AusperBio Therapeutics and Ausper Biopharma have closed a Series C funding round worth $120m to support the development of new therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
The round was led by an undisclosed strategic investor.
New investor RA Capital Management also participated, along with existing investors that included HanKang Capital, Qiming Venture Partners and CDH Investments.
With this funding, AusperBio’s total capital raised since 2024 has reached $360m.
The funds are intended to further the advancement of AHB-137, an antisense oligonucleotide therapy for CHB, including its Phase III registrational programme and preparations for commercial readiness.
Additionally, the proceeds will accelerate the development of AHB-171, a hepatocyte-targeted small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) therapeutic candidate, and next-generation combination treatment approaches aimed at providing a functional cure for CHB.
AusperBio co-founder and CEO Dr Guofeng Cheng said: “This financing represents an important inflection point for AusperBio as we advance AHB-137 toward potential commercialisation while developing next-generation therapies for CHB.
“We are grateful for the continued confidence of our existing investors and pleased to welcome RA Capital to AusperBio. We look forward to building on this momentum to advance our strategy toward functional cure and unlock new opportunities across our oligonucleotide platforms.”
AHB-137 is being tested in a Phase III trial in China after earlier global Phase I and several Phase II studies.
It is designed to suppress hepatitis B surface antigen production, inhibit viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication, and promote immune reactivation as part of efforts for a functional cure.
AHB-171 is the first clinical candidate using the company’s Au-HALO liver-targeting delivery platform and is intended to selectively suppress viral gene expression.
AusperBio is developing targeted oligonucleotide therapeutics and delivery technologies focused initially on CHB and aims to broaden its pipeline to address other diseases.
In July 2024, AusperBio Therapeutics and Ausper Biopharma secured breakthrough therapy designation in China for their investigational drug, AHB-137, to treat CHB.
