On February 27, the world's technology leader Merck Group announced, "Among the four companies included in the 'Merck·China Emerging Biotechnology Funding Program', Chengdu ConMed Biosciences Inc. is one. The company has received Euro 300 thousand of technology and service support from Merck, and is expected to help us in tackling with challenges in antibody drug R&D to release potential of drugs." On March 1, Chen Bo, Chairman of Chengdu ConMed Biosciences Inc. (ConMed), said that currently, global antibody drug industry has entered a period of strong growth; amid such a backdrop, the antibody drugs developed by the company will fill in domestic vacuum in this industry and offer choices for patients in cancer treatment, and old age diseases, and "make people live longer and healthier".

Four companies out of 47 win, with ConMed as "the only one in Chengdu"

The "Merck·China Emerging Biotechnology Funding Program" was launched in 2015. Since then, its biennial screening has been closely followed by emerging biotechnology companies. The reporter learned that the second session of "Merck·China Emerging Biotechnology Funding Program" was launched in August 2017, attracting 47 budding biotechnology companies in China to apply for it. After over half a year's assessment, four enterprises won. ConMed made it to the list as the one and only winner in Chengdu.

"The project we apply for is 'Using hybrid tumor screening and cell culture platform to develop new-type therapeutic antibody drugs'." On March 1, in ConMed of Tianfu Life Science Park, Chen Bo, who just returned from a trip, told the reporter that 47 enterprises stood out among the applicants. ConMed won the favor of Merck for the strong momentum of its antibody drugs, as well as its self-developed patented technologies. "The company now has some 20 antibody drug projects under R&D, mainly targeting at malignant tumor, autoimmune diseases, and other diseases." According to Chen Bo, though a new company established in September 2016, ConMed has two of its projects winning the special fund support for major and new drug development of the "13th Five Year Plan" of the state.

"In 2017 we signed an agreement with Chengdu Tianfu International Biopolis, and this year we will settle down there and soon build pilot workshops and reagent workshops meeting national and international certification standards, shorten the process of antibody drugs from R&D to clinical use, and work to bring our antibody drugs to the market as soon as possible." According to Chen Bo, at this point, the main structure of Chengdu ConMed Biosciences Inc., which covers an area of 7,000 square meters in Chengdu Tianfu International Biopolis, has been completed, and is estimated to be delivered in the first half of this year; by the end of this year, the whole company is expected to move into Chengdu Tianfu International Biopolis.

Settling down in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, a fertile land of biomedicine

ConMed is not the first business of Chen Bo, "I had established biomedicine companies in Wuhan and Shanghai successively." He lost in reverie reflecting on his past stories of undertaking. In 2011, when he engaged in medicine R&D abroad, he decided to return home and start a business. He founded biomedicine companies in Wuhan and Shanghai successively. In 2013 and 2016, Chen Bo made two visits to Tianfu Life Science Park, "Bioindustry here is developing rapidly. And Chengdu Hi-tech Zone offers strong support to biomedicine industry in terms of policy, capital, technology, talent, and service." In September 2016, Chengdu ConMed Biosciences Inc. was established in Tianfu Life Science Park.

To start the business, he moved to three cities one after another. The invariable goal is the R&D of antibody drugs. In Tianfu Life Science Park, ConMed can enjoy a 500 square meters of laboratory area free of charge for five years, together with a fund of RMB 5 million from Chengdu Hi-tech Zone. Over the year, the office area of ConMed has expanded from some 600 square meters to the present 1,500 square meters. Once moving to Chengdu Tianfu International Biopolis, the company's floor space will expand to 7,000 square meters.

"On the fertile land for biomedicine, you can see the determination of the government, and a full-fledged bioindustry chain." Chen Bo cited an example, "Those engaging in medicine R&D have to conduct drug efficacy and safety evaluation, which can be done within the 5km radius of Tianfu Life Science Park."

Chen Bo is full of expectations of the settling down in Chengdu Tianfu International Biopolis. "I believe that as a core cluster area of Chengdu's biomedicine industry, Chengdu Tianfu International Biopolis will empower ConMed in new drug R&D and enable it to get listed on an early date, and even boost the biomedicine industry in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone."

Reporter: He Wenwei

Original title: ConMed receives fund Euro 300 thousand, the only recipient in Chengdu