On March 2-3, the two-day 2023 China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Conference achievement release ceremony and the Greater Bay Area Science and Technology Conference were successfully held at the Shenzhen Futian Convention and Exhibition Center.

The conference, themed “Smart Innovations in China: Illuminating Dreams,” brought together more than 120 experts, scholars, industry leaders, representatives from 9+2 cities, and investment institutions from various fields. Through a combination of online and offline interactions, they explored cutting-edge academic achievements and development trends in areas such as sensors, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, healthcare monitoring, and AI robotics. This event injected new energy into industrial upgrading and economic growth.

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“Wang Jinzhan, Member of the Party Group and Secretary of the Secretariat of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST); Cheng Hongbo, Secretary of the Party Group and Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Association for Science and Technology (GAST); and Wang Qiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Minister of the United Front Work Department, attended the main forum and delivered speeches.

Also present at the event were Song Jun, Vice Chairman of the China Technology Development Foundation, former Member of the Party Group and Secretary of the Secretariat of CAST; Zhang Qing, Director of the Enterprise Innovation Service Center of CAST; Gao Chunbo, Deputy Director of the Enterprise Innovation Service Center of CAST; Hua Xuchu, Member of the Party Group of GAST; Liao Junwen, President of the Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology (SAST), Special Invited Vice Chairman of the China Industry-University-Research Cooperation Promotion Association, Vice Chairman of the 4th Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and former Minister of the United Front Work Department; and Lin Xiang, Secretary of the Party Group and Deputy Chairman of SAST. These leaders and experts attended the event.

META stood out among several high-quality projects at this conference and was awarded the ‘Top 100’ by the conference organizing committee. This recognition reflects the acknowledgment from numerous industry experts, judges, and professional institutions, highlighting MetaNovas Biotech’s immense development potential.

On December 28, 2023, the 13th CCTV Financial Forum in Hong Kong, with the theme of ‘Technology Innovation: Activating New Drivers for Economic Development’, was held in Hong Kong. The forum aimed to facilitate discussions and exchanges on how technology innovation can empower high-quality economic development.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive John Lee, National Committee Member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Chairman and Chief Editor of Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, Lee Tai-hung, and Peng Jianming, Member of the Editorial Board Meeting and General Manager of the Central Radio and Television Station, were among the participants in the forum and delivered speeches.

Dr. Ke Xu, Co-founder and CEO of META Pharmaceuticals, was also invited to participate in the forum. During the dialogue session, Dr. Xu shared META’s achievements in utilizing artificial intelligence for biomedical research and development. He explained that META is a company focused on developing original drugs for autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, and rare diseases. Dr. Xu highlighted that the company has made breakthroughs in chronic disease treatment by regulating the metabolic vitality of immune cells to achieve immune system function modulation.

Dr. Ke Xu, in an interview after the forum, emphasized that the company’s use of AI and machine learning technologies can significantly enhance the efficiency of drug discovery and accelerate the progression of drugs into clinical trials. He also expressed the hope for better integration of innovative AI applications, enabling META to contribute to First-in-class original drugs and continue exploring and benefiting patients in the field of biomedicine.

On December 28, the Sixth Greater Bay Area Biotechnology Innovation Competition awards ceremony for the Top 50 Innovative Biotechnology Enterprises was held with great fanfare in Nansha, Guangzhou. The event was organized by the China Innovation Industry Research Institute, hosted by Guangdong Medical Valley, and co-organized by Haitong Securities. Simultaneously, a Biotechnology Innovation Development Summit was held, aiming to bring together experts and investment professionals from the biopharmaceutical industry, discover outstanding players in the biotechnology sector, and explore collaborative innovation for industry development.

Shu Yuan, Dean of the China Innovation Industry Research Institute; Yan Zhen, Member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Drug Administration; Sheng Nanfang, former Director of the China Southern Talent Market and former Vice President of the Guangdong Talent Exchange Association; Tan Hong, Chief Economist of the Guangzhou Development and Reform Commission; Xie Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Nansha Development Zone in Guangzhou; Wang Houhua, Deputy Director of the Guangdong Productivity Promotion Center; and Professor Lin Xinhua, Executive Dean of the Precision Medicine Research Institute of the Greater Bay Area, were among the experts who attended the ceremony.

After visits and screenings by the judging panel and investors, META successfully made it to the Top 50 Innovative Biotechnology Enterprises list in the Greater Bay Area and was awarded the title of Emerging Enterprise. This recognition reflects the high regard from numerous professionals for META’s achievements.

Recently, Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as “META Pharmaceuticals”) has won a number of competitions.

1. META Pharmaceuticals was honored as “Excellent Enterprise” in China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition Biomedicine National Competition

On November 23rd, the 12th China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition Biomedicine National Competition, jointly organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Central Internet Information Office (CIIO), and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), commenced in Taizhou. Xu Yi, the head of relevant institutions directly under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Zhang Xinmin, the director of China Biotechnology Development Center (CBDC), Zhu Lifan, the secretary of Taizhou Municipal Party Committee, as well as responsible comrades from relevant departments of CBDC, the Taizhou Development and Reform Commission (DRC), the Taizhou Science and Technology Bureau (TSTB), and the Taizhou Pharmaceutical Hi-Tech Zone Administrative Committee (TPZAC), participated in the opening ceremony.

After the district and city competitions, META Pharmaceuticals was selected as a finalist in the National Biopharmaceutical Competition for its application and development of immunometabolic strategies on small molecule drugs for various chronic diseases. The company finally won the title of “Excellent Enterprise” among the 324 excellent biopharmaceutical enterprises in the National Competition. Dr. Ke Xu, co-founder and CEO of META Pharmaceuticals, represented the company to give a live defense and receive the award on the stage.

2.META Pharmaceuticals was awarded “Excellence Award” in the Grand Final of 2023 Golden Panda Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

On November 17, 2023, the Golden Panda Global Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition Grand Final was successfully held in the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone. The event was hosted by the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government and organized by the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone Administrative Committee. The competition drew a total of 2,085 project applications, and after 10 domestic and international field competitions, 46 projects advanced to the finals.

After a rigorous selection process, Dr. Anjin Xianyu, Co-Founder and CTO of META Pharmaceuticals, represented the company in winning the Excellence Award and the corresponding bonus. The award was received on behalf of the company for their research project titled “Research and Development of National Class I Innovative Immunosuppressive Drugs Based on Immuno-metabolism Strategies”. This project stood out among many others in the field of cutting-edge biomedical science and technology.

3.META Pharmaceuticals Won the Third Prize in China Huaihai High-level Talents Entrepreneurship Competition

Recently, the first China Huaihai High-level Talents Entrepreneurship Competition and Xuzhou Economic Development Zone High-level Talents Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for Biomedical Health were successfully held in Shenzhen. More than 30 projects, led by academicians from overseas developed countries, national high-level talents, and teams, applied for the competition. META Pharmaceuticals, among several outstanding enterprises, achieved a top 6 ranking in the project, winning the third prize and receiving the corresponding bonus reward.

The fact that META Pharmaceuticals was able to enter and win several national competitions over the past 2 years reflects the recognition by industry experts of META Pharmaceuticals’ innovative ability and development potential. META will also accelerate the R&D process, hoping to contribute to the development of biomedicine.

On December 13, 2023, the finals of the 2023 PHBS-CJBS Global Pitch Competition were held in Shenzhen with great fanfare.

Launched in April of this year, this competition received over 200 high-quality entrepreneurial projects spanning various fields such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, semiconductor chips, and clean energy. The goal is to integrate top-tier investment institutions and industry-leading corporate resources, creating a comprehensive event system that combines capital connections, industry empowerment, and talent cultivation for startup companies. This initiative aims to help startups gain capital attention, acquire industry insights, and establish a solid business foundation.

The guests and judges for this year’s finals include: Hai Wen, Deputy Director (formerly Vice President) of the Academic Affairs Committee of Peking University; Wang Pengfei, Dean of Peking University HSBC Business School; Ren Ting, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Dean of Peking University HSBC Business School; Christoph H. Loch, Professor of Management at Peking University HSBC Business School and former Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School; and Wei Wei, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee and Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Peking University HSBC Business School. The partners include: Shenzhen Angel Mother Fund, ZhenFund, Oriental Fortune Capital, Plum Ventures, Sequoia Capital, TianTu Investment, Shenzhen Capital Group, QiFu Capital, ChenBang Capital, Tencent Group, CITIC Jiantou Securities, CR Healthcare, and Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, among 120 research and venture enterprises.

Meta stood out among more than 200 high-quality projects in this competition and won the second prize in the 2023 PHBSS-CJBS Global Pitch Competition. This recognition comes from numerous professional guests, judges, and institutions, acknowledging MetaNovas Biotech’s immense development potential.

META Pharmaceuticals was invited by AstraZeneca, a biopharmaceutical company, to participate in the event in Hong Kong, alongside the China Medical Innovation Going Overseas Exchange Mission. Guests of the event included the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, the head of the Hong Kong Office for the Admission of Key Enterprises (OASES), and representatives from the nearly 100 outstanding enterprises.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Paul Chan Mo-po, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, expressed his expectation that the combination of cutting-edge research by outstanding medical research institutes and experts and scholars in Hong Kong as well as in the Greater Bay Area will bring together more relevant start-ups, injecting new kinetic energy into the region’s pharmaceutical research and development, and creating a more vibrant ecosystem of pharmaceutical innovation.

As a high-growth biopharmaceutical company, META Pharmaceuticals places significant emphasis on various development opportunities and has established subsidiaries in both Hong Kong and China. During the event, the Head of META Pharmaceuticals Affairs introduced the company to the Financial Secretary, Mr. Paul Chan, who warmly welcomed the idea of translating cutting-edge mechanisms from the US into Hong Kong and expressed hope for further communication.

In addition, it received a warm welcome from HKSAR government departments and was invited to the HKSAR government headquarters for a meeting with officials from the Office for the Admission of Key Enterprises in Hong Kong (OASES), the Hong Kong Innovation, Technology, and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the Hong Kong Food and Health Bureau (HKFHB), and other governmental organizations. During these interactions, there were extensive exchanges on topics such as Hong Kong’s policy regarding the introduction of healthcare innovations, the development of innovation and technology, and an overview of the healthcare industry.

On November 13th, the Xintian Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation and Development Forum, hosted by Dystar Group, was held in the Shenzhen Futian International Biomedical Industrial Park. The forum centered around the development of the biomedical industry in the Loop Cooperation Zone and delved into the opportunities and challenges of cooperation between Xintian and the Loop Cooperation Zone in the field of biomedicine.

On that day, a number of Hong Kong political experts, including Mr. Lau Yip Keung, Chairman of the Hong Kong New Territories Heung Yee Kuk, Mr. Yau Wing Kwong, and Mr. Lau Man Kwan, members of the Hong Kong New Territories Heung Yee Kuk, participated in the forum. During the event, Mr. Lau expressed his active support for promoting the development of Hong Kong’s New Territories North Metro Area. He also expressed hope to strengthen ties with Shenzhen and explore collaboration in areas such as science and technology innovation, biomedicine, and more. The goal is to contribute to the development of the Loop Cooperation Zone.

Dr. Anjin Xianyu, Co-founder and CTO of META Pharmaceuticals, was also invited to participate in the event. Together with other representatives from biomedical enterprises, they engaged in an in-depth discussion on cross-border investment and financing, as well as the various possibilities of cooperation within the Xintian Loop. Following the forum, Chairman Liu Yeqiang and a group of representatives visited META Pharmaceuticals and highly recognized META’s new biological mechanism.

Recently, the six-month Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Bay Area Youth Exhibition was grandly opened at the Shenzhen Youth Activity Center. The exhibition is jointly created by the Shenzhen Committee of the Communist Youth League and the Shenzhen Youth Federation to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Bay Area, and to gather the youth power of the region.

The exhibition spotlights the latest trends in strategic emerging industries and future industrial clusters, including the “20+8” initiative. It specifically highlights the remarkable scientific and technological achievements and products from the youth in the Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Bay Area. The event features three main themes and ten functional industry exhibitions, with hundreds of exhibitors representing high-end manufacturing equipment, the new-generation electronics and information industry, biomedicine and health, and air and space technology. This platform serves as an exchange hub, fully showcasing the innovative products and technologies of the region.

On the morning of the 31st, 18 individuals, including Ran Bo, Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, Su Wuyuan, Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Liaison Department at the Liaison Office of the Central Government in Hong Kong, Gao Dawei, Secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, Gao Bo, Chairman of the Hong Kong Young Scientists’ Association, and Wang Ning, First Grade Researcher at the Municipal Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation, visited the Youth Exhibition Hall.

META Pharmaceuticals was invited by the organizer to participate in the exhibition, and Alex Wang, the head of corporate affairs, also attended the exhibition and gave a brief introduction of the company and its research results.

On October 27, 2023, the 2023 Greater Bay Area Innovation and Economy Forum was grandly opened in Shenzhen. The event was organized by the Southern Finance and Economy All Media Group and co-organized by the 21st Century Business Herald, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Research Institute, and the Social Value Investment Alliance (Shenzhen).

Centered around innovation economy catalysts within the three major economic drivers, the conference invited industry leaders to explore fresh opportunities for sustainable development in the Bay Area. The event featured a main forum and three roundtable dialogues. Simultaneously, the Shenzhen Venture Capital Association and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Research Institute jointly unveiled the final list of the ‘2023 Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Greater Bay Area Top 100 High Growth Enterprises.’

The ‘2023 Top 100 High Growth Enterprises in the Greater Bay Area’ list focuses on five major industrial tracks within the Greater Bay Area: new-generation information technology, digital economy, new energy/new materials, biomedicine and health, and advanced manufacturing. The list aims to identify and recognize outstanding high-growth enterprises in the Greater Bay Area. By establishing criteria related to innovation and high growth, the list comprehensively evaluates new industries, technologies, business forms, and models. It fully showcases the exceptional high-growth enterprises in the Bay Area, serving as a benchmark for the dynamic industries within the region.

Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (META Pharmaceuticals) was honored to be selected as one of the Top 100 High Growth Enterprises in the Greater Bay Area for 2023. This recognition is a testament to its outstanding development status and significant growth potential within the biomedical and health sector. META Pharmaceuticals underwent rigorous evaluation by experts at various levels to achieve this distinction.

We are very happy to receive this honor, and at the same time, we have more enthusiasm and motivation to continue to move forward.

The 8th China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Investment Conference commenced grandly on September 25, 2023, in Suzhou Industrial Park and successfully concluded on September 27th.

On the conference’s opening day, several distinguished experts in the field of biomedicine were invited to attend. Notable attendees included He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chairman of the Chinese Peasants’ and Workers’ Democratic Party; Ding Jian, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Sun Lei, Director of the Center for the Technical Evaluation of Medical Devices and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the State Drug Administration; and Song Ruilin, Executive Director of the China Association for the Promotion of Pharmaceutical Innovation.

The conference focuses on the latest industrial policies, pharmaceutical R&D trends, and investment and financing trends in the pharmaceutical industry. It provides a platform for discussion, allowing both domestic and foreign pharmaceutical innovation and investment communities to actively participate and promote collaboration. Since its inception, the cumulative number of participants has exceeded 24,000 people. The conference also featured six special roadshow sessions, during which nearly 100 companies presented their projects.

META was honored to participate in this conference and was recommended to join the roadshow with its high-quality projects. Mr. Alex Wang, Head of Corporate Affairs, delivered an excellent presentation on ‘Developing New Drugs for Various Chronic Diseases Based on Immunometabolic Strategies’ on September 26th. Additionally, we engaged in valuable exchanges with authoritative experts in the biopharmaceutical industry and investment and financing experts.

As one of the largest international biotechnology conferences in Asia, BIOHK2023, the Hong Kong International Biotechnology Forum, commenced on September 13th and concluded successfully on September 16th.

On the conference’s opening day, several government representatives and prominent experts in the field of biology delivered speeches. Notable speakers included Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and former Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region (SAR); Mr. Yu Chang-hai, Chairman of BIOHK2023; and Mr. Bruce Beutler, the recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Biology or Medicine.

This year’s exhibition not only attracted nearly 200 exhibitors from both domestic and international backgrounds, including Hong Kong, but also featured high-end forums and seminars. The event organized 24 symposiums, 4 summit forums, 3 seminars, and 11 round tables. META PHARMACEUTICALS (HK) LIMITED had the honor of being invited to participate in the conference. The company received recognition from professionals for its R&D ideas and achievements in small molecule inhibition of immuno-metabolism, as well as its significant development potential. As a result, it was awarded a place in the top 10 out of the 36 companies’ presentations.

Throughout the four-day exhibition, META Pharmaceuticals’ booth garnered significant attention. Numerous professionals visited to learn and engage in discussions. META eagerly anticipates collaboration and learning opportunities with various outstanding enterprises in the industry.

In 2022, the Novo Nordisk China R&D Center and ATLATL Dart Innovation Center jointly launched the ‘StarStart’ program. This initiative aims to provide support to promising and high-quality innovation projects. It represents an essential project for Novo Nordisk as it seeks to enhance collaboration with local innovation forces in China.

The winning team will not only receive priority for moving into any of the ATLATL sites but also be awarded a prize of RMB 500,000. This prize will cover the rent for the darts and the R&D services provided. Additionally, the winning team will benefit from targeted guidance offered by Novo Nordisk’s drug discovery experts.

The StarStart Innovation Competition has been successfully held for the first time, and the final roadshow for this year’s competition took place on September 8th.

The event also garnered significant support and attention from Novo Nordisk’s global R&D team. The panel of judges for the offline competition included esteemed individuals such as Dr. Karin Conde-Knape, Senior Vice President of Global Drug Discovery; Dr. Miriam Frieden, Corporate Vice President of Early Stage R&D Innovation Collaboration and Alliances; Dr. Dan Han, Corporate Vice President of Novo Nordisk and President of China R&D Center; Dr. Zhu Dart, Founder and CEO of the Innovation Center; and Dr. Li Jian, President and CEO of the Innovation Center. Additionally, Dr. Pengcheng Zhu, Founder and CEO of the Innovation Center, played a pivotal role in this prestigious event.

With its cutting-edge translational research in the field of immuno-metabolism and excellent preclinical efficacy data in the First-in-Class pipeline, META Pharmaceuticals has been successfully selected as one of the five finalists in the final round of the EntreStar 2023 program.

Dr. Ke Xu, Co-Founder and CEO of META Pharmaceuticals, will deliver a keynote speech on behalf of META Pharmaceuticals at this offline final in Shanghai.

About StarStart

The StarStart Innovation Competition offers $500,000 in funding, professional mentorship and a world-class lab environment in hopes of helping early-stage innovative drug discovery companies. The competition focuses on many different areas, providing solutions for metabolic diseases, fibrosis, chronic inflammation, or developing innovative technology platforms to address key issues in the drug discovery process. The two winning teams selected by the competition will be able to be prioritized for admission to any of the Dart Innovation Center sites; receive a prize of RMB 500,000 to cover the rent for admission to Dart and the R&D services it provides; and receive targeted guidance from Novo Nordisk’s drug discovery experts.

About Novo Nordisk

Founded in 1923, Novo Nordisk is the world’s leading biopharmaceutical company and a world leader in the development and production of insulin for the treatment of diabetes. Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Novo Nordisk sells its products in 179 countries. Its goal is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, rare blood disorders and endocrine disruption.

About ATLATL Dart Innovation & Research Center

ATLATL Innovation & Research Center is a global innovation and R&D center located in the heart of several prestigious science parks in China, creating a new life sciences ecosystem by partnering with entrepreneurs, investors, pharmaceutical companies and service companies. This ecosystem attracts top research programs and talent from around the world, facilitating the development of medicines that benefit global healthcare.

About META

META Pharmaceuticals Inc. is an original drug company focusing on autoimmune disease drug discovery and development. Based on cutting-edge emerging biological theories, META develops safer and more effective autoimmune targets by regulating cellular metabolism to effectively regulate the immune system function, focusing on first-in-class new drug discovery and development. We focus on first-in-class drug discovery and development to provide much-needed medicines to many patients around the world.

1. KPMG China Tech Innovator Competition

On August 17, 2023, the 2nd KPMG China Tech Innovator 2023 event was held in Shenzhen. Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd (META Pharmaceuticals) was successfully chosen as a finalist in the national finals of the KPMG China Tech Innovator 2023. The company’s unique capacity for independent innovation and significant growth potential contributed to its selection.

With innovation and technology playing a crucial role in China’s current high-quality economic development, fostering and supporting tech startups has become a significant priority. KPMG China recognizes this importance and has organized the Innovation & Technology Competition to identify more Chinese technology innovators and offer them a platform to showcase their talents. Following rigorous evaluation by a professional jury, 17 startups have emerged as finalists for the KPMG China 2023 China Innovation & Technology Competition National Finals.

II. Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

The 15th Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (referred to as “SZIC”) took place in Shenzhen from August 15 to 18, 2023. The semi-finals were categorized into seven major industries: new-generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, biomedicine, new materials, new energy, new energy automobiles, and energy-saving and environmental protection. Following rigorous screening and on-site evaluation by the panel of judges, Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd. successfully advanced to the final round of the SZC (Enterprise Group).

The 12th China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in Shenzhen and the 15th China Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (referred to as the ‘15th Shenzhen Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition’) is a significant public welfare event focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. Sponsored by the Torch Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology, this competition aims to implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, align with national strategies, and seize the major opportunity presented by the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Its goal is to cultivate and showcase innovative projects across various domains, contributing to the establishment of a model district with Chinese characteristics and the creation of a modern, powerful socialist city.

Recently, E Drug Manager launched the selection process for the U40 Young Elite 2023. Dr. Anjin Xianyu, co-founder and CTO of Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd (META Pharmaceuticals), was recognized as a young leader and outstanding entrepreneur in the field of biomedical research. He was honored to be included in the U40 Young Elite List.

《E药经理人》创刊于2008年，是致力于把医药研发新产品、生产流通、产业监管与服务机构、资本等资讯Founded in 2008, E Pharmaceutical Manager is a financial magazine dedicated to disseminating information on pharmaceutical R&D, new products, production, distribution, industrial regulations, and service organizations. It serves as a high-end media platform for the industry, promoting information symmetry and uncovering value. The U40 Young Elite 2023 represents the outstanding future leaders of the pharmaceutical industry across five fields: entrepreneurship, investment, research and development (R&D), secretarial roles, and business development (BD). These young talents are selected by the magazine after rigorous rounds of verification and voting.

E药经理人认为，U40·青年创业菁英榜的上榜嘉宾中“含博量”极高，且AI药物研发、细胞与基因治疗等前沿E Drug Managers believe that the U40 Young Entrepreneurial Elite List features highly accomplished individuals. Notably, young entrepreneurs in cutting-edge areas such as AI drug research and development, cell therapy, and gene therapy are prominently represented.

Although biomolecules serve as the primary focus of current scientific development, small molecule drugs have significantly impacted the field of biotechnology and its integration with other disciplines. These drugs are continually updated to enhance accessibility and efficacy for a diverse range of patients.。

Against this backdrop, Lingding Consulting organized the Small Molecule Drug Innovation Leaders Forum 2023 (SMDIL2023) in Shanghai on May 18-19.

Dr. Ke Xu, Co-Founder & CEO of META Pharmaceuticals, along with his research team, was invited to attend the forum. They not only delivered an excellent speech on ‘Small molecule new drug development based on immune-metabolism strategy for various chronic diseases’ but also engaged in academic exchanges with industry pioneers, leaders in new drug development, and scientific frontrunners. It was a highly productive trip.

Recently, the 36 Krypton Venture Capital Research Institute published the list of “2023 Science and Technology Entrepreneurs”. Dr. Ke Xu, co-founder and CEO of Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd (META Pharmaceuticals), has been recognized as an exceptional entrepreneur in the biomedical research field and was included in the “2023 Science and Technology Entrepreneurs” list.

The “2023 Science Entrepreneurs” represents the inaugural survey conducted by the 36Krypton Venture Capital Research Institute in collaboration with its latest summit IP – Waves. This survey is centered around the phenomenon of scientists’ entrepreneurship. It meticulously identifies nearly 100 science entrepreneurs who have achieved remarkable success in the “research + entrepreneurship” model across various domains, including cutting-edge technology, advanced manufacturing, intelligent hardware, new energy, biotechnology, healthcare, and local lifestyle.These exceptional individuals have been carefully selected for their significant contributions to the intersection of research and business.

This award acknowledges Dr. Ke Xu’s remarkable accomplishments and entrepreneurial prowess in the field of bio-immune metabolism, as recognized by both the industry and the media. It also signifies a strong vote of confidence in META Pharmaceuticals’ future trajectory. To quote Waves, when it comes to navigating the delicate balance between scientific research and entrepreneurship, “there are very few individuals who possess the capacity to comprehend both modes of thinking and effectively harmonize them.

Dr. Ke Xu, the Founder of META Pharmaceuticals (Source: Weill Cornell Medical College), holds degrees from McMaster University and Columbia University. In 2013, he joined the Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis (IMP) Program at Weill Cornell Medical College. Over the course of more than a decade of basic biological research, Dr. Xu has focused on the intricate relationship between the immune system and metabolism. His work has demonstrated the pivotal role of nutrient metabolism in regulating immune responses at the molecular and cellular levels.

Currently, Dr. Ke Xu serves as the co-founder of Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd (META Pharmaceuticals). Alongside his founding team, he dedicates efforts to modulating immune system function by regulating immune cell metabolism. Their mission is to improve and treat a wide range of conditions arising from immune and metabolic system disorders, including autoimmune disorders, cancer, metabolic disorders, and age-related chronic diseases.

On April 7, 2023, KPMG China hosted the award ceremony for “The 2nd Biotech 50 List” across Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Ltd. (referred to as “META Pharmaceuticals”) stood out with its distinctive research focus and boundless growth prospects. After thorough research and analysis, META Pharmaceuticals was honored as one of the “Biotechnology Innovation 50” by KPMG China and a panel of industry experts.

Organized by KPMG China and co-organized by CITIC Securities Company Limited, the second edition of the Biotechnology Innovation 50 was launched in October 2022 and spanned nearly half a year. KPMG invited external expert judges to participate in the selection process, evaluating segments such as biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, cell therapy, and gene therapy. The assessment encompassed multiple dimensions, including the leading competitiveness of product technology, the uniqueness and innovativeness of the business model, the composition of the core R&D team, financial health, and solutions to industry pain points.

This initiative aims to assist biotechnology enterprises in establishing a diversified resource docking platform, increasing market visibility, achieving organic growth from within, and further advancing innovation and high-quality development within China’s biotechnology sector.  

KPMG China’s 2nd Biotech Innovation 50 Companies List

Mr. Alex Wang, Head of Operations at META Pharmaceuticals (pictured left), expressed: “What China lacks today is the exploration of new targets and mechanisms. The jury’s recognition serves as an encouragement to META Pharmaceuticals, positioned as an explorer in the cutting-edge interdisciplinary field of immunometabolism. Our pipeline is progressing rapidly, and we are poised to initiate global clinical studies in the near future. Our goal is to swiftly bring the new generation of autoimmune disease drugs to benefit more patients.”

Dr. Cao Zhen, Head of META Pharmaceuticals’ Hong Kong office (pictured right), stated: “As a company dedicated to FIRST-IN-CLASS original drugs in the immune metabolism domain, META Pharmaceuticals is honored to be selected for the 2nd KPMG Biotech Innovator 50 list. This recognition affirms our unwavering commitment to independent innovation and acknowledges our industry partners’ innovative capabilities and market potential. META Pharmaceuticals will continue to strive diligently, contributing to the development of domestic innovative drugs worldwide and promoting the high-quality growth of China’s biopharmaceutical industry.”

As a pioneer in the emerging field of immuno-metabolism, META Pharmaceuticals has dedicated nearly a decade to exploring the intricate biological mechanisms governing the interplay between immune cells and nutrient metabolism. Our breakthrough discovery involves a therapeutic strategy that modulates immune system function by regulating the metabolic activity of immune cells. This approach holds promise for targeting and treating a wide spectrum of chronic diseases arising from immune system and metabolic system disorders. These encompass autoimmune diseases, cancer, metabolic disorders, and chronic conditions associated with aging.

Furthermore, META Pharmaceuticals is committed to constructing a diverse and differentiated drug pipeline, covering a broader range of metabolic pathways and benefiting a wider array of therapeutic indications, including cancer.

Our selection as one of KPMG China’s second biotech innovation 50 companies underscores the recognition of our work in the immunometabolism research field. META Pharmaceuticals will remain firmly rooted in this domain, persistently driving innovation, and diligently developing improved drugs to enhance the lives of millions of autoimmune disease patients worldwide.

About KPMG

Founded in 1897, KPMG is a global organization of independent professional members and is one of the world’s top accounting professional services firms, specializing in audit, tax and advisory services. It is also one of the Big Four international accounting firms.

About  META Pharmaceuticals

META Pharmaceuticals is an original drug discovery and development company with a biomedical R&D team consisting of PhDs graduated from Ivy League universities in the United States, and co-funded/technology-incubated by renowned domestic and international venture capital institutions. Located in Shenzhen Loop Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Cooperation Zone, the company is the first original drug discovery and development company in China to be created commercially based on a new biological theory of immune metabolism.

Meta Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced that Dr. Helmut Haning, a veteran with nearly three decades of research and development experience in medicinal chemistry, has joined the company as Senior Vice President and Director of New Drugs Research and Development. Dr. Haning’s responsibilities include drug chemistry design and coordination of the company’s intellectual property and program development strategy. Additionally, he will collaborate with experts in bio-testing, pharmacokinetics, and translational science to establish and oversee preclinical drug development programs and translational science/medicine strategies. His role ensures comprehensive process planning and tactical oversight from concept to clinical study (IND) submission.

From September 1994 to August 1995, Dr. Anjin Xianyu conducted postdoctoral research in the group of Prof. W. Oppolzer at the prestigious University of Geneva in Switzerland. During this period, he achieved a significant milestone by developing the first total synthesis method for Alkaloid Clivonine.

From November 1991 to May 1994, Dr. Helmut Haning was engaged in doctoral research in the group of Prof. M.T. Reetz at the renowned Max-Plank Institute in Germany. During this period, he made significant discoveries related to the effect of ligands on the reactivity, chemistry, and diastereoselectivity of organo-manganese and organo-indium reagents, as well as manganese enolates.

Dr. Haning has an extensive background in medicinal chemistry and has successfully led several drug programs, including MR antagonist Finerenone, HIF PH inhibitor Molidustat, FGFR inhibitor Rogaratinib, and FXIa inhibitor (asundexian, Phase II), among others. He has also contributed to 18 publications in his field.

Before joining META Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Haning served as the Global Head of Medicinal Chemistry at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, a leading global pharmaceutical company. With nearly 30 years of experience in global drug discovery and team management, Dr. Haning has nurtured talented individuals in the field of drug discovery and development. His leadership has guided cross-functional teams, developed digital strategies for small molecule research, and facilitated innovative and transformative company growth.

Dr. Ke Xu, CEO of META Pharmaceuticals, said: 

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Haning to our R&D team. Dr. Haning boasts an outstanding track record in leading drug discovery efforts and external collaborations. We eagerly anticipate accelerating our innovation in drug discovery under his leadership. Dr. Haning brings a wealth of experience, spanning basic drug discovery and development, regulatory and institutional interfaces, statistical strategy consulting, and resource planning and management.The addition of Dr. Haning signifies the recognition and endorsement of one of the pharmaceutical industry’s foremost talents. His expertise will enhance our ability to create world-class medical products based on cutting-edge biological theories. This appointment underscores Meridian Bio’s unwavering commitment to the highest-quality scientific principles and top-tier talent, further supporting our company’s growth.META Pharmaceuticals is committed to adhering to international standards of excellence and meeting the high demand for new drug development. Our goal is to establish META Pharmaceuticals as a truly original and world-class leader in drug discovery and development.”

Dr. Helmut Haning said:

“After nearly three decades in large pharmaceutical companies, I decided it was time for a change. I sought an enthusiastic young team engaged in innovative scientific research and dedicated to providing new treatments for patients in need. Additionally, I was intrigued by therapeutic indications that pushed boundaries, were novel to me, and would allow me to expand my expertise.
In the META team, I discovered everything I had been searching for: a small, highly committed group focused on cutting-edge science, where I felt my contributions would be valued. The team’s unity and spirit were inspiring. Dr. Ke, our leader, possesses a visionary perspective on how our scientific advancements can translate into effective treatments.
However, what truly motivated me was sensing a collective excitement about advancing molecules into clinical settings. For me, this remains the ultimate driving force: applying science to create novel therapies, moving programs through clinical trials, and ultimately benefiting patients.
I eagerly anticipate working with the META team and contributing to our success. I am optimistic that we can expedite a program into preclinical candidacy and continue developing new approaches to enhance the lives of patients affected by autoimmune diseases.

Innovation propels progress, and our talented team is poised to shape the future. Dr. Helmut Haning’s addition has infused META Pharmaceuticals with fresh energy, and together, we will forge the path toward small molecule drug discovery and development.”

META Pharmaceuticals 

Shenzhen Moyuan Biotechnology Co., Ltd (META Pharmaceuticals), founded in August 2021, stands as China’s pioneering commercialized original drug discovery and development company. META Bio’s inception is rooted in a novel immune-metabolism biological theory. In June 2022, META Bio successfully secured substantial funding through its seed and Pre-A rounds, totaling hundreds of millions of RMB. Notable lead investors include Forcefield Ventures, XtalPi Inc., IMO Ventures, Tiantu Capital, and Fangyuan Capital.

The founding team comprises accomplished biomedical doctors from esteemed research hospitals in the United States, specifically Cornell University Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. These experts have dedicated nearly a decade to exploring the emerging scientific field of immune metabolism. Their research delves into the intricate biological mechanisms governing the interplay between immune cells and nutrient metabolism. Remarkably, they have achieved breakthroughs in identifying therapeutic strategies that modulate immune system function by regulating immune cell metabolic activity.

This innovative therapeutic approach holds promise for targeting and treating a wide spectrum of chronic diseases stemming from immune system and metabolic system disorders. These encompass autoimmune diseases, cancer, metabolic disorders, and chronic conditions associated with aging.

In 2021, under the guidance of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the Science and Technology Communication Center of CAST and the Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology (SZAST) initiated the selection of the first “Science and Innovation in China” Youth Entrepreneurship List—Shenzhen U30 Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activity. This initiative focuses on high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, chip design, biomedicine, big data, advanced manufacturing, energy-saving and environmental protection, and new materials, among others.

In 2022, following the Shenzhen U30 selection work program, 30 outstanding young technology entrepreneurs were ultimately chosen. The selection process involved recommendations from various community sectors, preliminary project assessments, expert evaluations, and the collection of opinions. Dr. Anjin Xianyu, co-founder and CTO of META Pharmaceuticals, was honored to be included in this prestigious list.

Dr. Anjin Xianyu, a co-founder and CTO of META Pharmaceuticals, plays a pivotal role in the company’s growth. His responsibilities span the development of META’s proprietary AI-assisted metabolism and pathway drug target discovery platform. By synergizing artificial intelligence with experimental biology, Dr. Xianyu drives innovation in the field. His expertise lies in creating computational models for metabolic targets, ensuring that META remains at the forefront of cutting-edge science and technology.

“Shenzhen U30 Young Entrepreneurs in “Science and Innovation China

In no particular order

META Pharmaceuticals is the first commercialization company in China to deeply cultivate in the emerging field of immune metabolism, with a focus on developing first-in-class original drugs. The founding team primarily hails from top research hospitals in the U.S., including Cornell University Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. In June of 2022, META Pharmaceuticals successfully completed its Seed and Pre-A rounds of financing, totaling hundreds of millions of RMB. This significant milestone was led by Forcefield Ventures, XtalPi Inc., IMO Ventures, and Tiantu Capital.

In May 2022, the 10th “Dongsheng Cup” International Entrepreneurship Competition was launched, drawing 1,852 innovative and entrepreneurial projects from three major industries: life sciences, digital economy, and new energy/new materials. These projects spanned 96 countries and cities worldwide.After intense competition, META Pharmaceuticals emerged victorious, receiving the prestigious Global Excellence Award in the 10th “Dongsheng Cup” International Entrepreneurship Competition 2022. Notably, META Pharmaceuticals was the sole company in Shenzhen, China to achieve this honor.

As the recipient of the Global Excellence Award, META Pharmaceuticals was also granted a prize package that includes:

• 10,000 RMB
• 5 free spaces
• “Hummingbird Program” acceleration package

This recognition and support from the event organizer are aimed at empowering global entrepreneurs across multiple dimensions.

Located in Shenzhen, China, META Pharmaceuticals is the first commercialization company in China to focus on the emerging field of immunometabolism in order to develop first-in-class original drugs in immunometabolism. The founding team is mainly from the top research hospitals in the US: Cornell University Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The founders have been engaged in related biological basic theory research for nearly 10 years, and have been committed to exploring the biological mechanism of mutual regulation between immune cells and nutrient metabolism, and breakthroughs in the discovery of therapeutic strategies that can be used to achieve immune system function regulation by modulating the metabolic vitality of immune cells. In June of this year, the company completed its seed and Pre-A rounds of financing, totaling hundreds of millions of RMB, led by Forcefield Ventures, XtalPi Inc., IMO Ventures, and Tiantu Capital.

The “Dongsheng Cup International Entrepreneurship Competition” is a global innovation and entrepreneurship competition. It is jointly guided by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park Management Committee, the Beijing Haidian District People’s Government, and the Zhongguancun Science Park Management Committee. The competition is also co-sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Employment Promotion Center, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security of Haidian District, and the Zhongguancun Dongsheng Science and Technology Park Management Committee.

      Launched in 2013, the competition has been successfully held nine times, attracting a total of 11,306 outstanding entrepreneurial projects both at home and abroad. This includes more than 2,500 overseas projects. The focus has been on the follow-up and incubation of over 2,000 projects. Additionally, the competition has provided a total of over 30,000 instances of science and technology creation services. These services encompass seven dimensions: training and coaching, financial services, branding, policy consulting, resource docking, space support, and human resources services. These efforts are facilitated through the “Co-Respondent Hummingbird Program” for innovative projects. The overarching goal is to create a comprehensive science and technology ecosystem, serving as a one-stop platform for global innovation and entrepreneurial dynamics. This platform brings together cutting-edge science and technology with robust entrepreneurial support.

On December 15, 2022, the 2022 Hurun U30 China Entrepreneurial Pioneers List Conference convened in Panyu District, Guangzhou City, China. During this event, the Hurun Research Institute unveiled the 2022 Hurun U30 China Entrepreneurial Pioneers List (Hurun China Under30s 2022). This prestigious list aims to recognize entrepreneurial trailblazers in China who are under the age of 30 (including those who are 30 years old).

Among the distinguished honorees, Dr. Anjin Xianyu, co-founder and CTO of META Pharmaceuticals, was recognized for his outstanding contributions. META Pharmaceuticals, as a pioneer in the field of immune-metabolism drug discovery, remains committed to advancing therapeutic solutions for autoimmune diseases and beyond.

Dr. Anjin Xianyu, with a background in Biophysics and Systems Biology from the Weill Graduate School of Cornell University, USA, spearheads the visionary mission of META Pharmaceuticals. As the first commercialization company in China to deeply delve into the emerging field of immune metabolism, we are committed to developing first-in-class original drugs targeting this critical intersection.

Our founding team draws expertise from top research hospitals in the US, including Cornell University Medical College and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This collective knowledge fuels our relentless pursuit of groundbreaking solutions for autoimmune diseases and beyond.

In June of this year, META Pharmaceuticals achieved a significant milestone by successfully completing its seed and Pre-A rounds of financing, totaling hundreds of millions of RMB. This strategic investment was led by Forcefield Ventures, XtalPi Inc., IMO Ventures, and Tiantu Capital.

Hurun Report (China’s top 100 richest people)

Hurun Hundred Fortune, an authoritative organization, meticulously tracks and documents the dynamic shifts within China’s entrepreneurial landscape. Founded by Rupert Hoogewerf in 1999, the Hurun Hundred Fortune List serves as a distinctive media platform. Its counterpart, the Hurun 100 Rich List, was conceived to “reveal the essence of China’s economic and social transformation.” This list celebrates the concept of “wealth heroes” while emphasizing the quality of wealth.

As one of the most influential rankings in the global business community, the Hurun U30 list stands out for its unique positioning, rigorous standards, independent authority, and high credibility. After rigorous selection processes, the Hurun U30 China Entrepreneurial Leaders list sheds light on emerging entrepreneurial trends. The inclusion of Dr. Fresh Yu, a trailblazer in the field of biomedicine, underscores the authoritative recognition of young entrepreneurs’ remarkable achievements. It also underscores the vigor and resilience of China’s youthful entrepreneurial spirit.

For over 20 years, Hurun Report has been committed to discovering the value of enterprises and promoting entrepreneurship through quality lists and research. The main coverage ranges from ‘Cradle of Wealth’ to ‘Hall of Wealth’. The ‘Cradle of Wealth’ is firstly the Most Wealthy Creative China Alumni Association, the role model of the Alumni Association is the U30, the role model of the U30 is the ‘Cheetah’ enterprises, the role model of the ‘Cheetah’ is the ‘Gazelle’ enterprises, the role model of ‘Gazelle’ is ‘Unicorn’, the role model of ‘Unicorn’ is China’s 500, and the role model of China’s top 500 is the world’s top 500. In this process, the entrepreneurs themselves from the 100 rich list to the global rich list, then to the charity list, etc., and finally complete the inheritance of wealth on the ‘Hall of Wealth’.

On November 10, the 24th Shanghai International Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Symposium (BIO-FORUM), part of the China Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Innovation Forum, convened in Shanghai. During this event, the “2022 China Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Value Ranking” was unveiled. This comprehensive ranking encompasses nine distinct selection programs, spanning a wide spectrum of the biomedical landscape:

1. Small Molecule Innovative Drugs
2. Antibody Drugs
3. Innovative Therapies
4. Biotechnology
5. Medical Devices
6. CXO (Chief Experience Officer)
7. Biomedical Industrial Parks
8. Brokerage Firms
9. Investment Banks and Financial Service Institutions

As a forward-thinking and self-improvement startup in the biotech industry, META Pharmaceuticals has made significant strides with its groundbreaking research in the field of immune metabolism. Our inclusion in the Small Molecule Innovative Drug Selection Program is a testament to our commitment to innovation.

In recognition of our growth trajectory, META Pharmaceuticals has been honored as a TOP10 Small Molecule Innovative Drug Company in the China Biopharmaceutical Science and Technology Innovation Value Ranking for 2022. Our focus on bridging the gap between metabolism and immunology positions us at the forefront of therapeutic advancements for autoimmune diseases and beyond.

In the realm of small molecule innovative drugs, we find a diverse landscape that includes both Big Pharma, which undergoes transformation and innovation from traditional generic companies, and innovative firms charting an independent course through License-in strategies. These forward-thinking companies are recognized as the most influential small molecule innovative drug companies in the Top 20.

Amidst the era of small molecule innovative drug targeting, several key players stand out:

1. Hansen Pharmaceuticals: A global influencer, Hansen Pharmaceuticals leads the charge with groundbreaking research and impactful solutions.
2. Asun Pharma: A rising star, Asun Pharma exemplifies the spirit of independent innovation, driving the next generation of breakthroughs in China’s biopharmaceutical landscape.

Additionally, there are numerous other excellent biopharmaceutical companies, such as Ascent Pharma, collectively representing the driving force behind China’s future innovations.

The China Medical Research Institute, an independent research organization operating behind the scenes, falls under the umbrella of Medical City Technology. As one of the rare medical investment research institutes in China, it plays a pivotal role in shaping the investment landscape within the realm of medical big health.

The China Medical Research Institute has meticulously segmented the medical and healthcare field into six major sectors, thirty-six sub-sectors, and over two hundred sub-sectors. Through systematic investment research, it has achieved in-depth insights and a comprehensive grasp of industry trends, market dimensions, competitive dynamics, and other critical elements. Furthermore, the institute has formulated quantitative evaluation standards for each segment.

Based on the latest cutting-edge findings in immuno-metabolic biological theories, META Pharmaceuticals has identified a series of novel targets involving metabolic proteases. These targets hold the promise of safely and effectively regulating immune system function. Currently, we are concurrently developing three first-in-class small molecule innovative drug pipelines, with our core pipeline, Meta-1, scheduled for clinical study filing in 2023.

Innovation serves as the driving force behind a country’s development and progress, and it embodies the very essence upon which nations rely. As a new force in China’s biopharmaceutical industry, META Pharmaceuticals remains steadfast in its commitment to small molecule innovative drug research. We will persistently embrace innovation and development, striving to provide enhanced therapeutic options for patients across a broader range of indications, including those with autoimmune diseases.

On October 20, HolonIQ unveiled its 2022 list of the top 200 Asian health tech companies poised for innovation. The list is categorized into nine sections: Prevention, Research, Care, Supply Chain, Hardware, Finance, Treatment, Systems, and Diagnosis.

META Pharmaceuticals earned a place in the Research segment due to its pioneering work in the field of immune metabolism. Alongside other notable unicorn companies like Abbot Biologics, Neufos Biologics, and Biotronik, META Pharmaceuticals is making significant strides in advancing therapeutic solutions for autoimmune diseases.

 Headquartered in New York City, HolonIQ stands as a world-leading market consulting firm with a laser focus on harnessing its robust analytics capabilities. Our mission? To provide insights and solve complex strategic problems for global impact leaders. Our coverage spans critical areas such as climate, education, and healthcare technology. 

META Pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, is at the forefront of groundbreaking research. Leveraging the latest advancements in immuno-metabolic biological theory, we’ve identified a series of novel targets involving metabolic proteases. These targets hold the promise of safely and effectively regulating immune system function. Currently, we’re advancing three first-in-class pipelines, with our core pipeline, Meta-1, slated for clinical study submission in 2023. But our commitment doesn’t end there. META Pharmaceuticals is dedicated to constructing a broad and diverse pipeline, spanning a wider spectrum of metabolic pathways. Our goal? To benefit a multitude of therapeutic indications, including cancer.

The inclusion of META Pharmaceuticals in the HolonIQ list underscores the recognition by leading industry research organizations of the emerging field of immunometabolism. As we continue to delve into immune metabolism, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of innovation. Our mission remains unwavering: to develop superior drugs that will positively impact millions of autoimmune disease patients worldwide.

On July 21, 2022 Shiyan Lake International LP Summit Forum was held in Shenzhen International Convention and Exhibition Center. At the meeting, Shenzhen Venture Capital Association officially released the [Greater Bay Area High Growth Enterprises TOP50 List], focusing on the three major tracks of Big Health, Big Information and Big Manufacturing. After five months of recommendation by investment institutions and centralized scoring and evaluation by investors of each track, the list of fifty high-growth enterprises was finally determined.

META Pharmaceuticals, as the first company in China to pioneer original drug discovery and development based on a novel biological theory of immune metabolism, is dedicated to unraveling the intricate biological mechanisms through which immune cells and nutrient metabolism mutually influence each other. Our mission is to achieve breakthroughs in therapeutic strategies that regulate immune system function by modulating the metabolic vitality of immune cells. Driven by this vision, META Pharmaceuticals has made significant progress in its preclinical pipeline. Leveraging cutting-edge research and innovative approaches, we are developing first-in-class drugs targeting immunometabolism. Our commitment to advancing these therapeutic solutions has garnered recognition, and we are proud to have been selected as one of the top 50 high-growth companies in the Greater Bay Area for 2022.

【大湾区高成长性企业TOP50】榜单如下：

As an emerging branch in biology, immunometabolism was first defined in a 2011 article in Nature Reviews Immunology. This field focuses on exploring the role of intracellular metabolic pathways in immune cells, bridging the gap between immunology and metabolism research.

Over the past decade, extensive research has shown that the metabolic intensity occurring within immune cells is closely related to their proliferation and function. Consequently, therapeutic strategies that modulate immune responses by influencing metabolic strength have become attractive potential treatments across various medical conditions.

Recently, META Pharmaceuticals Inc., a small molecule innovative drug development company based on immunometabolism targets, announced the successful completion of a total of over 100 million yuan in seed and Pre-A round financing. The lead investors include Forcefield Ventures, Crystal Technology, IMO Ventures, and TianTu Capital. Additionally, other investors such as Fangyuan Capital, Dexun Investment, Yayi Capital, New Industry Ventures, and Bopu Capital also participated in the funding.

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Reportedly, this financing will be used to accelerate the advancement of META’s three small molecule targeted innovative drugs under development to the clinical trial stage. Additionally, the company will continue to develop its AI metabolism enzyme target discovery platform infrastructure, aiming to extend advanced target prediction and validation efforts to cover a broader range of indications.

As the first domestic biotechnology company focused on metabolic regulation therapy, META specializes in modulating immune system function by regulating immune cell metabolism. This approach aims to improve and treat a wide range of conditions resulting from immune system and metabolic system dysregulation. These conditions include autoimmune diseases, cancer, metabolic disorders, and age-related chronic illnesses.

Based on cutting-edge achievements in immunometabolism theory, META Pharmaceutials has discovered a series of novel targets for metabolic enzymes. These targets are used to safely and effectively regulate immune system function, potentially bringing more ideal treatment options for patients with autoimmune diseases. Dr. Xu Ke, Co-founder and CEO of META, introduced this innovative approach.

Dr. Xu Ke graduated from McMaster University in Canada and Columbia University in the United States. In 2013, he joined the Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis (IMP) program at Weill Cornell Medicine in the U.S. Throughout his more than ten years of basic biological research career, he has focused on studying the regulatory relationship between the immune system and metabolism. Using molecular and cellular mechanisms, he has demonstrated the crucial role of metabolic regulation in immune responses.

As of now, MetaBiopharma’s research pipeline includes three first-in-class investigational projects. The flagship pipeline involves small molecule inhibitors based on novel mechanisms and targets. Clinical applications for these innovative therapies are expected to begin in both China and the United States in 2024.

The first pipeline has entered the pre-clinical trial stage.

In simple terms, cell metabolism refers to the series of ordered chemical reactions that occur within a cell to support its basic activities. What makes immune cells unique is that their metabolic activity changes in response to the environment. For example, when pathogens are present in the body, the immune system is activated, leading to significant changes and coordination in the activities of various immune cell subtypes.

On the other hand, the normal functioning of all immune cells relies on specific and effective metabolic pathways. Therefore, researching and regulating the metabolic activity of immune cells will have a crucial impact on immune function.”

Over the past decade, with the gradual rise of research in the field of immunometabolism, scientists have delved deeper into understanding the relationship between cell metabolism and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Taking autoimmune diseases in humans as an example, these conditions are actually caused by excessive immune reactions leading to organ damage. During this process, immune cells absorb significant amounts of nutrients for breakdown, meeting their energy supply demands. In other words, hyperactive and dysregulated immune cell metabolic activity is one of the underlying causes of such diseases,” explained Dr. Xu Ke.

Since 2013, Dr. Xu Ke has been dedicated to research in the field of immunometabolism. After obtaining foundational biological theory results, his research has gradually been validated in animal disease models. Throughout this process, he has witnessed the therapeutic potential of his research findings in the real world. Dr. Xu Ke recognizes that adjusting and influencing immune metabolic pathways to enhance or suppress immune responses will bring attractive emerging therapies to the fields of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Based on the principles of immunometabolism, META was officially established in August 2021. The founding team includes several researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Together, they are dedicated to finding novel “cures” for a wide range of diseases by regulating immune cell metabolism.

As of now, the company has developed three investigational pipelines. The flagship pipeline, META-01, targets immune cell metabolic enzymes and aims to cover a broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. This pipeline has entered the pre-clinical trial stage and is planned for clinical application in both China and the United States in 2024.

Additionally, META’s subsequent pipelines have entered or are about to enter the early drug discovery phase. The company is committed to building a diverse and differentiated drug pipeline that covers a broader range of metabolic pathways, benefiting various therapeutic areas, including cancer.

By precisely controlling metabolic enzymes, it is possible to effectively suppress energy supply and production in immune cells, without the goal of cell destruction. Therefore, it is safer,” explained Xu Ke. “On the other hand, this common mechanism impacts most autoimmune diseases, making this therapy beneficial for a wide range of conditions.

Metabolic enzymes are responsible for regulating energy production, breakdown, and synthesis processes within cells. They play a crucial role in gene expression, cell cycle regulation, DNA damage repair, cell proliferation, survival, apoptosis, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment.

Current treatments for autoimmune diseases heavily rely on immunosuppressive drugs. However, these medications often come with side effects such as liver toxicity and organ damage, which are difficult to avoid. Additionally, the eligible population for such drugs is limited. In comparison, an alternative approach involves modulating immune responses by influencing the metabolic processes of immune cells. This method is not only highly effective but also gentler. It significantly reduces damage to normal tissue cells, mitigating the high toxicity and organ-related side effects associated with traditional medications. Furthermore, it has the potential to expand its applicability to a broader range of patients.

AI + Immunometabolism: From theoretical preparation to lead compounds, it only takes 8 months.

After more than a decade of research and development, therapeutic strategies that regulate metabolism to enhance or suppress immune responses have garnered significant attention from experts in various disease fields.

Early studies indicated that overactive immune system responses have broad implications. As far back as 1993, Hotamisligil and colleagues discovered that obesity affects the immune system, subsequently promoting inflammatory diseases. Since then, it has been confirmed that immune metabolism impacts conditions such as age-related chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders, and cancer. However, the discovery process for relevant drugs has been notably slow.

In fact, the human body contains nearly 3,000 different metabolic enzymes, forming a complex metabolic network. This network includes various intertwined and interacting signaling pathways like PI3K/AKT and mTOR, collectively responsible for metabolic regulation. Consequently, identifying a disease-specific metabolic pathway and precisely targeting a key metabolic enzyme as a therapeutic focus is an immense and intricate task.

“Finding a target that is truly relevant to a disease, possesses immune specificity, and does not compensate for other metabolic pathways is no easy feat,” explained Xu Ke. “Initially, researchers could only painstakingly unravel the underlying mechanisms by inefficiently knocking out individual metabolic enzymes. Now, with the aid of advanced AI technology platforms and algorithmic tools, target discovery work has made rapid progress.

“META has recently established an AI-powered metabolic pathway drug target discovery platform. Their specialized database aggregates hundreds of publicly available datasets, and they’ve built disease models and intelligent analysis models based on multi-omics analyses to rapidly obtain innovative target data.

In addition, the company has partnered with XtalPi to extend AI technology downstream for target validation and drug development processes. These two platforms mutually validate and provide feedback, linking biological mechanisms with drug development data. This approach breaks free from the limitations of traditional linear pharmaceutical processes, challenges the scarcity of research data, and tackles the development complexities of novel targets. It continues to drive META’s pipeline development.

“Undoubtedly, AI technology has effectively helped us overcome bottlenecks in immunometabolism research. Its impact on proteinase drug target discovery has exceeded expectations,” explained Xu Ke. “From theoretical preparation to achieving the milestone of lead compounds, it took only 8 months.

“If AI technology is the engine of drug development, then emerging biological mechanisms serve as the steering wheel for direction. According to XtalPi, for AI to truly gain widespread application in the pharmaceutical field, it requires the organic integration of intelligent algorithms, automated laboratories, and expert experience—none of these components can be missing. Our goal is to provide suitable tools to experienced experts, maximizing the value of this triad,” commented Dr. Zhang Peiyu, Chief Scientist at XtalPi.

The global industrialization process is still in its early stages, and research and industry need to develop synergistically.

As the second-largest therapeutic field after cancer, the field of autoimmune diseases includes conditions such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, allergic asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. It affects approximately 350-400 million patients worldwide, with significant unmet clinical needs and a gap in innovative drugs.

According to forecast data published by Zhongjin Qixin International Consulting, the global autoimmune disease treatment market is projected to grow from $120.6 billion in 2020 to $175.2 billion in 2030. The domestic market size is also expected to reach $800 million by 2025, with the potential to reach $24.7 billion by 2030.

However, over the past two decades, biological research in this field has stagnated. Patients have long relied on outdated biological theories for drug development, including large-molecule antibody drugs and small-molecule JAK inhibitors. Among these, AbbVie’s immunosuppressant Humira has consistently topped the annual drug sales rankings, generating nearly $20 billion in sales each year. However, both Humira and other antibody drugs suffer from serious side effects and low patient response rates. Therefore, the urgent need to develop efficient and safe biologic drugs for autoimmune diseases remains.

The immense market prospects have attracted some advanced biotechnology companies to venture into the field. Simultaneously, pharmaceutical giants have taken notice, marking the beginning of the development of immunometabolism drugs.

In 2019, Rheos Medicines, a rising star in the immunometabolism field based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, secured a global exclusive collaboration, selection, and licensing agreement worth nearly $800 million from Roche. This agreement aims to discover, develop, and commercialize new therapies in the immunometabolism domain. Rheos’ flagship pipeline candidate, RHX-317, is a novel MALT1 (Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Protein 1) inhibitor that has demonstrated efficacy in various disease models, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and lupus nephritis.

In 2020, another biopharmaceutical company, Sitryx, specializing in cell metabolism regulation, signed a research collaboration agreement valued at nearly $900 million with Eli Lilly. This collaboration aims to advance their four novel immunometabolism-targeted therapeutic drug candidates. Clearly, the global competition in immunometabolism therapy involves only a handful of players, and most are still in the early stages.

“The fundamental biology of this field still holds tremendous untapped potential. Immunometabolism research is gaining momentum, and the number of laboratories engaged in related studies has multiplied in recent years. However, clinical research data remains limited,” says Xu Ke. At this stage, substantial investments in research talent and funding are still required for foundational research.

“In response to this challenge, META has prepared in terms of talent acquisition. Additionally, we plan to collaborate extensively with relevant domestic hospitals and laboratories. While developing our drug pipeline, we aim to feed clinical data back into theoretical research, leveraging AI to achieve efficient synergy between research and industry. Our goal is to accelerate progress in the domestic immunobiology field and bring the next generation of immune-related disease drugs to clinical use.””

As a pioneer in the field of immuno-metabolism, META Pharmaceuticals Inc. (META Pharmaceuticals) has completed a 15M USD seed and Pre-A funding round. The name META derives from the word metabolism that symbolizes the company’s focus on the cross-regulation between metabolism and immunity.  

Today, META Pharmaceuticals, China’s first immuno-metabolism-based small-molecule drug discovery company, announced that it had closed two consecutive funding rounds (seed and Pre-A rounds) totaling 15 million USD. Investors include Tiantu Capital, IMO Ventures, Forcefield Ventures, and XtalPi Inc.. In combining cutting-edge discoveries in immuno-metabolism and artificial intelligence (AI), META Pharmaceuticals has built an AI-powered metabolic target discovery platform and aims to develop the next generation of safer, more effective medicine for autoimmune diseases based on new biological mechanisms.  

The autoimmune disease therapeutics market is the second-largest market segment after cancer treatments and is projected to reach 150 billion USD by 2025. An estimated 350-450 million patients are living with autoimmune diseases worldwide, and immune-suppressive drugs continuously rank at the top of the world’s best-selling blockbuster drugs. However, currently available medications are developed with biological theories and drug targets that are inherently problematic, leading to inevitable risks of severe side effects, low patient response rates, and many other problems. 

META Pharmaceuticals was founded in August 2021 by researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with extensive research experience in the emerging field of immuno-metabolism.  

META Pharmaceuticals has built an AI-enabled drug target discovery platform for metabolic pathways and focus on developing first-in-class drugs for various chronic diseases caused by dysregulated immune and metabolic system. META Pharmaceuticals has discovered a series of new druggable targets with first-in-class potential. Through a close partnership with XtalPi and its industry-leading AI pharmaceutical R&D platform, META Pharmaceuticals debuts with three pipelines of first-in-class small molecule inhibitors, including one that could become a platform drug for a wide range of autoimmune diseases, and expect to file its first IND in both China and the US as early as 2024. 

META Pharmaceuticals’s basic research, target discovery, and validation capabilities based on cellular and animal disease models are highly complementary to XtalPi’s AI drug discovery platform. Through close collaboration, the two companies will create a fast and reliable analytic and validation loop for new therapeutic targets and their mechanisms of actions, thus accelerating patent creation and drug discovery progress. 

The new funding will help accelerate these projects toward clinical trials and further expand META Pharmaceuticals’s multi-omics-based AI platform, Meta-map, to cover more disease areas as it continues to grow its pipeline. META Pharmaceuticals will also expand its team and establish its first biology laboratory in Shenzhen to further strengthen the company’s research capabilities in biological theories and maintain its advantage in the immuno-metabolic field.  

Dr. Ke Xu, Co-founder & CEO of META Pharmaceuticals, said, “Thanks to the support of our investors and partners, we were able to reach this significant milestone and raise two rounds of financing in just six months. META Pharmaceuticals aspires to become a global leader in immuno-metabolic drug discovery. With the power of AI and our three candidates quickly progressing through the pipeline, we hope to expedite the advent of next-generation autoimmune treatments that are safer and more effective and address the unmet needs of patients worldwide.” 

Guoxing Wei, Partner at Tiantu Capital who led the Pre-A round investment, said, “We are glad to support such a unique and innovative company like META Pharmaceuticals and brilliant young scientists like Dr. Xu, whose discovery has defined a new and exciting path for better autoimmune disease treatments. We believe META Pharmaceuticals’s approach of combining cutting-edge biological discoveries with AI technology has the potential to drive breakthroughs in immuno-metabolic drug R&D and fundamentally improve the quality of life of millions of patients. ” 

Dr. Shuhao Wen, Co-founder, and Chairman of XtalPi said, “META Pharmaceuticals is the first drug discovery company in China to focus on autoimmune diseases. Its ability to discover highly promising first-in-class autoimmune disease targets offers both exciting challenges and valuable insights to our AI drug discovery platform as we combine our advantages to uncover breakthrough treatments. XtalPi places great emphasis on the translation of scientific advancements into industry applications that are valuable and impactful. META Pharmaceuticals’s focus on the unmet clinical needs in autoimmune diseases has significant market potential. We look forward to working closely with this team of brilliant scientists and helping them develop a fruitful pipeline of revolutionary immuno-metabolism-based drugs. ” 

IMO Capital’s partner Xiaowen Feng said, “From our first round of partnership with META Pharmaceuticals in 2021, we valued the team’s deep academic background and efficient AI development capabilities. META Pharmaceuticals’s new world-class biological theories and XtalPi’s world-class AI computational capabilities complement each other perfectly, together creating a piece of platform drug that has great potential to become a new blockbuster drug that could treat a broad spectrum of chronic diseases including, but not limited to autoimmune disorders. 

About Meta Pharmaceuticals

Meta Pharmaceuticals Inc. is an original drug discovery company focused on autoimmune diseases, with a team of biomedical doctors from Weil Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, and incubated by a leading AI pharmaceutical company, XtalPi Technologies, in collaboration with leading domestic and international venture capital firms. Based on the cutting-edge emerging biology theories, META Pharmaceuticals is focusing on the development of the first-in-class drugs to meet the urgent needs of patients around the world by regulating the vitality of cellular metabolism to achieve effective regulation of immune system functions and discovering safer and more effective autoimmune disease targets. 

META Pharmaceuticals has already established a deep collaboration with XtalPi for AI drug discovery and development. Through the fusion of basic R&D capabilities and intelligent computational analysis capabilities, the two companies have jointly created a new drug discovery paradigm of AI+biomedical  research that could provide validation for the AI pharmaceutical industry.   

About XtalPi Technologies

XtalPi Technologies is a quantum physics and AI-enabled drug discovery company dedicated to revolutionizing the drug discovery industry by improving the speed, scale, innovation, and success of drug discovery. As a US and China-based company serving the global market, XtalPi is committed to exploring optimal solutions to leverage cutting-edge R&D and computational resources to maximize the needs of our customers and collaborators. 

XtalPi’s intelligent drug discovery platform integrates cloud-based supercomputing digital R&D tools with advanced experimental capabilities to form an R&D system where high-accuracy predictions and targeted experiments corroborate and guide each other. As one of the world’s pioneering AI drug discovery companies, XtalPi has established a set of R&D iterative processes that closely integrate quantum physics dry labs and advanced wet labs, challenging the efficiency bottleneck of traditional R&D and empowering new drug discovery to achieve breakthroughs in innovation speed and scale. 

About IMO Ventures：

IMO Ventures is dedicated to early-stage investment in early-stage projects in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, innovative consumer goods, healthcare, and financial technology, and to walking with the best entrepreneurs. IMO Ventures has invested in China, the U.S., Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, etc. The IMO Ventures team has entrepreneurial experience, understands the sweet and sour of entrepreneurship, and believes that science and technology will change the world. IMO currently has three USD funds and one RMB fund, and manages several SPV funds. We have made early investments in dozens of disruptive and innovative startups in their respective tracks, including Guazi Used Car, XtalPi Technologies, Deepview Technology, Paytm, Conflux, Lime, etc.