Apple Tree Partners has invested $55 million in Red Queen Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm that aims to develop antiviral treatments effective across multiple virus families. This significant investment supports Red Queen’s innovative approach to antiviral drug development.
Red Queen Therapeutics is focused on creating antiviral drugs for a range of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The company has already made strides with its lead candidate, RQ-01, which has completed Phase 1 testing for COVID-19. Additionally, Red Queen has secured funding from the U.S. government to advance a pan-influenza drug.
The foundation of Red Queen’s technology lies in research conducted by Loren Walensky, a professor at Harvard Medical School. Walensky co-founded the company with Apple Tree Partners. The company’s antiviral platform involves the use of “stapled lipopeptides” designed to block viral fusion, a critical step in the viral infection process. This approach prevents viruses from entering host cells, offering a potential advantage over traditional therapeutics that typically act after the virus has already infected cells.
Red Queen’s method aims to address viral infections by targeting the fusion process, which is a mechanism conserved across various virus mutations. This could enhance the effectiveness of their treatments against numerous variants, including different strains of the Omicron coronavirus.
The company’s lead candidate, RQ-01, has shown promising results in early trials. Administered as a nasal spray, RQ-01 demonstrated a trend toward faster clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection by the fifth day compared to a placebo. The Phase 1 trial, involving 67 participants with mildly symptomatic COVID-19, was not designed to statistically determine efficacy but did show a “placebo-like” side effect profile. The data was presented at the American Society for Microbiology’s annual meeting in June, and earlier preclinical results in hamsters were published in Nature Communications.
According to Red Queen CEO and ATP Venture Partner Mark Mitchnick, the company’s therapies are intended to complement existing vaccines rather than replace them. He emphasized that these treatments could serve as a first line of defense against emerging variants of COVID-19 or influenza. The antiviral treatments are also designed to be stable at room temperature for extended periods and can be adapted for various delivery methods, including inhalers, injections, and nasal sprays.
The Series A funding will enable Red Queen to progress its pipeline, which includes drug programs targeting RSV, influenza, and herpes. The company is also planning a Phase 2 study of RQ-01 in individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those who have undergone transplant surgery, are on immunosuppressive drugs, or have received CAR-T cell therapy.
Additionally, Red Queen has received U.S. government funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support the preclinical development of a pan-influenza drug. This program aims to address avian influenza (H5N1), which has become a significant public health concern due to ongoing outbreaks in U.S. livestock. Results from the preclinical studies of this program are anticipated to be available next year.
