Weitao Bio Raises Over $50 Million in Series A Funding

Weitao Bio Closes Two Consecutive Funding Rounds Totaling Over $50 Million

According to 36Kr, Weitao Bio, a company focused on developing in vivo CAR-T therapies, has recently completed Series A and A+ rounds of financing, raising a cumulative total of over $50 million. The two rounds were led by Loyal Valley Capital and Decheng Capital, respectively, with participation from OrbiMed, Hankang Capital, Eisai Innovation Inc., C&D Emerging Investments, as well as existing shareholders Qiming Venture Partners, Shunxi Fund, and Apricot Capital.

The newly raised funds will primarily be used to advance the clinical development and regulatory filing of the core drug pipeline GT801, as well as to expand the R&D team and build out the company's technology platform.

From TIL Therapy to In Vivo CAR-T: Gravel Bio's Strategic Spin-Off

Weitao Bio was spun off from Gravel Bio in 2025. Gravel Bio had previously focused on developing tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies, with its core product already in Phase II clinical trials. The company's founder and CEO, Dr. Liu Yarong, graduated from the University of Southern California and has over 10 years of experience in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) field.

According to Dr. Liu, the initial decision to pursue the TIL approach was driven by its status as one of the few cell therapy pathways with the potential to achieve breakthroughs in solid tumors and that had already entered the commercialization stage. During the development of TIL therapies, the Gravel Bio team deepened its understanding of the mechanisms of immunotherapy across different diseases and gradually built up R&D capabilities spanning from "ex vivo engineering" to "in vivo engineering." This led the team to explore next-generation immunotherapy approaches through the in vivo CAR-T pathway — and served as the core rationale for spinning off the in vivo CAR-T assets into the independently operated Weitao Bio.

LNP-Based In Vivo CAR-T: Technological Breakthroughs and Clinical Progress

Unlike traditional CAR-T therapies that require genetic modification of patient T cells outside the body, in vivo CAR-T technology uses delivery systems such as lipid nanoparticles (LNP) to program T cells with CAR genes directly inside the patient's body. This approach has the potential to significantly simplify the manufacturing process, reduce treatment costs, and improve patient accessibility.

Notably, Weitao Bio's core LNP-delivery-based pipeline GT801 has published preliminary human data, marking a critical step from the preclinical stage toward human validation. This positions the company at a relatively leading position in the global in vivo CAR-T landscape.

Industry Outlook: In Vivo CAR-T Track Continues to Heat Up

In vivo CAR-T is currently regarded by the industry as the "next-generation technology direction" in cell therapy. Compared with the high costs, long production cycles, and individualized manufacturing bottlenecks associated with traditional ex vivo CAR-T therapies, in vivo CAR-T has the potential to enable "off-the-shelf" treatments, fundamentally transforming the business model of cell therapy.

Weitao Bio's successful fundraise of over $50 million, backed by prominent investors including Loyal Valley Capital, Decheng Capital, and OrbiMed, reflects strong capital market interest in the in vivo CAR-T space. As further clinical data from GT801 is disclosed and regulatory filings progress, Weitao Bio is poised to become a key competitor in this rapidly evolving field.