QV Bioelectronics has secured £4.5 million in a funding round led by PXN Ventures to support the development of an implantable device for the treatment of glioblastoma. The investment included participation from Empirical Ventures, alongside grant funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Innovate UK.
Glioblastoma is the most common type of primary brain cancer in adults and has very limited treatment options. The disease affects around 2,200 adults in the United Kingdom each year, with patients currently surviving an average of 12-18 months after diagnosis.
The Alderley Park-based business is developing technology designed to improve outcomes for patients with hard-to-treat brain cancer. The funding will be used to continue clinical trial work, including a first-in-human clinical study planned for mid-2026.
Developed by founders Dr Christopher Bullock, a biomedical engineer, and Dr Richard Fu, an NHS
neurosurgeon, QV Bioelectronics’ flagship implant technology, GRACE, uses continual therapeutic electric fields to target residual brain cancer cells following brain tumour surgery. The approach is designed to prevent tumour regrowth in a condition that has a 90% re-occurrence rate within two years, while maintaining quality of life during treatment.
Early laboratory testing has helped to validate the company’s approach. The funding will support progression into first-in-human studies and generate the evidence required to bring a new treatment option to patients.
Brain cancer is a devastating diagnosis, and for too long patients and families have had few treatment options. Our mission at QV Bioelectronics is simple but ambitious, to develop technology that can meaningfully extend life and give people more time with those they love. This investment allows us to take a major step towards that goal, progressing into first-in-human studies and generating the vital evidence needed to bring a new treatment approach to the patients who need it most. We are incredibly grateful to our partners and investors for supporting this vision.
Christopher Bullock, Co-founder & CEO
The North West is a hotbed of life sciences innovation – Christopher and Richard embody that. Their work shows why the UK is an R&D superpower and their technology is poised to improve and save lives. Securing this level of funding is a major vote of confidence in both the team and their pioneering approach. At Bruntwood SciTech, we’re proud to be part of the support network helping QV Bioelectronics take this vital next step – providing the specialist infrastructure, connections and ecosystem access that they need to accelerate their growth at Alderley Park and advance groundbreaking new treatments.
Kath Mackay, Chief Scientific Officer of Bruntwood SciTech
QV Bioelectronics is a great example of the ambitious, high-impact innovation we want to support through NPIF II. Developing breakthrough medical technologies at this stage is complex and capital intensive, but the potential patient benefit is enormous. This funding will help and strengthen the North West’s reputation as a leading hub for life sciences innovation.
Sue Barnard, Investor at British Business Bank
Securing funding at the preclinical stage for Class III medical devices is notoriously difficult, and this round underscores the grit and determination Chris and the team have demonstrated during this critical transition. QV is developing the world’s first implantable brain cancer therapy, leveraging a clinically de-risked mechanism of action. This funding will enable the company to generate first-in-human data, an inflection point that, combined with the significant unmet need in brain cancer treatment, presents a compelling opportunity.
Johnathan Matlock, Co-founder of Empirical Ventures
