Altesa BioSciences has appointed Brett Haumann, MBBCh, MBA, as Chief Executive Officer. The appointment follows the company’s oversubscribed $75 million Series B financing and the initiation of its Phase 2b CARDINAL clinical trial.
Haumann previously served as a non-executive member of Altesa’s board and is now joining the company’s executive leadership team. He brings approximately 30 years of experience developing respiratory and anti-infective medicines.
Altesa is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing treatments for chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, and asthma. Its strategy focuses on treating viral respiratory infections that can trigger disease exacerbations and pathological inflammation.
The company’s lead investigational medicine is vapendavir, an oral antiviral treatment being evaluated for rhinovirus infections in patients with COPD. Rhinovirus is a common cause of respiratory illness and a leading trigger of acute COPD exacerbations.
Exacerbations are periods in which a patient’s respiratory symptoms suddenly worsen. These episodes can require additional medication, emergency treatment or hospitalization and may accelerate the progression of the underlying disease.
Altesa recently initiated the Phase 2b CARDINAL trial to evaluate vapendavir in COPD patients experiencing rhinovirus infections. The multinational, randomized and placebo-controlled study is expected to enroll 900 participants across the United States and United Kingdom.
Participants will be monitored over time and tested when symptoms suggest a possible rhinovirus infection. Patients with confirmed infections will then be randomly assigned to receive one of two vapendavir doses or a placebo.
The trial’s primary objective is to measure changes in respiratory symptoms using established patient-reported outcomes. Additional endpoints include the time required for symptoms to resolve, quality of life, healthcare resource use and lung function.
Altesa previously reported that vapendavir improved symptoms, shortened illness duration, reduced viral load and helped maintain small-airway function in COPD patients who were experimentally challenged with rhinovirus during a Phase 2a trial. Vapendavir remains investigational and has not been approved for commercial use.
Haumann most recently served as CEO of RIGImmune. He previously held Chief Medical Officer roles at Circassia, Theravance Biopharma and ReViral, giving him experience across public and privately held biotechnology companies in the United States and United Kingdom.
Earlier in his career, Haumann worked at GSK, where he led programs spanning anti-infective, immunology and respiratory portfolios. His responsibilities covered stages ranging from early drug discovery through commercialization.
Haumann has also served as a non-executive director for private and public biotechnology companies and as a venture partner with SV Health Investors. As Altesa’s CEO, he will oversee the advancement of vapendavir and the company’s broader strategy in chronic respiratory disease.
KEY QUOTES:
“Dr. Haumann’s deep experience building and leading global respiratory and anti-infective programs makes him the ideal leader for Altesa at this pivotal juncture.”
“His track record, vision, and operational excellence align perfectly with Altesa’s next phase, advancing our late-stage asset and broadening our impact on chronic lung disease. With Brett at the helm, I am confident we will deliver on the promise of vapendavir for patients and caregivers whose needs have gone unmet for too long.”
Moncef Slaoui, Board Chair of Altesa BioSciences
“Altesa is an incredibly exciting company with a remarkable focus on patients. The innovative new science underpinning vapendavir, and the rapid progress achieved by this extraordinary team this year, including the initiation of the Phase 2b CARDINAL study in COPD, are testimony to the company’s laser focus and firm commitment to advancing vapendavir.”
“I am honored to lead Altesa at this key moment in time and look forward to delivering on the company’s mission to meaningfully improve the lives of patients with chronic respiratory disease.”
Brett Haumann, CEO of Altesa BioSciences
