SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Altair Therapeutics, Inc., a privately-held, biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for respiratory diseases, today reported results from its phase I study evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of its lead product, once-weekly inhaled AIR645, in healthy volunteers. AIR645 is a non-steroidal dual inhibitor of cellular responses to interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, cytokines that play a critical role in development and progression of asthma, rhinitis and other allergic disorders. Results presented today at the 2009 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) within the Mini-Symposium “New Treatment Approaches for Asthma and Allergy” showed that inhaled AIR645 was safe, well tolerated and had dose-dependent exposure in the airways. These results demonstrate the potential of AIR645 as a convenient once-weekly treatment for asthma and other respiratory disorders. Later this year, Altair plans to initiate a phase II efficacy study in patients with asthma.