RQ Bio raises $115M Series A to develop season-long flu antibody
What's the deal? UK biotech RQ Bio has raised £86 million ($115 million) in an oversubscribed Series A to develop antibody therapies that prevent seasonal flu in high-risk and immunocompromised patients.
Frazier Life SciencesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → led the round. New backers EQT Life SciencesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, ForbionDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, MonographDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Wellington Management joined existing investors LifeArcDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Oxford Science EnterprisesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Oxford University InnovationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
The cash funds clinical development of RQ Bio's lead programme, RQB01, plus a broader pipeline targeting other infectious diseases.
Why now? Founded in 2021, RQ Bio is pushing RQB01 towards the clinic. The treatment aims to protect patients for an entire flu season with a single dose.
That matters for people who stay vulnerable despite existing vaccines.
The round also brought a notable hire: Christian S. Schade joins as executive chairman. He previously led Halda Therapeutics, which Johnson & JohnsonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → acquired for $3 billion in December 2025.
What could go wrong? RQB01 has not yet entered the clinic. Antibody therapies face long, costly trials, and results in immunocompromised patients can be hard to predict.
The signal: Investors are betting on prevention, not just treatment. A single-shot, season-long defence could reshape how at-risk groups guard against respiratory viruses.
"Influenza continues to pose a significant burden for high-risk populations, despite the availability of existing treatments," said Felice Verduyn-van WeegenDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, partner at EQT Life Sciences. "RQ Bio's single-administration approach to durable, season-long protection addresses a clear unmet need."
Read more: Cision
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
