Recently, Nanjing RuiChu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“RuiChu Pharma”), a direct-investment portfolio company of Nanjing Innovation Investment Group, announced a major R&D breakthrough: RC017, an innovative in-house drug targeting aging mechanisms for eye diseases, has officially received the Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This marks the first FDA-approved clinical application for a Chinese original anti-aging drug, signifying that China’s R&D strength in the rigorous medical field of aging intervention has entered the global top tier.

Unlike conventional ophthalmic medicines, RC017 targets aging itself as its core mechanism of action. Through multi-dimensional regulation of senescent cells via a unique pharmacological pathway, RC017 has demonstrated comprehensive efficacy advantages in preclinical animal models.The IND approval confirms that all critical preclinical validations have been systematically completed. The drug now officially enters clinical trials, poised to deliver an innovative treatment option for ophthalmic patients worldwide.

Anti-aging represents humanity’s ultimate medical pursuit. This milestone approval also signals a fundamental shift in industry research paradigms: aging intervention is evolving beyond conceptual exploration and nutritional supplements into a new stage of modern medicine with clear targets and rigorous clinical evidence.Supported by integrated scientific verification of mechanism, efficacy and safety, the field is forming a high-standard closed loop: tackling specific degenerative diseases → validating clinical endpoints → achieving proven aging intervention.

As a pioneer of this new paradigm, RuiChu Pharma owns multiple innovative R&D pipelines targeting aging mechanisms in addition to RC017.The company is accelerating clinical trial launches and advancing its full product portfolio, building a world-leading anti-aging innovation matrix to bring breakthrough anti-aging therapies from concept to reality and help extend healthy human lifespan.

In October 2022, Nanjing Innovation Investment Group, together with Dynamic Balance Capital, Jinyu Maowu Capital, Dingxin Capital, Nanjing Hi-Tech and other institutions, jointly invested tens of millions of yuan in RuiChu Pharma’s angel round financing.

A relevant person in charge from Investment Department 3 stated:As an early angel investor, Nanjing Venture Capital Group warmly congratulates RuiChu Pharma on securing FDA IND approval for its independently developed anti-aging drug RC017.The Group highly recognizes RuiChu Pharma’s original research capabilities in aging intervention. The FDA approval fully validates the project’s scientific rigor and global competitiveness, and reflects the Group’s forward-looking layout in the anti-aging track.The Group remains firmly optimistic about RuiChu Pharma’s long-term value and will continue to fully support its development, promoting the translation of anti-aging scientific breakthroughs into clinical applications and creating greater value for extending human healthy longevity.