Forlong raises 120M RMB to advance cancer immunotherapy pipeline
What's the deal? Forlong, a Chinese biotech startup focused on cytokine-based cancer therapies, has raised approximately 120 million RMB (roughly $16.5M) in a Series Pre-B financing round. The company plans to use the funds to advance its IL-15 and IL-18 pipeline — proteins that play key roles in activating the immune system to fight tumours.
Why now? Cytokine therapies are gaining momentum in oncology as researchers look beyond traditional checkpoint inhibitors for new ways to unleash the immune system against cancer. IL-15 and IL-18 are among the most closely watched targets in this space, with several global players racing to bring next-generation versions to clinic.
The signal: Forlong's Pre-B raise lands at a time when global dealmaking in immuno-oncology is rebounding after a lean 2023–2024 cycle, with cytokine engineering emerging as a distinct sub-sector attracting fresh capital. The round's relatively modest size — roughly $16.5M — underscores that Chinese biotech investors are still writing cheques, but at more disciplined valuations, favouring companies with clearly differentiated science over broad platform plays.
Read more: markets.financialcontent.com
