In August 2022, Cygnus Biosciences (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Cygnus Bio), a company focused on the research and development of sequencing systems, announced the completion of a Series C+ financing round exceeding RMB 200 million. This round was led by the China State-owned Enterprise Structural Adjustment Fund Phase II (CSF), with participation from Wuxi Guolian Guokang Health Industry Investment Center (Limited Partnership) (Wuxi Guolian).
Leveraging two core sequencing technologies — proprietary fluorogenic sequencing chemistry and error‑correcting code (ECC) sequencing strategy — Dr. Zitian Chen from Peking University, together with internationally renowned scientist Professor Sunney Xie and Professor Yanyi Huang of Peking University, founded Cygnus Bio. The company is dedicated to sequencing technology, aiming to provide high‑performance sequencers to the industry through innovations in foundational sequencing methods and engineering, becoming a global player in gene technology.
Dr. Zitian Chen, CEO of Cygnus Bio, stated that the company's R&D capabilities and product quality have been recognized and affirmed by both domestic and international authoritative institutions, marking the imminent entry of Cygnus Bio's sequencers into the global market.
As an upstream platform company with fully independent intellectual property rights, Cygnus Bio maintains an open and collaborative attitude, looking forward to extensive exchanges and cooperation with industry peers to jointly create a brighter future for the gene industry. While achieving continuous breakthroughs in its own technology, Cygnus Bio is also committed to leveraging its foundational technology advantages to meet partners' more diverse product and service needs, promoting broader applications of high‑throughput sequencing technology, and helping partners explore international markets.
Dr. Zitian Chen, CEO, remarked: "Developing a gene sequencing platform with wholly independent IP is only the first step. Continuous iterative R&D and advancing the industrialization of sequencing platforms are what truly matter. The process of building engineering prototypes is time‑consuming and lengthy, requiring constant product improvement based on user needs and feedback, moving the sequencing platform from 'usable' to 'easy to use.' Cygnus Bio's goal is to build a sequencing platform based entirely on our own R&D."
CSF commented: "CSF's strategic investment in Cygnus Bio reflects our confidence in the company's internationally pioneering sequencing technology with independent IP, which complements and creates synergies with existing portfolio companies along the industry chain."
Wuxi Guolian stated: "We are delighted to invest alongside CSF in this star enterprise in the domestic gene sequencing field. Gene sequencing is one of the fastest‑growing segments in molecular diagnostics today, widely used in the detection of tumors, pathogenic microorganisms, and genetic diseases. Cygnus Bio's proprietary foundational sequencing technology, along with its sequencer and consumables patented technologies with wholly independent IP, also offers advantages such as higher sequencing accuracy, lower sequencing cost, and shorter sequencing time. We are full of confidence in the company's future development."
