Medinno Pharmaceutical (Xiamen) Technology Co., Ltd. announced the completion of a Series A financing round exceeding RMB 200 million, led by Sunshine Ronghui Capital, with follow‑on investment from Xiamen Jinyuan Industrial Chain Fund, Xiamen Cardiovascular Industry Fund, Boxing Capital, C&D Emerging Investment, Womeida Capital, Langyu Investment, and Xiamen High‑Tech Investment, and Fenghe Capital serving as exclusive financial advisor. Proceeds will primarily accelerate the global clinical studies of core pipeline MDI‑1228, the preclinical development of early‑stage innovative pipelines, and team expansion.
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Financing Snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Round | Series A |
| Amount | Over RMB 200 million |
| Lead Investor | Sunshine Ronghui Capital |
| Follow‑On Investors | Xiamen Jinyuan Industrial Chain Fund, Xiamen Cardiovascular Industry Fund, Boxing Capital, C&D Emerging Investment, Womeida Capital, Langyu Investment, Xiamen High‑Tech Investment |
| Financial Advisor | Fenghe Capital (exclusive) |
| Use of Proceeds | Global clinical development of MDI‑1228; preclinical development of early pipelines; team expansion |
| Headquarters | Xiamen, China; planned integration of new‑drug R&D and production center |
| Announcement Date | 17 Sep 2026 |
Drug Profile & Mechanism of Action – MDI‑1228
- Unmet Need: Autoimmune diseases and chronic wound healing carry enormous unmet clinical need, while topical drugs face a core contradiction – achieving effective drug concentration at the lesion without entering systemic circulation and triggering body‑wide side effects. The problem is especially acute for topical JAK inhibitors: even with ruxolitinib topical bioavailability of nearly 7 %, the FDA still requires a boxed warning, severely constraining long‑term, repeated dosing in chronic disease settings.
- Differentiated PK Design: Through precise control of the molecule’s physicochemical properties, MDI‑1228 is engineered to resist crossing biological membranes into the bloodstream while maintaining good diffusion in local tissue – delivering a “high local concentration + zero systemic exposure” pharmacokinetic profile. No blood levels were detected in preclinical and early clinical studies, conferring a potential safety advantage for chronic, repeated administration.
- First‑in‑Class Dual Mechanism: Because JAK‑mediated diseases rarely depend on a single isoform, MDI‑1228 combines pan‑JAK inhibition with Trk family targets – the world’s first topically administered pan‑JAK/pan‑Trk multi‑target inhibitor. Trk signaling is closely linked to inflammation and pruritus; the dual‑target design adds analgesic and tissue‑repair potential beyond anti‑inflammatory activity – the molecular basis for its differentiated efficacy in diabetic foot and other chronic wound indications.
- Founder Pedigree: Founder Dr. Lu Liang earned his PhD from Oregon State University, completed postdoctoral research at Yale University‘s Department of Chemistry, and obtained an MBA from New York University (2020). At Incyte Corporation, he was a core member of the team that discovered pemigatinib, the world’s first targeted therapy for cholangiocarcinoma (a pan‑FGFR inhibitor approved in the US in 2021 and later brought to China by Innovent). At Prelude Therapeutics, he helped establish the PROTAC platform, led development of molecules including PRT3789, and contributed to the company’s successful Nasdaq IPO.
Clinical Development Landscape
| Formulation | Indication | Geography / Status |
|---|---|---|
| MDI‑1228_mesylate gel | Diabetic foot ulcer – multicenter, randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled Phase II | FDA Phase II IND granted (US); Phase II also initiated in China |
| MDI‑1228_mesylate eye drops | Allergic conjunctivitis – global first‑in‑indication development | Phase I completed in Australia; FDA Phase II approval granted |
| MDI‑1228_mesylate gel | Atopic dermatitis (China) / Psoriasis (US) | IND approved simultaneously in China and the US |
| Nasal spray | Seasonal allergic rhinitis | Clinical trial approval granted in 2025 |
Market Impact & Outlook
- Indication Selection Logic: Medinno follows three core principles – a sufficiently large market, a non‑crowded competitive landscape, and a molecule with unique advantage in that indication. The company deliberately bypasses atopic dermatitis, the most crowded topical JAK arena, and leads instead with diabetic foot ulcer – a massive global patient population with no breakthrough therapy in nearly 30 years, whose “anti‑inflammation + analgesia + tissue repair” treatment needs align precisely with MDI‑1228’s dual‑target synergy.
- Safety‑Differentiated Positioning: The “pan‑inhibition + no systemic absorption” design directly addresses the core pain point of traditional topical JAK inhibitors, with the potential to redefine local‑administration treatment standards across multiple indications.
- Blue‑Ocean Strategy: With the Series A completed, Medinno aims to build genuinely internationally competitive, differentiated pipelines across dermatology and ophthalmology – two blue‑ocean fields where existing therapies carry significant safety bottlenecks.
- Integrated Build‑Out: The company has established its headquarters in Xiamen and plans an integrated new‑drug R&D and production center, deepening its research‑to‑manufacturing layout.
Forward‑Looking Statements
This brief contains forward‑looking statements regarding MDI‑1228’s global clinical development, indication expansion, regulatory timelines, manufacturing build‑out, and commercialization potential. Actual results may differ materially due to risks including Phase II trial outcomes, regulatory decisions across jurisdictions, competitive dynamics, and financing conditions. No product described herein has received any marketing authorization.-Fineline Info & Tech
