Phrontline Biopharma has announced the completion of its Pre-A funding round, raising over 100 million RMB. This capital infusion will accelerate R&D investment, advance multiple preclinical programs, upgrade proprietary technology platforms, and expedite the company’s journey toward becoming a globally leading biopharmaceutical innovator.

Founded in early 2022, Phrontline Biopharma is committed to pioneering next-generation ADC (antibody-drug conjugate) therapies. Its proprietary platform integrates all four core ADC components—payload, linker, conjugation method, and antibody—enabling rapid development in advanced antibody discovery, bispecific antibody engineering, linker-payload design and synthesis, and site-specific conjugation technologies.

01. Next-Gen Bispecific ADCs: Overcoming Limitations of Monospecific ADCs

ADCs, often referred to as “magic bullets,” utilize tumor-targeting antibodies to deliver cytotoxic payloads precisely to cancer cells, achieving potent and selective antitumor effects. To date, 15 monospecific ADCs have been approved globally, with 2022 sales exceeding $7.7 billion, while business development activity continues to rise—driven by multi-billion-dollar ADC licensing deals.

Bispecific ADCs offer expanded clinical utility by leveraging dual-target synergy to improve tumor selectivity, internalization efficiency, and response rates in patients with low target expression or tumor heterogeneity—delivering a “1 + 1 > 2” therapeutic effect.

02. Elite Team & Differentiated Strategy: Advancing a Robust Bispecific ADC Pipeline

Phrontline Biopharma has assembled a top-tier ADC development team with more than a decade of end-to-end ADC experience:

Founder Dr. Zhaoyuan Chen is a veteran ADC scientist who has led over 10 ADC programs, including a bispecific ADC currently in Phase II clinical trials.

Dr. Siyi Hu, Head of Biology, is among the earliest antibody drug discovery scientists in China, with 10+ years of oncology research experience.

Dr. Yanli Mao, Head of Chemistry, is an experienced medicinal chemist with 20 years in drug R&D and deep expertise in linker-payload design.

The team has developed novel small-molecule payloads with diverse mechanisms of action (MOAs) and customized linkers to optimize drug properties, establishing a comprehensive linker-payload library supported by international patent filings.

Moreover, the company’s site-specific conjugation platform enables superior homogeneity compared to industry standards. It supports dual-linker-payload ADCs, combining toxins with different MOAs to address monotherapy resistance and broaden therapeutic windows.

To overcome the limitations of monospecific ADCs, Phrontline has strategically built a highly differentiated pipeline, featuring:

First-in-class bispecific ADCs targeting dual tumor-associated antigens.

Dual-linker-payload ADCs designed to address resistance and low-target-expression challenges while maintaining efficacy.

Multiple bispecific ADC candidates are progressing rapidly. Lead candidate TJ101 has demonstrated superior tumor selectivity and enhanced tumor growth inhibition compared to monospecific ADCs in preclinical studies. Its potential indications include solid tumors such as lung cancer and head and neck cancers.