Barcelona, Spain – September 15, 2026 -- Altesa BioSciences reported that its investigational oral antiviral vapendavir significantly reduced two key inflammatory biomarkers, IP-10/CXCL10 and GM-CSF, in COPD patients experimentally infected with rhinovirus, according to data presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2026.
Vapendavir lowers airway inflammation markers in Phase 2a challenge study
Nasal lavage samples from COPD patients treated with vapendavir showed significantly lower levels of IP-10/CXCL10 and GM-CSF compared to placebo over the course of rhinovirus infection. Two additional biomarkers, IFN-α2a and IFN-λ1/IL-29, trended lower with treatment but did not reach statistical significance.
New biomarker data build on prior efficacy findings from ERS 2025
The inflammation results extend earlier data presented at ERS International Congress 2025, which showed vapendavir significantly reduced viral load, illness duration and severity of lower respiratory symptoms, and improved quality of life relative to placebo in the same Phase 2a study.
Dr. Sebastian Johnston of Imperial College London's National Heart and Lung Institute, who presented the findings and serves as Chief Medical Officer of CRO VirTus Respiratory Research Ltd, said the data demonstrate a measurable reduction in airway inflammation beyond the drug's antiviral effect. He noted rhinovirus infections remain underappreciated as a driver of COPD exacerbations due to limited clinical testing.
Data support progression into Phase 2b CARDINAL trial now enrolling
Altesa Chief Medical Officer Dr. Katharine Knobil said the findings establish a mechanistic link between vapendavir's antiviral activity and reduced airway inflammation, supporting advancement into the Phase 2b CARDINAL study. Acute COPD exacerbations are the primary driver of hospitalization, lung function loss and reduced quality of life for patients, she said.
The CARDINAL trial is a multinational, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2b study enrolling 900 COPD patients across the US and UK. Participants confirmed positive for rhinovirus infection will be randomized to one of two vapendavir doses or placebo, with the primary endpoint assessing improvement in patient-reported respiratory symptoms. Secondary endpoints include time to symptom resolution, quality of life, healthcare resource utilization and lung function.