Altesa BioSciences is developing vapendavir, an oral antiviral that directly targets rhinovirus—the primary trigger of acute exacerbations in COPD and other chronic lung diseases. By inhibiting viral replication early in infection, vapendavir aims to reduce symptom severity, shorten illness duration, and preserve small airway function, offering a disease‑modifying adjunct to existing respiratory therapies.
Funding
$35M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Patients with chronic lung diseases such as COPD experience frequent acute exacerbations, and nearly half of these episodes are triggered by rhinovirus infections. Current therapies address downstream inflammation and symptoms but do not prevent the viral cause, leading to hospitalizations, accelerated disease decline, and high healthcare costs.
Solution
Altesa BioSciences is developing vapendavir, an orally administered antiviral that directly targets rhinovirus—the primary driver of COPD exacerbations. By inhibiting viral replication, vapendavir aims to reduce symptom severity, shorten illness duration, and preserve small airway function when administered early in infection. Clinical data in COPD patients have shown improvements in symptoms, viral load reduction, and safety, supporting its potential as a disease-modifying adjunct to existing COPD management. The company plans to launch multinational late‑stage trials to confirm efficacy and seek regulatory approval for use in COPD and other chronic lung conditions.
Target Audience
Primary customers are pharmaceutical partners, healthcare providers, and payors focused on COPD and asthma management, as well as patients with chronic lung diseases who are at risk of viral‑induced exacerbations.
Features
- Oral formulation enabling easy, at‑home administration at the first sign of viral infection
- Broad-spectrum activity against 97% of rhinovirus strains and related respiratory enteroviruses
- Demonstrated safety and efficacy in over 700 trial participants, including COPD, asthma, and healthy volunteers
- Targets the underlying viral cause rather than downstream inflammation, aiming to prevent exacerbations
- Supports early intervention strategies aligned with point‑of‑care or home viral testing