Qihan Biotech
5 known investors
Hangzhou-based gene-editing biotech developing immune-privileged cell therapies and xenogeneic organs for transplant and cancer.
Also known as Hangzhou Qihan Biotech Co., Ltd. · Qihan Bio · 启函生物
Investors · 5
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Qihan Biotech (Hangzhou Qihan Biotech Co., Ltd.) is a biotechnology company founded in 2017 and based in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. It combines multiplexable genome editing with transplantation immunology to create immunologically privileged allogeneic cells and xenogeneic organs intended as therapies for cancer, organ failure and other conditions. The company applies its editing tools in both human stem cells and animal germline cells.
Its stated platform targets a range of cell and organ outputs, including kidney, intestine, heart, lung, liver and skin on the organ side, and islet cells, cardiomyocytes, neurons and immune cells on the cell side. Third-party profiles describe an immune-privileged cell and organ platform producing cells and organs able to evade immune attack, such as natural killer cells for immuno-oncology and cardiomyocytes, neurons and islet cells for regenerative medicine, plus a secondary agricultural application producing gene-edited animals with enhanced agronomic traits or multi-disease resistance.
The disclosed clinical pipeline centers on gene-edited cell therapies: QN-019a, a multi-locus gene-editing cell therapy for CD19-positive B-cell lymphoma cleared by China's NMPA in July 2023; QT-019C, a universal dual-target CAR-T candidate for autoimmune diseases positioned as a low-lymphodepletion, off-the-shelf therapy, which received U.S. FDA IND clearance in May 2026; and QT-019B, a universal dual-target CAR-T therapy that received FDA RMAT and Breakthrough Therapy designations in June 2026.
Founding story
Qihan Biotech was co-founded in 2017 by two pioneers in genome editing technology. Co-founder and CEO Dr. Luhan Yang holds a PhD in Human Biology and Translational Medicine from Harvard Medical School, is a co-inventor of CRISPR-Cas9 technologies, and was co-founder and former president and CSO of eGenesis. Harvard/MIT geneticist George Church is listed as a co-founder and co-chair of Qihan's scientific advisory groups.
Business model
Qihan Biotech is a therapeutics developer that builds proprietary gene-editing and immune-shielding platforms and advances its own pipeline of cell therapy candidates (for example QN-019a, QT-019B and QT-019C) through regulatory clearance in China and the United States. Sources also indicate an applied line in agriculture, producing animals with enhanced agronomical traits or multi-disease resistance via multi-genome editing. The sources do not describe pricing, contracts or commercial revenue arrangements.
Not described in the available sources; the company is pre-commercial in the disclosed material, with candidates at the IND and designation stage.
Traction
Disclosed traction consists of regulatory milestones rather than commercial metrics: NMPA IND approval for QN-019a (July 2023), FDA IND clearance for QT-019C (May 2026), and FDA RMAT plus Breakthrough Therapy designations for QT-019B (June 2026), alongside a pre-Series B raise of more than CNY 100 million in September 2023.
Latest developments
In May 2026 the FDA cleared the IND for QT-019C, a universal dual-target CAR-T candidate for autoimmune diseases. In June 2026 QT-019B received both RMAT and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the FDA, coverage of which described a set of expedited FDA designations for the therapy. In July 2026 CEO Luhan Yang was named to the inaugural global cohort of the Aspen Institute Technology Leaders Initiative.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Third-party profiles characterize Qihan as a gene-editing organ transplantation and cell therapy developer at roughly Series A stage as of the Preqin profile, with backing from investors including Alta Partners, ARCH Venture Partners, Sequoia and Jinkong Capital. Its shares are listed as available on a secondary pre-IPO marketplace. The sources do not provide market share, revenue or comparative ranking data.
The company positions itself around multiplexable (multi-locus) genome editing combined with immune-shielding expertise, enabling immune-privileged allogeneic cells and xenogeneic organs. Its published work includes extensive germline genome engineering in pigs, multiplexed anti-ASFV CRISPR-Cas9 testing, and RNA-guided human genome engineering via Cas9. Its cell therapy candidates are described as universal, dual-target and off-the-shelf, with QT-019C framed as a low-lymphodepletion option.
Technology
Multiplexable (multi-locus) genome editing, including CRISPR-Cas9-based editing, applied to human stem cells and animal germline cells, coupled with immune-shielding approaches drawn from transplantation immunology to produce immune-privileged allogeneic cells and xenogeneic organs. Referenced publications cover extensive germline genome engineering in pigs, multiplexed anti-ASFV CRISPR-Cas9, and RNA-guided human genome engineering via Cas9.
Go-to-market
Sources describe a regulatory- and pipeline-driven path: securing IND clearances in China and the U.S. and pursuing expedited FDA pathways (RMAT, Breakthrough Therapy) for its CAR-T candidates. No distribution, partnership or commercial sales channels are described in the available sources.
Patients requiring cell and organ therapies, including those with CD19-positive B-cell lymphoma, autoimmune diseases, organ failure and conditions addressed by regenerative medicine; agricultural applications target gene-edited livestock with disease resistance.
Geography
Headquartered at Chuanhua Kechuang Mansion, Xiaoshan Innovation Polis, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (zip 311200). Regulatory activity spans China (NMPA) and the United States (FDA), and the company describes global development ambitions for its gene-edited stem cell products.
History
The company was co-founded in 2017 by two pioneers in genome editing technology and is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. In July 2023 it announced NMPA approval of the IND for QN-019a, a multi-locus gene-edited cell therapy for CD19-positive B-cell lymphoma. In September 2023 it raised more than CNY 100 million in pre-Series B funding from Jinkong Capital. In May 2026 the U.S. FDA cleared the IND for QT-019C, and in June 2026 the FDA granted RMAT and Breakthrough Therapy designations to QT-019B. In July 2026 CEO Luhan Yang was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Aspen Institute Technology Leaders Initiative.
Risks & controversies
No controversies are reported in the available sources. General risk factors evident from the material include a pipeline still at investigational stage in both China and the U.S., and dependence on regulatory clearances; financial disclosures are limited and largely behind paywalled subscriber data.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 5
launches, deals, and filingsCo-founder and CEO Dr. Luhan Yang was named one of 22 leaders in the inaugural global cohort of the Aspen Institute's Technology Leaders Initiative.
QT-019B, an internally developed universal dual-target CAR-T therapy, received both Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation and Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. FDA.
The U.S. FDA cleared the IND application for QT-019C, a universal dual-target CAR-T candidate positioned as a low-lymphodepletion, off-the-shelf CAR-T therapy for autoimmune diseases.
Qihan Biotech raised more than CNY 100 million in pre-Series B funding from new investor Jinkong Capital, to be used for product iteration and global development of gene-edited stem cell products.
China's NMPA approved the Investigational New Drug application for QN-019a, a multi-locus gene-editing cell therapy product for CD19-positive B-cell lymphoma.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- QIHAN BIOTECHqihanbio.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Qihan Biotech do?
- Hangzhou-based gene-editing biotech developing immune-privileged cell therapies and xenogeneic organs for transplant and cancer.
- Who are Qihan Biotech's investors?
- Qihan Biotech's investors include Alta Partners, ARCH Venture Partners, LAV, Sequoia Capital.