University of Arizona affiliate launches biotech startup Aspiro Therapeutics with a focus on developing asthma and COPD pharmacotherapies.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Startup Launch: Tech Launch Arizona and the University of Arizona have launched Aspiro Therapeutics, a biotech startup developing an inhaled therapy based on peptidomimetics to treat asthma and COPD by targeting disease mechanisms.
- Therapy Development: Aspiro Therapeutics’ team, comprising researchers from the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson and BIO5 Institute, secured NIH and Flinn Foundation funding to advance preclinical work, aiming to file an investigational new drug application in 2026.
- Broader Impact: By offering a more accessible and cost-effective alternative to biologics and corticosteroids, Aspiro Therapeutics seeks to improve treatment options for millions affected by asthma and COPD while strengthening university-driven biotech innovation.
Tech Launch Arizona, the commercialization arm of the University of Arizona, has launched Aspiro Therapeutics, a biotech startup advancing an innovative inhaled therapy for asthma and 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.”
Ledford 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.
