Accro Bioscience Raises $50M to Advance Ulcerative Colitis Drug Pipeline

Key Takeaways

  • Accro Bioscience Raises $50M Series C funding led by OrbiMed

  • Company expands pipeline targeting immune and inflammatory diseases

  • Funds will advance Phase IIb trial of AC-101 for Ulcerative Colitis

Accro Bioscience clinical biotechnology research and drug development laboratory

Series C Funding Strengthens Accro Bioscience Clinical Pipeline

Accro Bioscience just raised $50 million in Series C funding to speed up its clinical development programs. They’re working on treatments for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases. OrbiMed, the global healthcare investment firm, led the round. The company’s based in Suzhou, China, and focuses on developing new therapeutics as a clinical-stage biotech.

Investors like TCG Crossover, LAV, and Cenova Capital joined in, along with existing backers Shenzhen Capital Group and Oriza Holdings. That lineup says a lot about how confident people are in Accro’s drug development platform—and how much interest there is lately in therapies that help regulate the immune system.

CEO Dr. Xiaohu Jason Zhang leads the team. Accro Bioscience zeroes in on oral drugs for immune-mediated diseases, taking aim at the molecular mechanisms tied to regulatory cell death. The goal? Offering better treatments for chronic inflammatory disorders.

They’ve built a proprietary drug discovery platform that helps create both first-in-class and best-in-class compounds. These programs specifically target diseases where current options just aren’t good enough.

Funding to Accelerate Phase IIb Clinical Development

The funding will help push AC-101 into a Phase IIb clinical trial. AC-101 is a selective RIPK2 inhibitor, and researchers are developing it for people struggling with moderate to severe Ulcerative Colitis. This is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and right now, patients don’t have many good treatment options.

AC-101 works by targeting the RIPK2 pathway, which plays a big role in immune signaling. When this pathway goes out of balance, it’s often tied to inflammation and autoimmune diseases. So, by zeroing in on RIPK2, AC-101 tries to calm inflammation right where it starts.

The drug’s already made it through Phase I trials in healthy volunteers in both Australia and China, showing good safety and pharmacokinetics. There’s also been a Phase Ib and a Phase IIa trial with Chinese patients, and those results gave the green light for even more clinical development. On top of that, the company got IND clearance from the U.S. FDA.

This is a big deal for their global plans. But Accro Bioscience isn’t stopping at AC-101. They’re expanding their pipeline, working on more drugs for inflammatory and immune-related diseases. They’re hoping these new programs will help them tackle a wider range of conditions.

Investor Confidence in Immunology Drug Development

Strong investor backing highlights growing confidence in immunology-focused biotech and the global demand for advanced treatments in chronic inflammatory diseases. Source: Created by Ventureburn

OrbiMed led the Series C round. Partner Steven Wang highlighted the strength of Accro Bioscience’s scientific platform. He noted the company’s execution capabilities and innovative pipeline. He also emphasised its potential in global clinical development.

OrbiMed is a major healthcare investment firm. It manages over nineteen billion dollars in assets. The firm invests across private and public healthcare companies globally. It supports companies from early stage development through to commercialisation.

Other investors in the round include TCG Crossover, LAV, and Cenova Capital. Existing investors Shenzhen Capital Group and Oriza Holdings also participated again. Their continued support reflects confidence in the company’s long term research strategy.

The investor group sees strong potential in therapies targeting immune system regulation. Chronic inflammatory diseases represent a large and growing global market. Improved treatment options remain a key unmet medical need.

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Clinical Progress and Global Expansion Strategy

Accro Bioscience is advancing multiple clinical programmes across regions. The company has completed early stage trials in both Asia and Australia. These studies support its transition into larger Phase II trials.

The company’s lead programme focuses on Ulcerative Colitis. This disease causes long term inflammation of the colon. This really changes lives for patients. Right now, many treatments either don’t work well enough or come with safety risks that make things tougher. 

Accro Bioscience wants to change that. They’re working on oral therapies that go after specific molecular targets, not just knocking down the whole immune system. By being that precise, they’re hoping to cut down on side effects and actually help people feel better.

Dr. Xiaohu Jason Zhang, the CEO, put it simply: the company’s all about finding new solutions for people with immune-related diseases. And he didn’t forget to mention how much investor backing matters for moving these clinical programs forward. He also made it clear that Accro Bioscience is in this for the long haul—research isn’t just a short-term play for them.

Lately, the company’s been growing, both on the regulatory side and in clinical work. They’re getting ready to launch global trials in a bunch of different countries. In the U.S., for example, they’re already pushing ahead after getting the green light from the FDA.

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Clinton

Clinton Nwachukwu is a crypto and finance writer with an MBA in Artificial Intelligence and 6+ years of experience creating content for leading global brands. He turns complex topics into clear, actionable insights for readers worldwide.

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