TOUYUN BIOTECH (01332) announced that on April 15, 2026, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanxi Touyun Biotechnology Co., Ltd., signed a strategic cooperation agreement for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements with Shenzhen University. According to the agreement, Shanxi Touyun and Shenzhen University will jointly establish the "Shenzhen University - Touyun Biotechnology Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Joint Research Institute," a non-independent R&D platform. The collaboration is set for an initial term of five years, with provisions for automatic renewal upon expiration.
The Joint Research Institute will focus on establishing China's Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Germplasm Resource Bank, a synthetic biology toolkit, a pilot-scale platform, and centers for talent development and academic exchange. Shanxi Touyun will provide Shenzhen University with total funding of RMB 5 million, payable over five years at RMB 1 million annually, to cover the institute's research and operational expenses.
The first launch project will be the pilot development, regulatory application for biopharmaceutical product licensing, and industrial application of Shenzhen University's patented achievement, titled "A Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Engineering Strain for Stable Expression of Human GLP-1RA, Its Construction Method and Application (Patent No. CN2025115510147)," referred to as the "Chlamyglutide" project. Under the agreement, Shenzhen University (including the inventor team) will receive a percentage of future revenue based on the total sales of Chlamyglutide products.
Shanxi Touyun will be responsible for the project's pilot testing, production licensing, clinical application approvals, as well as large-scale production and sales. Shenzhen University will provide necessary documentation for regulatory compliance, the engineered algal strains required for production, technical disclosure materials such as product application instructions, and will conduct professional training for Shanxi Touyun's production and technical staff.
Separate agreements regarding intellectual property, algal strain management, and confidentiality obligations will be established between Shanxi Touyun and Shenzhen University to ensure proper protection of the collaboration's outcomes. Shenzhen University, founded in 1983 as a comprehensive university, established a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii synthetic biology research group in 1999 and has since published over 400 related research papers, leading the nation in this field. It has successfully built China's first library of engineered eukaryotic microalgal strains for medicinal use.
The university has developed the patented Chlamyglutide achievement based on its Chlamydomonas reinhardtii platform. Entering into this agreement will provide the group with exclusive access to world-leading patents and a top-tier synthetic biology team, ensuring a pipeline of high-value new products like the Chlamyglutide project. The agreement also secures the group's priority or exclusive rights to commercialize related technologies, preventing competitors from accessing key intellectual property.
Leveraging Shenzhen University's research capabilities alongside Shanxi Touyun's existing production facilities and global patents will create a seamless and rapid pathway from research to mass production and sales.