RQ Bio, a biotechnology company developing long-acting antibody therapeutics for the prevention of influenza in high-risk and immunocompromised populations, has raised £86 million in an oversubscribed Series A led by Frazier Life Sciences, with participation from new investors EQT Life Sciences, Forbion, Monograph and Wellington Management alongside founding investor LifeArc Ventures, as well as shareholders Oxford Science Enterprises and the University of Oxford.
Influenza poses a serious and persistent threat to patients whose immune systems cannot rely on vaccination alone. RQ Bio is developing RQB01, its lead programme currently in IND-enabling studies, to address this gap. RQB01 is designed to deliver potent and broad protection against influenza through a differentiated dual mechanism of action targeting conserved epitopes resilient to seasonal variation. A combination of broad strain coverage, potent neutralising activity and extended duration of action could establish a new pillar for influenza prophylaxis in vulnerable patient populations, with the goal of delivering reliable protection for an entire flu season from a single administration.
The Series A proceeds will support clinical development of RQB01 and advance RQ Bio's proprietary antibody discovery approach towards a pipeline of assets for prophylaxis of respiratory viral diseases.
RQ Bio also announced the appointment of Christian S. Schade as Executive Chairman. Schade most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Halda Therapeutics, which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for $3.05 billion in December 2025. He brings significant leadership and transaction experience from numerous chief executive and board roles, combined with nearly 20 years in corporate finance and capital markets at leading global investment banks. As Executive Chairman, Schade will work closely with the management team and Board of Directors to guide corporate strategy and support the company's continued growth. Joe Cabral, Partner at Frazier Life Sciences, joined the RQ Bio Board of Directors as part of the Series A financing.
Founded in 2021 and co-founded by a group of UK scientists alongside LifeArc Ventures, RQ Bio has a highly experienced team with proven success in developing long-acting antibodies against viral targets. The lead programme is expected to enter clinical development in 2027.
Influenza remains a serious and persistent threat for patients whose immune systems cannot rely on vaccination alone. Our vision is to develop a preventative therapy capable of delivering reliable protection for an entire flu season with a single administration. This financing will support clinical development of RQB01 as well as advance our proprietary antibody discovery approach towards a pipeline of assets for prophylaxis of respiratory viral diseases.
RQ Bio has a strong team with extensive experience in infectious disease and what we believe is a highly innovative approach to influenza prevention. We believe RQB01 possesses several differentiated attributes that will translate to efficacious, season-long prevention of flu in an attractive product format. We are excited to partner with the Company as it works towards advancing RQB01 into the clinic and through multiple important milestones.
RQ was co-founded by an exceptional group of UK scientists and LifeArc Ventures several years ago. The RQ team have worked rapidly to progress their research in influenza prevention and with the funding announced today will be able to progress their lead programme into clinical development next year. The oversubscribed Series A is a testament to the scientific excellence and focused drive of the RQ team and is a great example of first class British science being backed for success on the global stage.
