Delonix Bioworks

What Delonix Bioworks does

Delonix Bioworks is a Shanghai-based synthetic biology biotech founded in 2020-2021 that develops next-generation genetically engineered bacterial vaccines. The company's core offering is built around four proprietary technology platforms: PathX, a pathogen genome editing platform capable of precise, antibiotic-marker-free modifications across 16+ Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial pathogens; OMV Plus, a genetically engineered Outer Membrane Vesicle vaccine platform with validated 100L-scale manufacturing (1M+ doses per run) and at least 5x cost reduction versus existing OMV products; BioDVax, a bioengineered bacterial factory platform for subunit vaccines; and ProBVax, a rational-design platform for live-attenuated whole cell vaccines. The pipeline comprises 9 vaccine programs targeting Neisseria meningitidis (MenB), Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Bordetella pertussis, and Staphylococcus aureus, with the lead candidate DX-104 (MenB OMV vaccine) having received IND clearance from China's NMPA and Australian ethics approval in February 2026, followed by initiation of a Phase 1 first-in-human trial in Perth, Australia in March 2026.

The company operates a B2B enterprise model with three revenue streams: product out-licensing of vaccine candidates at various development stages to pharmaceutical partners; co-discovery/co-development arrangements that share costs and future revenues with industry partners; and contract R&D services spanning design through immunogenicity evaluation. Its primary customer segment is pharmaceutical and vaccine companies, with secondary exposure to healthcare systems and government immunization programs. The only disclosed commercial licensee to date is Zhifei Lvzhu, which in 2024 completed China's first synthetic biology vaccine pipeline licensing deal with Delonix. WuXi Vaccines serves as the manufacturing partner for the OMV Plus platform. The company is privately held, has raised $14M in seed funding (2021, led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and IDG Capital), employs 40+ staff (70%+ with Master's degrees or above), and operates R&D facilities totaling 2,800m² across Shanghai (headquarters), Hangzhou (immune evaluation center, opened 2024), and Hong Kong (HKU-linked).

Name

Delonix Bioworks

Legal name

Delonix Bioworks

Website

https://delonixbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Delonix Bioworks is a Shanghai-based synthetic biology biotech developing next-generation genetically engineered bacterial vaccines through four proprietary platforms (PathX, OMV Plus, BioDVax, ProBVax), targeting pathogens including N. meningitidis, N. gonorrhoeae, B. pertussis, and S. aureus for pharmaceutical and vaccine industry partners via licensing and co-development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bacterial Vaccines

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Vaccine Technology Platforms (mRNA, viral vector, protein subunit, inactivated/live-attenuated, VLP, DNA) (HLAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development) (HLAAAIAD), Vaccine Fill-Finish, Packaging & Cold-Chain Formulation (vial/syringe, lyophilization, thermostable) (HLAAAEAJ), Vaccine Manufacturing & Fill-Finish (HLAIAEAJ), Infectious Disease & Pandemic Preparedness Vaccines (emerging pathogens) (HLAAAEAC)

Keywords

• Bacterial vaccine development
• Synthetic biology platforms
• Pathogen genome editing
• Vaccine out-licensing
• OMV vaccine technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Out-licensing: Granting full or region-specific licenses to pipeline vaccine candidates at various stages of development to pharmaceutical partners. Maximizes pipeline value through strategic licensing agreements.
2. Co-Development / Co-Discovery: Combining early discovery and pathogen genome editing capabilities with industry partners' resources and expertise to co-discover and co-develop innovative bacterial vaccines, sharing development costs and future revenues.
3. R&D Collaboration / Contracted Services: Comprehensive research collaboration and contract services leveraging proprietary platforms and vaccine development expertise. From initial design through vaccine process and evaluation, providing end-to-end solutions tailored to partner needs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Delonix Bioworks develops genetically engineered bacterial vaccines using proprietary synthetic biology platforms (PathX, OMV Plus, BioDVax, ProBVax). The company leverages its genome editing capabilities to create vaccine candidates against pathogens such as N. meningitidis, N. gonorrhoeae, B. pertussis, and S. aureus, and monetizes these via out-licensing, co-development, and R&D services to pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturers.

Product overview

Delonix Bioworks is a biotech company developing next-generation genetically engineered bacterial vaccines through three proprietary technology platforms: OMV Plus (engineered OMV vaccine platform), BioDVax (subunit vaccine platform), and ProBVax (whole cell vaccine platform), all powered by the PathX pathogen genome editing platform. The company has developed vaccine pipelines targeting Neisseria meningitidis (MenB), Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Bordetella pertussis, and Staphylococcus aureus, with DX-104 MenB vaccine in Phase 1 clinical trials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PathX Platform Proprietary pathogenic bacteria genome editing platform providing one-stop solution for bacterial vaccine development. Enables precise and efficient pathogen genome modifications including point mutations, gene knockouts, and knock-ins without antibiotic marker-based selection. Supports genome editing of 16+ pathogens including Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Enteropathogenic E. coli, Shigella flexneri, Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Bordetella pertussis) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium smegmatis). Sold/offered to pharmaceutical and biotech partners via licensing, co-development, or contracted services.
• OMV Plus Platform Proprietary genetically engineered Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) technology platform enabling next-generation OMV vaccine development with improved efficacy, safety, and lower costs. Validated by DX-104 MenB vaccine development. Features scalable production achieving 100L manufacturing with yield of 1M+ doses per run, at least 5x cost reduction compared to existing products. End-to-end solution enables IND application within 18 months from project initiation after vaccine design confirmation. Sold/offered to pharmaceutical and biotech partners.
• BioDVax Platform BioDesigned bacterial factory platform for subunit vaccine development. Engineers polysaccharide, toxin, and other pathogen components to improve subunit vaccine immunogenicity and optimize manufacturing process with higher yield and more consistent production. Sold/offered to pharmaceutical and biotech partners via licensing, co-development, or contracted services.
• ProBVax Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 5x cost reduction compared to existing OMV vaccine products
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zhifei Lvzhu (智飞绿竹)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Completed China's first synthetic biology vaccine pipeline licensing cooperation in 2024. Delonix granted regional licensing rights to Zhifei Lvzhu for innovative bacterial vaccine pipeline candidates, leveraging双方的产业资源共同推进疫苗开发。
• WuXi Vaccines (药明海德)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Reached technology development agreement in 2024 to accelerate development of innovative bacterial vaccines. WuXi Vaccines provides manufacturing capabilities for OMV Plus platform with demonstrated 100L scale production (1M+ doses per run).
• HKSTP (Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipating at Hong Kong Pavilion organized by HKSTP at BIO 2026 Convention in San Diego, showcasing Hong Kong's R&D capabilities in next-generation therapeutics and diagnostics.
• InvestHKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizing Hong Kong Pavilion at BIO 2026 Convention to promote Hong Kong biotech ecosystem and Delonix's innovative vaccine platforms.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GSK: GSK markets Bexsero, the leading MenB vaccine globally, directly competing with Delonix's lead DX-104 candidate. As a top-3 vaccine manufacturer with global commercialization infrastructure, GSK represents both a competitive threat and a potential licensing partner for Delonix's broader pipeline.
• Pfizer: Pfizer markets Trumenba, the other major licensed MenB vaccine in the US. As a global vaccine leader, Pfizer directly competes with Delonix's lead program and would be a logical acquirer or licensing partner for the broader bacterial vaccine pipeline.
• Sanofi: Sanofi's vaccines division (Sanofi Pasteur) operates one of the largest global vaccine portfolios, including bacterial vaccines (e.g., Menactra for meningitis) and recently expanded its pipeline through the Vaxxilon acquisition. Represents both a competitor and potential acquirer for Delonix.

Direct peers

• Abera Bioscience: Swedish synthetic biology vaccine company developing OMV-based vaccines using proprietary Plug-and-Display platform technology. Most direct technological peer to Delonix's OMV Plus platform, targeting similar bacterial pathogens with engineered outer membrane vesicle approaches.
• Intravacc: Dutch vaccine research and development organization with deep expertise in OMV vaccine technology and bacterial vaccine CDMO services. Comparable in scale and focus on bacterial vaccine platform development with both proprietary pipelines and contract services.
• Hilleman Laboratories: Singapore-based non-profit vaccine R&D organization focused on developing affordable vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, with expertise in bacterial vaccine platforms and global health partnerships. Comparable in mission alignment and bacterial vaccine focus.
• Vaxxilon (Sanofi): Originally a Max Planck spinout developing synthetic carbohydrate conjugate vaccines against bacterial pathogens (e.g., pneumococcus, Klebsiella); acquired by Sanofi in 2024. Represents the model of a synthetic biology vaccine platform being acquired by a major pharma — the likely endgame for Delonix.

Emerging players

• GPN Vaccines: Australian clinical-stage biotech developing a Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine using proprietary Gamma-PN whole-cell vaccine platform. Highly comparable in stage, geographic orientation (Australian clinical activity), and focus on bacterial vaccines with limited competition.
• SpyBiotech: UK-based clinical-stage biotech using proprietary SpyTag/SpyCatcher protein conjugation technology to develop vaccines against infectious diseases including bacterial targets. Comparable as an emerging synthetic biology vaccine platform company targeting similar indications.

Others

• Ginkgo Bioworks: US-listed synthetic biology platform company offering cell engineering and biofoundry services across multiple verticals including healthcare. While not a direct vaccine competitor, Ginkgo represents the broader synthetic biology platform model that validates Delonix's approach to rational bacterial engineering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Delonix Bioworks