Durham-based medtech startup VQ Biomedical, spun out of Duke University, has raised $5 million to develop a groundbreaking device aimed at transforming how severe lung injuries are treated—without relying on invasive procedures.
The startup is targeting acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition where fluid builds up in the lungs due to infection or trauma. In critical cases, patients often need mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)—complex procedures that carry their own set of health risks.
But ECMO, in particular, is both costly and resource-intensive. It requires the use of a machine that pumps blood outside the body, adding oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. The process demands highly trained professionals, and patients must be placed on blood thinners, increasing the risk of bleeding.
VQ Biomedical’s Less-Invasive Lung Injury Treatment
Instead of drawing blood out of the body, VQ Biomedical’s device delivers oxygen directly into the bloodstream using a compact catheter-based system. The innovation leverages collaborative research from Duke’s medical and engineering schools.
This minimally invasive approach could make lung injury treatment more accessible—not just in hospitals, but in emergency and battlefield situations, where time and equipment are limited.
$5M Funding Fuels Product Development
The company’s recent funding round includes:
- $1.65 million in seed funding, led by Harbright Ventures, Wolfpack Investor Network, and Duke Capital Partners
- A $2.4 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- Additional support from the N.C. Biotechnology Center and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority
With the U.S. military eyeing the device as a portable solution for combat-related lung injuries, VQ’s catheter system is being designed to be compact, easy to operate, and equipment-light.
Founded in 2023, VQ Biomedical is led by CEO Galen Robertson, a veteran of Durham’s medical device startup 410 Medical, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tobias Straube, a Duke University professor and the inventor of the catheter.
Simplifying Critical Care in Hours, Not Years
Speaking to Axios, Robertson emphasized how user-friendly the new lung injury treatment could be:
“With ECMO and ventilation, entire careers are built on learning how to operate them. Our device will be simple enough that a nurse can be trained in just a couple of hours.”
The company currently has a working prototype and is focused on refining it further—making it even smaller and more intuitive for frontline healthcare workers.
What’s Next for VQ Biomedical?
With the fresh infusion of funding, VQ Biomedical plans to:
- Expand its core team
- Finalize the next iteration of the device
- Prepare for clinical trials within the next few years
As the demand grows for affordable and scalable lung injury treatments, VQ Biomedical’s device could mark a game-changing moment in respiratory care, both in hospitals and combat zones.
