important inflection point for AusperBio as we advance AHB-137 toward potential commercialization while developing next-generation therapies for CHB," said Dr. Guofeng Cheng, co-founder and chief executive officer.
The signal: A large late-stage round for a China-based hepatitis B developer signals investor appetite for oligonucleotide platforms chasing a functional cure — a goal that has long eluded the field. With AHB-137 in registrational trials, AusperBio is positioning itself among the closest contenders to bring such a therapy to market.
Image credit: AusperBio
