"Sugar Ji Medical" has received nearly 100 million yuan in Series C financing. Its core product, the Gastric Bypass Stent System, has been introduced to nearly 100 hospitals. | 36Kr exclusive.
36Kr has learned that Tangji Medical has recently completed a nearly 100 million yuan Series C financing round. This round of financing is invested by Langmafeng Venture Capital and Quzhou Lvshi Fund. The raised funds will be mainly used for product promotion in the domestic and overseas markets, the progress of registered clinical trials, and the construction of production lines, etc.
"Tangji Medical" was established in 2016, focusing on the development of innovative medical device products for metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver (Reported by 36Kr multiple times).
Currently, the core product independently developed by Tangji Medical is a gastric bypass stent system. That is, through a minimally invasive intervention method, a cannula is placed in the duodenum and jejunum using gastroscopy to reduce the intake of sugar and fat by isolating the contact between chyme and the intestinal wall. Compared with traditional weight loss surgeries, this method has the advantages of simple operation, no damage to the human body structure, and less damage to the treated individuals. Relevant clinical data shows that after a 3-month implantation treatment using the gastric bypass stent system, the weight loss range relative to the baseline varies from 4 to 12 kg.
In recent years, the prevalence of overweight and obese people has continued to rise, which is one of the main causes of sub-health. Relevant studies have stated that by 2030, the overweight and obesity rate of adults in China may reach 65.3%, and the medical expenses attributed to overweight and obesity may exceed 400 billion RMB, accounting for more than 20% of the total national medical expenses.
Among all the treatment methods for obesity and metabolic diseases, surgery has become a recognized means of quickly, effectively, and persistently reducing weight. In the 2024 version of the "Obesity Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines", the gastroscopic gastric bypass stent has also become one of the recommended surgical methods.
According to Tangji Medical, in 2024, the company's gastric bypass stent system has made some progress mainly in the evaluation and approval: In China, the gastric bypass stent system has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration, becoming the first innovative Class III medical device for the treatment of obesity through intestinal intervention. Up to now, the gastric bypass stent system has conducted product operation training in more than 230 medical institutions in 27 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government across the country, and has been applied in nearly 100 hospitals, covering more than 500 doctors.
In terms of overseas declaration, the product has obtained the "Breakthrough Medical Device Designation" from the US FDA and is expected to be used for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) combined with obesity. In addition, the product has also obtained a medical device registration certificate in Indonesia.
Currently, expanding the overseas market has also become one of the company's key business plans this year, with the plan to "land in more than 10 countries or regions worldwide".
Investor's View:
Dr. Tan Wenlong, Senior Partner of Langmafeng Venture Capital, said: Langmafeng Venture Capital continues to be optimistic about the huge market space in the weight loss and metabolism field. Tangji Medical provides a purely physical solution for weight loss and metabolic improvement through the intervention method of digestive tract intervention.
From the currently accumulated clinical data, the gastric bypass stent system shows a good trend of significant weight loss effect, fat loss without muscle loss, and comprehensive improvement of blood indicators related to metabolic diseases, enabling patients to comprehensively benefit from the improvement of metabolic health and improve the quality of life. Whether it is a highly forward-looking treatment concept or a precise and efficient diagnosis and treatment method, Tangji Medical has shown us a new possibility for the treatment paradigm in the field of weight loss and metabolism. We are very optimistic about Tangji Medical's innovation ability and development prospects, and are willing to help it become a leading enterprise in the global metabolic disease treatment field and provide more effective treatment options for patients.
Ma Letao, the person in charge of Quzhou Lvshi Fund, said: The high incidence of obesity and metabolic diseases has become a major challenge in the global public health field, including in China. The scale and long-term potential of the weight loss and metabolism market are considerable. The Tangji team chose to find a new way in the huge market and intervened through the digestive tract intervention method, providing a new choice for related patients. We highly appreciate the team's global pioneering spirit, and it is also a benchmarking project urgently needed for the transformation and upgrading of the Quzhou Life and Health sector. At present, Tangji Medical has completed the rapid layout in the domestic serious medical field, and in the future, we are also looking forward to its performance in the global market.