Appointment recognizes Mr. Durso’s extensive commercial expertise as Altimmune prepares for Phase 3 development of pemvidutide in MASH
Altimmune, Inc., a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel peptide-based therapeutics for liver and cardiometabolic diseases, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Jerry Durso as Chairman, effective August 12, 2025. Mr. Durso succeeds Mitchel Sayare, Ph.D., who will continue to serve on the Board as an Independent Director.
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The leadership transition is part of the Board’s ongoing succession planning and aligns with the Company’s planned advancement into Phase 3 development of pemvidutide in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Altimmune expects to hold an End-of-Phase 2 Meeting with the FDA for MASH in the fourth quarter of 2025.
“On behalf of my fellow Directors, I extend our congratulations to Jerry on his appointment,” said Vipin K. Garg, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Altimmune. “In a short time, Jerry has made a significant impact and I expect the value of his contributions to increase even further in this new role. I would also like to express our gratitude to Mitch for his leadership over the past seven years as Chairman. His guidance has been instrumental to our growth, and we look forward to his continued contributions as a valued member of the Board.”
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“I am honored to succeed Mitch and assume the role of Chairman during this exciting stage at Altimmune as we work toward transitioning to a late clinical-stage company,” said Mr. Durso. “Pemvidutide has a compelling and differentiated therapeutic profile that was reinforced by the recent topline data from the IMPACT trial in MASH. I look forward to working closely with Vipin and the leadership team to support Altimmune’s strategy to advance pemvidutide, create value for our stakeholders and support the patient community.”
Dr. Sayare added, “Since joining the Board earlier this year, Jerry has contributed immeasurably to the ongoing evolution of our corporate strategy. As we prepare for Phase 3 development of pemvidutide in MASH, I believe this is the right time to shift the Board leadership to emphasize commercial and corporate development expertise. Jerry’s experience and successful track record make him exceptionally well suited to lead us through this next phase and I look forward to supporting him in my continued role on the Board.”
Mr. Durso joined the Board in February 2025 and brings more than 30 years of results-oriented leadership experience in the life sciences industry, with deep expertise in corporate and commercial strategy, business development and operations. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors at Intercept Pharmaceuticals, where he built a successful rare liver disease franchise and ultimately led the company through its acquisition by Alfasigma. Prior to his time at Intercept, Mr. Durso spent over two decades at Sanofi, where he held multiple senior leadership positions, including Chief Commercial Officer of the Company’s Global Diabetes Division, Chief Commercial Officer of its U.S. Pharmaceuticals business and Head of its U.S. Cardiovascular and Specialized Therapeutic Business Units. He holds a BBA in marketing from the University of Notre Dame.
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