Altesa BioSciences closed a $75 million Series B, led by Forbion with participation from Sanofi and others, to fund a Phase 2b trial of vapendavir — an oral antiviral that blocks rhinovirus entry — in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The company intends to randomize ~900 COPD patients and trigger treatment upon confirmed rhinovirus infection to test whether antivirals can prevent severe exacerbations. Vapendavir has a complicated development history, including prior failures in asthma trials, and Altesa plans a larger, placebo‑controlled mid‑stage study to validate efficacy in a high‑risk respiratory population.