U.K. Biotechnology Company RQ Bio Completes $115 Million Series A Funding

By Dominic Chopping

U.K. biotechnology company RQ Bio has completed a $115 million Series A funding round to support the development of its lead antibody program and help advance the its broader pipeline of therapies.

RQ Bio is developing antibody therapies to prevent influenza in high-risk and immunocompromised patients, with its lead program, RQB01, designed to provide seasonal influenza protection with a single administration.

The financing was 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 remains a serious and persistent threat for patients whose immune systems cannot rely on vaccination alone," said Mike Westby, chief executive of RQ Bio.

"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."

As part of the financing, RQ Bio appointed Christian S. Schade as executive chairman. He most recently served as chief executive of Halda Therapeutics, which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for $3 billion last year.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 24, 2026 05:06 ET (09:06 GMT)