Altesa BioSciences Presents New Vapendavir Data at ERS Congress

Altesa BioSciences Inc. presented new clinical data at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2026, showcasing the investigational antiviral therapy vapendavir’s ability to significantly reduce key inflammatory biomarkers in COPD patients challenged with rhinovirus.

The data, shared in an oral presentation titled "Inflammatory biomarkers are reduced by vapendavir treatment in rhinovirus-challenged COPD patients," was presented by Dr. Sebastian Johnston, MD, PhD, FMedSci, a Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. The presentation was part of a session focusing on "Respiratory infections: host response, complications and interventions."

The clinical findings build on previously reported data from a Phase 2a placebo-controlled challenge study, where vapendavir was shown to significantly reduce viral load, illness duration, and severity of lower respiratory symptoms, thereby improving quality of life for patients compared to the placebo group. According to Dr. Johnston, these new results further validate the role of vapendavir in addressing both the virus and the resulting airway inflammation.

"These findings help explain why patients treated with vapendavir experienced less severe illness," said Dr. Johnston. "We're seeing a measurable reduction in the inflammatory response in the airway itself, which is critical for managing COPD exacerbations."

Rhinovirus infections, often overlooked in clinical practice, are known to be a significant driver of COPD exacerbations. Dr. Katharine Knobil, Altesa BioSciences' Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the importance of understanding the underlying disease biology. "Acute COPD exacerbations are the main driver of hospitalization, lung function loss, and reduced quality of life," she stated. "Deepening our understanding of the airway inflammation in COPD patients infected with rhinovirus can help us develop therapies that bring much-needed relief."

The company is now progressing into the Phase 2B CARDINAL study, which is a multinational, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolling 900 COPD patients across the U.S. and the UK. The primary objective of the study is to assess the improvement in respiratory symptoms using established patient-reported outcomes. Additional endpoints will evaluate time to symptom resolution, quality of life, healthcare resource utilization, and lung function.

Vapendavir, an investigational oral medicine in development by Altesa BioSciences, demonstrated efficacy in patients with COPD by improving symptoms, reducing the duration of illness and viral load, and maintaining small airway function after rhinovirus challenge. The company aims to prevent the most common cause of COPD exacerbations, improve quality of life, and generate significant reductions in healthcare costs.

"Deepening our understanding of the underlying disease biology is critical to developing therapies that bring much-needed relief to those living with a chronic and debilitating illness," concluded Dr. Knobil. "The data from this study has given us the ability to successfully progress into the Phase 2B CARDINAL study already underway and actively enrolling patients."