Hopewell, N.J. – September 18, 2026 -- ProBio, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has struck a strategic collaboration with Kun Tuo, an IQVIA-owned clinical research organization (CRO) in China, to integrate manufacturing and clinical trial execution for advanced therapies.
Partnership links CDMO manufacturing with CRO trial operations in China
The alliance combines ProBio's biologics and cell and gene therapy (CGT) development and manufacturing platform with Kun Tuo's clinical trial management network, targeting faster Investigator-Initiated Trials (IITs) for global biopharma sponsors entering the Chinese market. The integrated offering spans Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), non-clinical studies, and clinical operations under a single coordinated pathway.
ProBio brings a track record of over 1,000 GMP batches and 90 IND approvals
ProBio has contributed to more than 1,000 GMP batches of cell and gene therapy products and supported over 90 IND approvals and IIT programs across multiple CGT pipelines. Under the new arrangement, ProBio clients gain direct access to Kun Tuo's clinical operations support and site engagement resources, easing the transition from preclinical and manufacturing work into clinical development.
Kun Tuo's 1,000-employee network has run more than 1,400 clinical trials
Kun Tuo, a wholly owned China subsidiary of IQVIA, employs approximately 1,000 staff and has experience across more than 1,400 clinical trials for drugs and medical devices. The CRO leverages IQVIA's global clinical development expertise and site relationships to help sponsors select appropriate trial locations and execute studies with regulatory confidence.
Executives frame the deal as a route to reduce handoff friction between phases
Allen Guo, CEO of ProBio, said the collaboration allows the company to offer "a seamless pathway from manufacturing to clinical execution, accelerating Investigator-Initiated Trials in China." Linda Wang, General Manager of Kun Tuo, said the partnership combines clinical development expertise in cell and gene therapy with ProBio's manufacturing platform to address rising demand for integrated IIT services in China.
The companies expect the connected ecosystem to reduce referral friction between development and clinical phases, speed access to sites and principal investigators, and support coordinated project management for sponsors navigating China's clinical research environment.