Altesa BioSciences and bioMérieux Announce Collaboration for Altesa's Upcoming Phase 2B COPD Clinical Trial

Study will begin enrollment in Q1 2026 in the US and UK and leverage the BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® point-of-care diagnostics platform at U.S. sites

ATLANTA and SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Altesa BioSciences, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to preventing and treating rhinovirus infections, one of the leading causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma exacerbations, today announced a partnership with bioMérieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, to utilize the BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® respiratory solution as its core point-of-care diagnostics platform at U.S. sites for Altesa's upcoming Phase 2B clinical trial.

The trial will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examining the safety and efficacy of vapendavir – a direct-acting antiviral medicine – to treat rhinovirus infections in patients with COPD. Rhinovirus infections are responsible for approximately half of acute exacerbations of COPD, and it is hypothesized that early treatment of rhinovirus infections may prevent respiratory complications and improve recovery time. The study will recruit 600 participants with GOLD stage II, III and IV COPD. 

At U.S. sites, participants begin experiencing cold-like symptoms, they will visit their assigned study site to have the suspected rhinovirus infection diagnosed by the BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® Respiratory/Sore Throat (R/ST) Panel Mini. As of now, bioMérieux is the only provider of CLIA-waived POC molecular panel including rhinovirus. 

From a single patient sample, the panel will indicate whether the patient's signs and symptoms are the result of an infection with Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), Human Rhinovirus, Influenza A virus, Influenza B virus, and/or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) within about 15 minutes so that randomization and treatment can promptly begin.

"This is the first time the BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® respiratory solution has been used in such a clinical trial," said John Osiecki, Ph.D, Vice President Medical Affairs North America, bioMérieux, "and we appreciate Altesa's vision in seeking faster evidence to inform clinical decisions."

"Altesa and bioMérieux will provide research sites with the BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® System to enable rapid diagnosis of rhinovirus infections. Sites span from large academic sites to community and research sites that may not have this equipment available yet," says Karen Fusaro, SVP, Clinical Development with Altesa BioSciences.

"People with COPD live in fear that respiratory viruses like rhinovirus can put them in the hospital - or worse. After creating the test-to-treat paradigm during the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to ensure COPD patients benefit from technologies like BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® that enable the targeted, early use of upstream antiviral medicines like vapendavir," said Brett Giroir, CEO of Altesa and former US Assistant Secretary of Health and COVID-19 testing czar.

About Vapendavir

Vapendavir is an oral medicine in development by Altesa BioSciences. Recently, Altesa announced that vapendavir improved symptoms and viral load in COPD patients experimentally challenged with rhinovirus infection. Vapendavir is now in late-stage clinical development, and if approved, vapendavir has the potential to prevent up to 50% of COPD exacerbations, improving quality of life and longevity, saving billions, and reducing the need for costly monthly immune-modifying injections that may have long-term side effects.

About Altesa BioSciences, Inc.

Altesa BioSciences is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, led by global experts in respiratory medicine and infectious diseases, dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic lung diseases, like COPD and asthma, by treating the principal cause of exacerbations and pathological inflammation – viral respiratory infections. In addition to advancing vapendavir, our lead medicine, we advocate for improved access to modern respiratory diagnostics and therapeutics in underserved communities.

About bioMérieux

Pioneering Diagnostics

A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics since 1963, bioMérieux is present in 45 countries and serves more than 160 countries with the support of a large network of distributors. In 2024, revenues reached €4 billion, with over 93% of sales outside of France.

bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (systems, reagents, software and services) which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety. Its products are mainly used for diagnosing infectious diseases. They are also used for detecting microorganisms in agri-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. www.biomerieux.com.

About BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE®
BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® is a next-generation, point-of-care molecular diagnostic system developed by bioMérieux. FDA-cleared and CLIA-waived, it delivers rapid, accurate results in low-complexity settings such as clinics and physician offices. The system enables early detection of respiratory pathogens—including human rhinovirus, SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV—from a single patient sample in about 15 minutes. By supporting timely, targeted treatment decisions, BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes and advancing the global effort to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In addition to the Respiratory/Sore Throat Panel Mini, the BIOFIRE^® SPOTFIRE^® Solution also encompasses BIOFIRE^® SPOTFIRE^® Respiratory/Sore Throat (R/ST) Panel – including 15 pathogens, which is FDA cleared, CLIA-waived and CE-marked.

Altesa Biosciences Media Inquiries
Mia Heck
Email: [email protected]
Contact: 210.284.0388

bioMérieux Media Inquiries:
Todd Siesky
Vice President, North America Communications
Email: [email protected]
Contact: +1 919.791.5822

SOURCE Altesa Biosciences Inc.