Cholesgen (Shanghai) Co.Ltd. (‘Cholesgen’) today announced an exciting new collaboration with AstraZeneca to advance research and development in diseases related to high cholesterol. This three-year partnership will focus on validating genetic drug targets and developing new therapies for clinical trials. Cholesgen's early-stage portfolio will provide several potential targets for the joint research effort, which will leverage the strengths of both companies. As part of the agreement, Cholesgen will receive an initial payment and a pre-defined licensing package and payment for each drug candidate selected by AstraZeneca to advance into clinical development.

This program creates a new collaboration model with a Chinese biotech, starting from innovative targets and mechanisms identified by Chinese researchers. A Joint Research Committee will oversee the collaboration, with scientists from AstraZeneca and Cholesgen working together to validate targets and develop drug candidates.

Cholesgen is a biotech pioneering in the biomedical research, innovative target identification and first-in-class drug discovery in the field of cholesterol-related diseases, such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, atherosclerosis, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Trinity Innovation Funds exclusively incubated Cholesgen in 2021 and also followed up with its Series A fundraising this year.