On October 20, Xiling Lab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., an enterprise of Tianfu Life Science Park, (Referred to as "Xiling Lab") announced that it had successfully completed its Series A round of financing of RMB 50 million. The financing was led by Shenzhen Share Precision Medicine Venture Capital Partnership Enterprise ("Shenzhen Share Investment") and followed by Sichuan Provincial Health and Pension Industry Equity Investment Fund Partnership Enterprise ("Sichuan Provincial Health and Pension Industry Fund").

The funds from this round of financing will be mainly used to promote the company's first innovative small molecule drug SMP-100, for clinical research on the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Photos from the Internet

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common major intestinal disorder with abdominal pain, abdominal distension and abnormal defecation. The global prevalence of IBS is approx. 11%. FDA clearly indicates that the new drugs for IBS-D (Diarrhea Type) and IBS-M (Mixed Type) are the unaddressed clinical needs. It is of significant market prospect.

SMP-100 is a new type of 5-HT serotonin 3 (5-HT3) receptor partial agonist. By regulating the activity of 5-HT3 receptor, SMP-100 will be able to improve the symptoms of abdominal pain and abnormal defecation of patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, relieve the pain of patients and improve the life quality of patients.

SMP-100 is expected to become the world's first partial agonist for 5-HT3 receptor. Its novel working mechanism will overcome the side effects of traditional complete antagonists and it will be the first breakthrough in the treatment of diarrhea type and alternating type IBS.

In May this year, SMP-100 has already obtained the tacit approval of FDA of USA in clinical trials (view more) and its Phase I clinical study is ongoing in Australia. It is expected it will enter Phase II clinical study in the third quarter of 2021.

For this round of financing, Dr. Huang Jinkun, founder, chairman and CEO of Xiling Lab expressed that

"Over the past three years, Xiling Lab has been focusing on the research and development of innovative drugs in the fields of gastrointestinal tract (GI), in order to create a competitive differentiated product pipeline for the unaddressed clinical needs. This round of financing will accelerate the clinical trial of SMP-100 and we are confident to provide many IBS patients with safe and effective treatment solutions. In the meantime, our company is committed to the development of high-quality and low-cost contrast agent production process, and has achieved outstanding periodical outcomes that lay a solid foundation for our company's further cultivation and continued innovation in this field in the future. We sincerely appreciate the trust and support by investors to Xiling Lab in this round of financing and we will continue to strive to achieve our company's commitment, that is, to let patients benefit and to win together with customers." (View more about Big Shot Interview)

Mr. Huang Fanzhi, co-founder of Shenzhen Share Investment Co., Ltd. expressed that,

"We attach great importance to the R&D team and technical platform of Xiling Lab. We are looking forward to helping the company bring the new drugs to the market as soon as possible and we will fully support the success of Xiling Lab.

Xiling Lab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. 

Chengdu Xiling Lab is a new prominent drug R&D company based in China with its operations running globally. It has two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Chengdu Kelingyuan Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd. and Australia GUIXI PHARMATECH PTY LTD. Driven by innovation and cooperation, Xiling Lab company is committed to building an international leading innovative drug research and development platform, contrast agent drug development platform and catalytic technology platform, so as to develop safe and effective clinical medication for patients in China and all over the world.

Xiling Lab has the qualification of "National High-Tech Enterprise", and its core technology and management team have won the title of "Top Innovation and Entrepreneurship Team" awarded by Sichuan Province and Chengdu City.

About Shenzhen Share Investment 

Founded in Shenzhen in 2007, Shenzhen Share Zeshan Precision Medicine Investment Partnership is the earliest limited partnership professional investment institution in China. So far, it has established 11 funds managing funds of more than RMB 8 billion and has invested more than 180 enterprises with its professional investment team of 50 people. The investment scope of Share Investment in medical and health industries covers new drug research and development, biotechnology, innovative devices, medical and health services and other subdivided fields, and it has formed a portfolio with new drug research and development and biotechnology as its prominent characteristics. Share Investment, with its role in VC and capital sector as the link, to build an effective communication bridge between industry, academia and entrepreneurs, so as to achieve resource integration and complementary advantages, create a good project "Encounter System" and bring rich and high-quality project sources for the funds operated by it.

About Sichuan Provincial Health and Pension Industry Fund 

Sichuan Provincial Health and Pension Industry Equity Investment Fund is an industrial investment fund established with approval by the provincial government, focusing on health care and pension industry equity investment.

The health and pension fund operates independently according to the market-oriented principle, takes creating valued investment as its goal and "industry and capital" as the "double-wheel drive" development mode, bases itself in Sichuan but deeply dives into the Western China while facing the entire country, integrates local and industrial resources, promotes technological innovation, guides industrial collaboration, cultivates leading enterprises in subdivided industries and improves the core value of enterprises, so as to make contributions to developing leading local supportive industries.

Sichuan Health and Pension Fund focuses on the key areas that are of great market potential, good industrial foundation and in line with the industrial development trend, such as biomedicine, medical devices, medical services, traditional Chinese medicine health care, pension services and supporting service industries.

Congratulations again to Xiling Lab Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.!

Source: Chengdu Xiling Lab