Spica Therapeutics Closes €10 Million Seed Round to Advance Macrophage-Targeted Therapies

Antwerp, Belgium – June 4th, 2025 – Spica Therapeutics (“Spica” or “the Company”), a pioneering biotech company transforming macrophage biology into breakthrough therapies, announced the successful closing of a €10 million Seed financing round. The round was co-led by Bioqube Ventures and Flanders Future Tech Fund (FFTF), with participation from Qbic, underscoring the strong belief in Spica’s innovative approach and therapeutic potential by leading European life science investors. The Seed round will enable Spica to accelerate the development of its lead anti-CD163 depleting monoclonal antibody assets into early Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies.

With headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium and a research site in Aarhus, Denmark, Spica is leveraging its proprietary functional macrophage fingerprinting technology to identify and selectively target disease-relevant macrophage subsets. The Company’s platform is designed to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology, fibroinflammatory and autoimmune diseases by identifying and targeting disease-relevant macrophage subpopulations.

The Company’s lead programs are rooted in groundbreaking research conducted at the University of Aarhus, University of Southern Denmark, and INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy. As part of the financing round, Spica also entered a strategic collaboration with VUB and VIB. This partnership gives Spica access to world-class scientific expertise in Belgium further strengthening its scientific and translational capabilities.

“We are thrilled to have the support of such a strong syndicate of investors and collaborators who share our vision of transforming patient care through innovative macrophage-targeted therapies,” said James Rush, Chief Executive Officer of Spica Therapeutics.

“Spica’s progress highlights the strength of our venture creation model and underscores the potential of macrophage biology to redefine therapeutic paradigms”, commented Debora Dumont, Managing Partner at Bioqube Ventures. This sentiment was echoed by Bart De Taeye, Investment Director at the Flemish investment company PMV, representing FFTF in the board: “We are excited to co-lead this financing round that will enable Spica to progress their lead programs and further validate their unique approach in modulating disease-driving macrophage subsets.”

Notes to Editors

About Spica Therapeutics

Spica Therapeutics is a pioneering biotech company dedicated to transforming macrophage biology into breakthrough therapies for patients across multiple therapeutic areas. Leveraging its proprietary functional macrophage fingerprinting technology, Spica identifies and selectively targets disease-relevant macrophage subsets to address unmet medical needs in oncology and fibroinflammatory diseases. Founded on groundbreaking research conducted at the University of Aarhus, University of Southern Denmark, and INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Spica operates from its headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium, with a site in Aarhus, Denmark. Powered by Bioqube Ventures’ venture creation model, the company is advancing a robust pipeline of innovative therapies designed to modulate macrophages and improve patient outcomes.

https://www.spicatx.com/

About Bioqube Ventures

Bioqube Ventures is an early-stage global life sciences investment firm with offices in Belgium and San Diego, CA. We source, finance and develop first-in-class and/or best- in-class therapeutics to treat patients suffering from debilitating diseases. With our product focused investment strategy, we aim to build balanced portfolios spanning company creation, preclinical and early clinical investments.

https://www.bioqubeventures.com/

About Flanders Future Tech Fund

The Flanders Future Tech Fund is an early-stage financing fund, managed by the Flemish Investment company PMV, that aims to meet the financing needs of early technology initiatives of research centres, universities and Flemish spearhead clusters, as well as private parties. Through its investments, the Flanders Future Tech Fund aims to focus on the valorisation of technology developed by Flemish companies, with particular attention to the spearhead domains of Care & Welfare, Digital Transformation and Climate & Sustainability.

https://www.pmv.eu/en/product/flanders-future-tech-fund/

About Qbic

Qbic is a sector-agnostic seed and early-stage venture capital fund, focusing on creating impact through the transformation of technological breakthroughs into sustainable business. The fund’s goal is to support young innovative companies that valorise research from Qbic's knowledge partners. The fund typically participates in the first external investment round of a company and continues to support and invest in these companies throughout their growth. Across 3 funds, Qbic has close to € 200M in AUM. This operation benefits from the support from the European Union under the InvestEU Fund.

For more information, please visit www.qbic.be.

About VUB

Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally oriented university in Brussels, the heart of Europe. By providing excellent research and education on a human scale, VUB wants to make an active and committed contribution to a better society.

The mission of the Vice-Rectorate Innovation & Industry Relations of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is to create a positive impact on society through the valorization of scientific research. Its operational and multidisciplinary team, VUB TechTransfer, aims to connect the university’s innovative research expertise with society-industry, together with its partners VUB Foundation, the philanthropic fundraising team, and Crosstalks, the interdisciplinary networking platform.

https://www.vub.be/en/innovating-together-for-better-world-vub/innovation-vub

The research group MITH (Molecular Imaging and Therapy) at VUB, led by Prof Nick Devoogdt, is a pioneer in the development and bench-to-bedside translation of radiotracers to noninvasively image cancer and immune cells. VUB, together with ​ partner VIB, will leverage its expertise in imaging diagnostics to advance Spica Therapeutics' drug portfolio.

About VIB

VIB is a leading life sciences research institute based in Belgium, operating in close partnership with the Flemish universities and renowned for its work in medical sciences, plant biology, microbiology, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. VIB's mission is to push the boundaries of scientific discovery, transform it into disruptive biotech innovations and support the growth of the life sciences ecosystem in Flanders (Belgium). ​

VIB drives the translation of research discoveries into innovative products and technologies for patients and society. It does so by launching new spin-offs, licensing intellectual property to companies, engaging in dynamic partnerships and fostering talent development. VIB has created >40 spin-offs in the healthcare and agrifood sectors, attracting almost €2 billion in equity investment and has partnered intensely with private industry, generating over €350 million in income. VIB’s research has led to dozens of innovative products brought to market for medical, agriculture, and food applications, with many more in development. Eight of its spin-off companies have reached the clinical stage.

Learn more at www.vib.be