RQ Bio launches with goal to transform treatment and prevention of viral infection diseases through antibody technologies

• UK-based RQ Biotechnology Ltd (RQ Bio) launches with funding from licensing deal with AstraZeneca for RQ Bio’s existing early stage monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 with payments of up to $157 million plus royalties

• RQ Bio will bring together founders, executives and leading scientists from academia and industry to address areas of unmet need in vulnerable patient populations

• Hugo Fry, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Imbria and former Sanofi Executive, appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

• Supported through continued deep collaborations with the University of Oxford and LifeArc

LONDON, UK, 17th May 2022 – RQ Bio today emerges from stealth mode announcing its launch as a new UK-based biotechnology company following the completion of a successful licensing deal with AstraZeneca for RQ Bio’s existing mAbs against SARS-CoV-2. The Company, which is headquartered in London, is dedicated to developing treatments and preventative therapies based on potent broad-spectrum mAbs to provide instant and long-lasting immunity for vulnerable people at risk of severe disease or death from existing, emerging and new viral infections.

The RQ Bio executive team is composed of biotech and pharmaceutical industry leaders with proven expertise in end-to-end antibody generation. Key appointments include:

• Hugo Fry, CCO at Imbria and former Sanofi Executive, appointed as CEO

• Mike Westby, co-founder of RQ Bio, CSO of Centauri Therapeutics and former Pfizer R&D Executive, remains a key Scientific Advisor

• Paul Kellam, co-founder of RQ Bio, Professor of Virus Genomics at Imperial College London and Vice President of Infectious Diseases & Vaccines at Kymab UK, remains a key Scientific Advisor

• Jane Osbourn OBE, co-founder of RQ Bio, CSO of Alchemab and previous Chair of the BIA, remains a key Scientific Advisor

To maximise and accelerate patient impact, the company will continue to be supported by its collaborations with its scientific co-founders, the University of Oxford and leading UK medical research charity LifeArc. Professor Gavin Screaton, Head of the Medical Sciences Division at the University of Oxford, will continue to advise in his capacity as scientific and medical co-founder, as will Clare Terlouw, Head of LifeArc Ventures and UK BIA board member, as a member of the Board of Directors.

“Our vision is to build on our successful debut with neutralising antibody therapy for SARS-CoV-2 and develop innovative medicines to address current and evolving unmet needs in other viral infectious diseases,” said Hugo Fry, CEO of RQ Bio. “By combining our expertise and innovative excellence in core areas we have created a smarter approach to antibody generation making us uniquely positioned to deliver fast patient impact.”

“LifeArc is committed to backing leading UK academics and scientists, and we were inspired to fund RQ Bio because of the exceptional group of founders who are so passionately dedicated to finding new treatments and preventative therapies in areas of high unmet patient need,” said Clare Terlouw, Head of LifeArc Ventures. “LifeArc provided support from across the Charity, including the venture team, scientific labs and other in-house experts to help RQ Bio execute on its business plan, and we look forward to further supporting RQ Bio as it becomes a world-leading infectious disease company.”