Altimmune Announces CEO Transition and Succession Plan

Core Viewpoint - Altimmune, Inc. announces a CEO succession plan with Jerry Durso set to replace Vipin Garg, Ph.D. as President and CEO effective January 1, 2026, following Garg's seven-year leadership [2][4]. Company Overview - Altimmune is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel peptide-based therapeutics for liver and metabolic diseases, with its lead product candidate being pemvidutide, a dual glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonist [8][9]. Leadership Transition - Vipin Garg will step down as CEO but will remain as an advisor until June 30, 2026, to ensure a smooth transition [2][3]. - Jerry Durso, the current Chairman of the Board, will take over as CEO while retaining his chairman position [2][5]. Achievements Under Current Leadership - Under Dr. Garg's leadership, Altimmune advanced its lead candidate pemvidutide from a preclinical stage to a Phase 3 ready program for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) [3][4]. - The company has ongoing Phase 2 clinical programs for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) [3]. Future Prospects - Pemvidutide has shown significant potential in reducing liver inflammation and fibrosis, as well as achieving notable weight loss with good tolerability in patients with MASH [4]. - Altimmune is preparing for an End-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA to discuss trial design and study endpoints for the Phase 3 MASH program, with 48-week data from the IMPACT Phase 2b trial expected before year-end [4][6]. Jerry Durso's Background - Jerry Durso brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the life sciences industry, including a successful tenure as CEO of Intercept Pharmaceuticals, where he focused on liver diseases [7]. - His experience includes overseeing multiple blockbuster franchises at Sanofi, enhancing corporate strategy, and leading successful acquisitions [7].