Researchers launch startup to bring novel treatments to patients with asthma and COPD

Tech Launch Arizona, the commercialization arm of the University of Arizona, announced the launch of Aspiro Therapeutics, a biotech startup advancing an innovative inhaled therapy for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, based on technology developed at and licensed from the university.

Aspiro Therapeutics’ novel approach to treating asthma and COPD uses peptidomimetics based on CC16, a natural lung protein with protective properties. The research team, comprised of experts from the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson, the U of A Health Sciences Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center and the BIO5 Institute, designed the peptides to mimic the structure and function of the protein while enhancing stability and bioavailability. 

“We’re not doing another corticosteroid or treatment that’s just trying to treat symptoms,” said inventor Julie Ledford, PhD, an associate professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the College of Medicine – Tucson and research scientist at the Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center. “We’re working to address the underlying mechanism that’s driving a variety of different respiratory conditions.”

She and the team are working toward developing these therapeutic molecules for delivery through an inhaler device.

“Many people with asthma deal with uncontrolled symptoms despite current treatment options, and others experience significant side effects from long-term corticosteroid use,” she said. “We also see a lot of people being prescribed biologics, but they’re useful for a smaller number of patients and are really expensive. Our goal is to develop a therapy that addresses these challenges and provides a more effective treatment option for patients throughout all clinical stages of respiratory diseases.”

Along with Ledford, the research team behind Aspiro includes Josef Vagner, PhD, a research professor at the BIO5 Institute, and Stefano Guerra, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the College of Medicine – Tucson and director of the Population Science Unit at the Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center.

Michael D. L. Johnson, PhD, an associate professor of immunobiology at the College of Medicine – Tucson, made contributions as a co-inventor of the technology though he is not involved with Aspiro Therapeutics as part of the team that is taking the research forward. 

The initial research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health. The university and Aspiro together secured follow-on funding of $100,000 through the Flinn Foundation’s Seed Grants to Promote Translational Research program. The additional funding, awarded to Ledford as the principal investigator, will support an aerosol feasibility study – a critical step in advancing the therapy toward clinical applications.

Ledford is partnering on Aspiro with long-time colleague James Lovgren, who serves as the company’s CEO. Lovgren brings a wealth of business experience commercializing products in the life science industry to Aspiro. 

“At this point,” said Lovgren, “we’ve received the funding from Flinn, we’ve raised an angel round of investment, and we’ve applied for an STTR, so we’re at the right point to execute our license with the university, pursue larger outside partnerships, and take the work outside of the university.” 

They have also begun talking with service providers who they might partner with to further develop their aerosolized compound and manufacturers to scale up production of the lead peptide.

Aspiro’s technology is currently undergoing preclinical development studies, and the team plans to submit an investigational new drug application in 2026 if the studies prove successful. If all goes well, they will begin Phase 1 clinical trials in 2027, Ledford said. 

“Biologics have shown effectiveness for certain asthma patients, but they are extremely expensive and not suitable for all patients,” Guerra noted. “Our approach aims to provide a more accessible and broadly applicable treatment option that could potentially benefit individuals with asthma, or for that matter COPD, across different types and severity stages of the disease.”

Asthma affects more than 25 million Americans, and COPD affects approximately 15 million people in the U.S. The conditions can reduce quality of life for patients and result in significant economic burdens on health care systems. Aspiro Therapeutics joins the growing portfolio of biotech startups emerging from the University of Arizona's research enterprise and represents the ongoing commitment of Tech Launch Arizona and the U of A to bring impactful university innovations to the market.

“We work with inventors from across the University of Arizona and the pipeline of impactful, investable innovations coming out of the university’s labs is strong,” said Bruce Burgess, director of venture development at Tech Launch Arizona. “Aspiro is a great example of that kind of innovation, and we expect to see many more of these startups in the coming months and years.” 

In fiscal year 2025, Tech Launch Arizona has helped launch 10 startups founded to commercialize U of A inventions, including six life sciences companies. Since its start in 2013, TLA has launched over 150 startups that have generated more than $1.6 billion in economic output.