Santo Therapeutics raises funding to advance gene therapy pipeline

The company is developing next-generation lentiviral gene therapies and the new raise has been led exclusively by FIRHealth Capital.

Santo says the investment will accelerate development of its in vivo lentiviral gene therapy pipeline, advance its CMC and preclinical programmes and support dual IND filings in China and the United States.

A spokesperson for Santo Therapeutics said: “The FIRHealth team brings deep scientific insight and long-term commitment to biotechnology innovation, giving us strong confidence in our partnership. This investment recognises Santo’s leadership in lentiviral vector design and reflects our shared vision to drive global progress in gene therapy.”

A spokesperson for FIRHealth Capital added: “We continue to focus on transformative opportunities in cell and gene therapy. Santo’s expertise in lentiviral vector engineering and its global development strategy have impressed us. We are excited to support the team as they advance their platform toward clinical and commercial milestones.”

Founded in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, Santo Therapeutics is developing a differentiated platform that combines AI-driven vector design, in vivo CAR-T innovation and proprietary lentiviral manufacturing capabilities.

The company maintains an office base on the SBC campus, connecting its global team with the broader SBC community of innovative life-science companies. Its lead programmes target oncology and rare genetic diseases and are advancing towards first-in-human clinical trials.