Backed by more than $22 million in grant and Series A funding, Pulmotect is focused on reducing COPD exacerbations with its proprietary drug, PUL-042. COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, affects more than 24 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. There are five million COPD exacerbations a year in the U.S. with a 20% hospitalization rate.

Two previously completed phase I clinical trials tested PUL-042’s safety and patient tolerance in healthy individuals, which showed an acceptable safety profile. Armed with FDA approval to begin a third trial, researchers are set to conduct a follow-up dosing study to establish the drug’s efficacy in stable, but immune-compromised patients.

Pulmotect’s inhaled anti-infective has not shown any indication to cause resistance due to its unique host-directed mechanism of action and is easy to manufacture and administer.