Rezubio Announces $20 Million Series A Financing to Advance the Membrane-Anchored Therapeutics Platform and Company Pipeline, with Lead Program in Obesity and Diabetes

ZHUHAI, China, Dec. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rezubio, a China-based biotechnology company founded by former Merck scientists, today announced the closing of a $20 million Series A financing. Proceeds will be used to advance the company’s lead program into Phase 2 clinical development for obesity and diabetes, as well as other programs in IND-enabling stage and early preclinical stage. The financing was led by Lapam Capital, with participation from Frees Fund and Riverhead Capital. “This Series A represents an important inflection point for Rezubio,” said Yusheng Xiong, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Rezubio. “Membrane anchoring has the potential to reshape how targeted medicines are designed. Our MADD platform enables highly localized pharmacology for cell-surface targets, including GPCRs, while minimizing systemic exposure. Our gut-targeted GPCR agonist has entered clinical trials in Australia and is expected to provide a critical proof-of-concept for the platform. In parallel, an antagonist targeting a different GPCR for immune and inflammatory diseases will enter Phase 1 clinical development in early 2026.” A Novel Approach to Tissue-Selective Delivery: Membrane-Anchored Drug Design (MADD) Rezubio’s MADD platform uses a rationally engineered kinetophore to anchor pharmacophores to the epithelium of target tissues, enabling localized drug activity at the site of action. This approach is designed to deliver: Minimal systemic exposure, reducing the risk of off-target and dose-limiting adverse effectsEnhanced efficacy through enrichment of active compounds around cell-surface target proteinsProlonged tissue residence time, supporting less frequent dosing By addressing limitations of conventional small-molecule and peptide therapeutics—such as the adverse effects and frequent administration—Rezubio aims to improve both therapeutic index and patient compliance. CONTACT: Media Contact
Muhua He
General manager
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