Dr. Haumann brings decades of respiratory drug expertise to support next phase of company growth
CEO appointment follows recent clinical and corporate milestones including Phase 2b CARDINAL trial initiation and Series B financing
ATLANTA, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Altesa BioSciences, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic lung diseases including COPD and asthma, today announced the appointment of Brett Haumann, MBBCh, MBA as Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Haumann has been serving as a non-executive member of the Altesa Board and joins the executive team at a time of accelerating momentum, following the company's oversubscribed $75 million Series B round and launch of the Phase 2b CARDINAL study evaluating vapendavir for its potential as a transformational treatment for rhinovirus in patients with COPD — the leading cause of acute exacerbations.
"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," said Moncef Slaoui, Board Chair of Altesa BioSciences, and former Chairman of both Global Research and Development and the Vaccine Division at GSK, and former Chief Scientific Advisor to the U.S. government's Operation Warp Speed. "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."
A 30-year industry veteran recognized for his leadership in respiratory medicine, Dr. Haumann most recently served as CEO of RIGImmune and previously held Chief Medical Officer roles at Circassia, Theravance Biopharma, and ReViral, spanning both public and private biotechs in the U.S. and U.K. Earlier at GSK — alongside Dr. Katharine Knobil, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Altesa BioSciences, and Dr. Slaoui — Dr. Haumann led programs from early drug discovery through commercialization across anti-infectives, immunology and respiratory portfolios. Dr. Haumann has also served as a non-executive director on a number of private and public biotech boards, and as a venture partner with SV Health Investors.
"Altesa is an incredibly exciting company with a remarkable focus on patients," said Dr. Haumann. "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."
About Vapendavir
Vapendavir is an investigational oral medicine in development by Altesa BioSciences. Recently, Altesa announced that vapendavir improved symptoms, reduced duration of illness and viral load, and maintained small airway function in COPD patients experimentally challenged with rhinovirus in a Phase 2a trial. Vapendavir is now in late-stage clinical development and, if approved, has the potential to prevent the most common cause of COPD exacerbations, improve quality of life, and generate significant reductions in healthcare costs.
About the CARDINAL Study
The CARDINAL clinical trial is a Phase 2b multinational, randomized, placebo-controlled study in COPD patients experiencing rhinovirus infections that will enroll 900 people with COPD across the U.S. and U.K. The trial was designed to reflect real-world care models, proactively identifying and supporting those at greatest risk. Participants will be closely monitored over time and, upon confirmed rhinovirus infection, will be randomized to receive one of two doses of vapendavir or placebo. The trial's primary objective is to assess improvement in respiratory symptoms using established patient-reported outcomes, with additional endpoints evaluating time to symptom resolution, quality of life, healthcare resource utilization, and lung function.
About Altesa BioSciences, Inc.
Altesa BioSciences is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company led by global experts in respiratory medicine and infectious diseases. Altesa is dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic lung diseases, including COPD and asthma, by treating the principal cause of exacerbations and pathological inflammation — viral respiratory infections. www.altesa.com
Media Contact: Peg Rusconi
Email: peg.rusconi@deerfieldgroup.com
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SOURCE Altesa Biosciences Inc.
