What To Know:
- YZi Labs (Binance Labs) has made its first biotech investment of 2025, backing Renewal Bio.
- The funding will accelerate preclinical work on stem cell-derived therapies targeting leukemia and immune disorders.
- The deal signals YZi Labs’ diversification beyond Web3 and AI into biotech, aligning with its goal to support technologies that address critical global health challenges like organ shortages.
YZi Labs has made its first biotech investment of 2025, backing Renewal Bio in a move that signals an outward shift for the venture arm once known as Binance Labs and strategic focus. The funding will accelerate preclinical work on Renewal Bio’s Stembroid platform, a developmental biology approach built to produce DNA-identical human cells and tissues from a patient’s own cells. The stated aim is to address the global shortfall in transplantable organs and donor-compatible cells.
YZi Labs (Binance Labs) Backs a Biotech Cause
YZi Labs manages multibillion-dollar capital and broadened its investment remit in 2025 to include biotech alongside Web3 and AI. YZi Labs called the deal a long-term commitment. Funding will support the development of Stembroid-derived hematopoietic stem cells and help scale laboratory infrastructure toward production standards required for clinical testing.
Renewal Bio’s leadership described the investment as practical rather than symbolic. CEO Vladislav Krupalnik said the capital will shorten timelines for programs that could benefit thousands of patients who currently wait for compatible donors. He emphasized translating laboratory models into therapies clinics can use. Jane He, general partner at YZi Labs, said Renewal Bio’s platform and team stood out in a crowded field.
The scale of the problem gives context to the bet. Approximately 150,000 transplants occur globally each year, meeting only a fraction of demand. Many patients face long waits and the risk of immune rejection when suitable donors are unavailable. Renewal Bio positions its patient-matched cells as an alternative path that could reduce reliance on donor organs if safety and efficacy are proven in human studies.
Experts cautioned that achieving clinical impact will take time. Regenerative medicine faces formidable scientific, manufacturing, and regulatory hurdles. Companies must demonstrate consistent cell quality, scalable manufacturing processes, and clear safety profiles before regulators will allow human trials at scale. Investors and clinicians will watch early preclinical readouts closely.
For now, Renewal Bio’s task is advancing preclinical data for hematopoietic applications and building capacity. The Stembroid platform remains central to that work. Fidelity to natural cell programs matters for therapeutic application.
The deal reflects a broader trend of technology-focused venture firms moving into life sciences when teams present rigorous science and a credible path to translation. It also underlines investor appetite for platforms that could address major unmet medical needs. Renewal Bio will use the new capital to push experiments closer to clinical readiness, expand facilities, and form initial partnerships.
If preclinical results are positive and regulatory steps proceed, Renewal Bio could offer a new route to patient-matched cells for transplantation. For now, the infusion of capital provides a runway. The next year will be crucial for the company as it seeks to turn laboratory promise into clinical progress and tangible options for patients in urgent need.
Renewal Bio’s method uses patient-derived pluripotent stem cells grown in a three-dimensional environment. The process lets developmental cues guide cell formation rather than relying on aggressive chemical forcing. The result, the company says, is functional cells that match a patient’s genetics and are suitable for transplantation. Near-term work will focus on hematopoietic stem cells, which underpin bone marrow transplants and treatments for leukemia and immune disorders. The firm also plans to expand research into liver, heart, and pancreatic cells as its programs advance.
The startup was founded in 2022 by Professor Jacob Hanna, a stem cell scientist previously at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He co-founded the company with Vladislav Krupalnik and Ohad Gafni, both of whom trained in Hanna’s lab. The team’s academic record includes publications in leading journals, and that pedigree helped attract YZi Labs’ interest.
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