About Aspiro Therapeutics

As the CEO of Aspiro Therapeutics, James Lovgren leads the company’s mission to revolutionize the treatment of obstructive lung diseases with innovative CC16-inspired therapies.

James is an accomplished life science executive with a distinguished track record of commercializing disruptive technologies and managing global product portfolios exceeding $250 million. His extensive background spans startups, growth-stage companies, and Fortune 150 biotechnology firms, where he has successfully brought a wide range of products, services, and reagents to market in the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, and life science sectors.

James’ strategic insight and operational expertise are instrumental in guiding Aspiro Therapeutics through its preclinical development stage and beyond.

As a Co-Founder of Aspiro Therapeutics, Julie Ledford leads the scientific direction to revolutionize the treatment of obstructive lung diseases.

Julie is an accomplished scientist with a distinguished track record in respiratory disease research and translational science. Her extensive background spans academic and industry settings, where she has successfully advanced therapeutic research and innovation. Julie is an expert in the role of endogenous lung proteins and how they mediate various states of lung inflammation, pathogen infection, and disease progression using pre-clinical animal models. Julie has contributed deep scientific knowledge specific to Aspiro’s assets and practice area, evaluating development strategies’ scientific merit and feasibility.

She plays a pivotal role in identifying and fostering partnerships with academic institutions, contract research organizations (CROs), and other relevant entities to accelerate the development and potential commercialization of the lead asset.

As a Co-Founder of Aspiro Therapeutics, Stefano Guerra develops the overall medical strategy for the company’s lead therapeutic asset, including target patient populations, dosing regimens, and potential clinical endpoints.

Stefano trained as an adult pulmonologist and is an accomplished scientist with a strong track record in respiratory disease research and clinical epidemiology. Stefano’s extensive background includes significant experience in designing and conducting large-scale epidemiological studies. He has been instrumental in identifying genetic and environmental factors that influence the development and progression of respiratory diseases.

In his role at Aspiro, Stefano plays a key role in clinical development plans and prepares the company for interactions with regulatory agencies like the FDA, facilitating the approval process for the lead asset.

As a co-founder of Aspiro Therapeutics, Josef Vagner spearheads the preclinical development of the company’s lead therapeutic candidate, which includes designing, synthesizing, and characterizing potential drug molecules.

Josef is an accomplished scientist with extensive experience in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. He has over 25 years of experience in the synthesis and structural analysis of de novo ligands for various biological targets, including a recent focus on ligands targeting GPCRs and multivalent ligands. He is instrumental in developing and implementing strategies for candidate optimization, focusing on improving each drug’s potency, selectivity, and pharmacokinetic properties.

Josef’s expertise ensures that Aspiro’s lead candidates are highly effective and well-positioned for further development.