AusperBio Secures $73M to Push Hepatitis B Cure Forward

AusperBio Therapeutics is making waves in the biotech world again, bagging a whopping $73 million in a Series B round.

The company—still privately held and in its clinical-stage phase—has its eyes firmly set on what it boldly calls a "functional cure" for chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

A dream that now seems closer to reality with this new injection of cash.

HanKang Capital spearheaded the funding, with notable names like Sherpa Capital and CDH Investments joining the party.

Interestingly, there was a mysterious strategic investor involved too—though no one’s spilling the beans on who that might be.

What’s even more impressive?

AusperBio's long-time supporters, including Qiming Venture Partners and YuanBio Venture Capital, didn’t just hang back; they went all in again, doubling down on their belief in the company’s Med-Oligo™ ASO platform and lead therapy, AHB-137.

The funding is set to power the ongoing Phase 2 trials of AHB-137, with studies already active in China and global markets. But that’s not all.

Some of the cash will go toward building commercial-scale manufacturing processes (because science doesn’t mean much if you can’t make it scalable) and expanding their pipeline.

If you’re reading between the lines, this isn’t just about CHB anymore—AusperBio clearly has its sights set on bigger, broader goals.

“This milestone financing recognizes our scientific and clinical accomplishments to date and enables us to accelerate our clinical programs,” said Dr. Guofeng Cheng, CEO and co-founder. He didn’t stop there. “We are honored by our investors' confidence and support.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Chris Yang, the company’s CSO and co-founder, couldn’t help but flex a little, saying, “AHB-137 continues to attract attention from the scientific and clinical communities, particularly after the late-breaking oral presentation at the recent AASLD conference.” That presentation? It apparently validated AusperBio’s Med-Oligo™ platform yet again. Yang added that this attention has strengthened their resolve to develop “groundbreaking targeted oligonucleotide therapies for CHB and other serious chronic diseases.”

AHB-137, for the uninitiated, is a dual-mechanism antisense oligonucleotide.

Basically, it’s biotech speak for a drug that doesn’t just treat symptoms but goes after the root cause. The therapy has already cleared global Phase 1b trials and is diving headfirst into Phase 2 studies, especially in China.

Early data from these trials, shared at conferences like AASLD, are painting a pretty optimistic picture.

And then there’s Med-Oligo™—the platform that makes all of this possible. It’s not just another scientific tool; it’s practically a Swiss Army knife for ASO therapies. The platform’s modular design and targeted delivery could make waves far beyond hepatitis B, tackling everything from viral infections to genetic disorders.

Chronic hepatitis B impacts an estimated 300 million people worldwide, with many relying on treatments that barely scratch the surface of the problem. AusperBio seems dead set on changing that.

The stakes are high, but with this latest funding, the company is clearly revving up to redefine what’s possible in hepatitis B treatment.

Sure, $73 million is a lot of money. But in the biotech world, it’s more than that—it’s a vote of confidence from some of the sharpest minds (and deepest pockets) in the industry.

Whether AusperBio can deliver on its promise remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: the world is watching.