Leads Biolabs Announces Partner Oblenio Bio’s $62 Million Oversubscribed Series B Financing to Advance Tri-Specific T-Cell Engager LBL‑051 for Autoimmune Diseases into Clinical Development
NANJING, China, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. (“Leads Biolabs” or the “Company,” Stock Code: 9887.HK) today announced that its partner company with Aditum Bio, Oblenio Bio (“Oblenio”), has successfully closed an oversubscribed $62 million Series B financing round. The round was led by Pfizer Ventures, with participation from Deep Track Capital, GV, and founding investor Aditum Bio. This milestone significantly advances the clinical development of LBL‑051, Oblenio’s sole asset – a CD19×BCMA×CD3 tri‑specific T‑cell engager designed to reset the immune system in patients with severe autoimmune diseases.
LBL‑051 was discovered and engineered using Leads Biolabs’ proprietary LeadsBody platform. By simultaneously targeting BCMA, CD19 and CD3, LBL‑051 is uniquely designed to deplete a broader spectrum of pathogenic B‑cell and plasma cell populations, offering the potential for deeper and more durable responses compared to single-target or bispecific approaches. This immune reset strategy aims to achieve long‑term drug‑free remission for patients suffering from a range of refractory autoimmune diseases.
Preclinical data presented by Oblenio at the 2026 European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2026) demonstrated that step-up dosing of LBL‑051 resulted in complete depletion of peripheral and tissue B‑cells and plasma cells in non‑human primates, with consequent emergence of immature, non‑memory B‑cells in the blood upon recovery – findings consistent with changes described in autoimmune patients achieving long-lasting drug-free remissions in the clinic. Importantly, the study showed that the treatment did not cause cytokine release syndrome (CRS), including at high exposure levels, and demonstrated dose-dependent decreases in peripheral blood immunoglobulins, consistent with plasma cell depletion.
Based on these robust preclinical data, Oblenio is moving rapidly toward clinical trial initiation. In conjunction with the financing, Dr. Xiaoqiang Kang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Leads Biolabs, will serve as a Board Observer of Oblenio, further strengthening the strategic collaboration between the two companies. As the originating innovator, Leads Biolabs will continue to provide technical support to Oblenio and will remain eligible for significant milestone payments and royalties as LBL‑051 advances through global clinical development and commercialization.
Dr. Xiaoqiang Kang commented, “The strong investor interest in Oblenio’s Series B financing validates the potential of our LeadsBody platform to generate differentiated assets, and we are pleased to see this financing significantly accelerate LBL‑051’s path to the clinic.”
About Leads Biolabs
Founded in 2012, Leads Biolabs is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies to address underserved medical needs in oncology, autoimmune, and other severe diseases both in China and globally.
Leads Biolabs is a front-runner in next-generation immuno-oncology treatments with a differentiated pipeline of 14 innovative drug candidates, including four clinical-stage drug candidates and one registration-stage asset.
The Company adopts a science-driven R&D approach and has successfully established comprehensive R&D capabilities spanning antibody discovery and engineering, in vivo and in vitro efficacy evaluation, as well as druggability assessment. It has also developed multiple proprietary technology platforms, including LeadsBody (a CD3 T-cell engager platform), X-body (a 4-1BB engager platform), TOPiKinectics (an ADC platform) and ImBiTDC (a TDC platform), which serve as the cornerstone for its continued innovation and have been validated by the clinical outcomes of its bispecific antibody portfolios.
Leads Biolabs has established integrated capabilities across early discovery, translational medicine, clinical development, CMC and business development. The innovative nature and competitive strengths of its drug candidates, coupled with its global perspectives, proactive strategy, and efficient clinical validation, have made it an attractive partner for leading industry players and investment institutions. For more information, please visit https://en.leadsbiolabs.com/
Contact: yizi@leadsbiolabs.com
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