RQ Bio Secures $115 Million Series A to Advance Long-Acting Antibody RQB01 for Full-Season Influenza Prevention
Key Insights
RQ Bio (search) completed an oversubscribed $115 million Series A financing led by Frazier Life Sciences (search) with participation from EQT Life Sciences (search), Forbion (search), Monograph (search), and Wellington Management (search).
The funding will support clinical development of lead program RQB01 (search), a long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to provide season-long influenza (search) protection with a single administration.
RQB01 (search) targets conserved epitopes through a dual mechanism of action, aiming to protect high-risk and immunocompromised patients who remain vulnerable despite vaccination.
RQ Bio (search), a UK-based biotechnology company, announced the completion of an oversubscribed $115 million (£85.5 million) Series A financing on June 24, 2026, to advance its lead program RQB01 (search) — a long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to provide full-season protection against influenza (search) with a single administration.
The financing was led by Frazier Life Sciences (search), with participation from new investors EQT Life Sciences (search), Forbion (search), Monograph (search), and Wellington Management (search), alongside founding investor LifeArc Ventures (search) and existing shareholders Oxford Science Enterprises and the University of Oxford.
Addressing a Persistent Unmet Need
"Influenza (search) remains a serious and persistent threat for patients whose immune systems cannot rely on vaccination alone," said Mike Westby, Chief Executive Officer of RQ Bio (search). "Our vision is to develop a preventative therapy capable of delivering reliable protection for an entire flu season with a single administration."
The company's lead programme, RQB01 (search), is currently in IND-enabling studies and is designed to deliver potent and broad protection against influenza (search) through a differentiated dual mechanism of action targeting conserved epitopes resilient to seasonal variation. RQ Bio (search) aims to establish a new pillar for influenza prophylaxis specifically in vulnerable patient populations, including immunocompromised and high-risk individuals who remain susceptible despite existing vaccination strategies.
Differentiated Product Profile
RQB01 (search) combines broad strain coverage, potent neutralizing activity, and extended duration of action — attributes that the company and its investors believe could translate into efficacious, season-long prevention in an attractive product format. "We believe RQB01 possesses several differentiated attributes that will translate to efficacious, season-long prevention of flu in an attractive product format," said Joe Cabral, Partner at Frazier Life Sciences (search), who joined the RQ Bio (search) Board of Directors as part of the financing.
Felice Verduyn – van Weegen, Partner at EQT Life Sciences (search), added: "Influenza (search) continues to pose a significant burden for high-risk populations, despite the availability of existing treatments. RQ Bio (search)'s single-administration approach to durable, season-long protection addresses a clear unmet need among the patients who remain most vulnerable."
Leadership Appointment
Concurrent with the financing, RQ Bio (search) announced the appointment of biotechnology industry veteran Christian S. Schade as Executive Chairman. Schade most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Halda Therapeutics (search), which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for $3.05 billion in December 2025. He brings nearly 20 years of experience in corporate finance and capital markets at leading global investment banks, along with significant leadership and transaction experience from numerous CEO and Board roles.
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.
Company Origins and Pipeline
Founded in 2021 by four leading infectious disease scientists, RQ Bio (search) has built a highly experienced team with proven success in developing long-acting antibodies against viral targets. The Series A proceeds will also support the advancement of the company's proprietary antibody discovery approach toward a pipeline of assets for prophylaxis of respiratory viral diseases.
"RQ was co-founded by an exceptional group of UK scientists and LifeArc Ventures (search) several years ago. The RQ team have worked rapidly to progress their research in influenza (search) prevention and with the funding announced today will be able to progress their lead programme into clinical development next year," said Clare Terlouw, Managing Partner at LifeArc Ventures. "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."