Huaotai raises $52.3M Series B as its first drug hits the market
What's the deal? Shanghai Huaotai Biopharmaceutical has raised US$48.1M in a Series B round. The financing was backed by SDIC Chuanghe, with the Yangtze River Delta venture capital guidance fund contributing US$41.3M.
What does it do? Huaotai develops multifunctional antibodies and recombinant protein drugs for cancer and autoimmune diseases. It uses genetic engineering and a proprietary dual-target platform.
Why now? The round lands just as Huaotai's first novel drug, a bispecific antibody, won market approval in July 2026. The capital is meant to fund further pipeline development and commercialisation.
What could go wrong? Huaotai remains deep in the red, posting a net loss of about US$54.5M in 2025 and a further US$23.4M in the first half of 2026. One approved drug does not prove sustained sales or a path to profit.
The signal: State-backed investors are betting Huaotai can shift from a research platform to a revenue-generating product company. The round reflects active funding and licensing in China's novel-drug sector, but the real test is whether its sales and clinical pipeline deliver — not the headline figure.
Read more: itjuzi.com
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