Altimmune names Christophe Arbet-Engels as chief medical officer

Altimmune Inc. (NASDAQ: ALT) appointed Christophe Arbet-Engels as chief medical officer, effective October 1, 2025. The biopharmaceutical company said Arbet-Engels will oversee the Phase 3 development of pemvidutide for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Arbet-Engels brings more than 30 years of experience in industry, academia and private practice. He previously served as chief medical officer at X4 Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: XFOR) since 2023, where he contributed to the regulatory approval of Xolremdi for WHIM Syndrome in 2024.

The new executive replaces Scott Harris, who informed the company earlier this year of his retirement plans. Harris will remain as a senior strategic advisor until February 2026.

"He brings a wealth of experience across mid- and late-stage clinical development, regulatory approvals and commercial launches," said Vipin K. Garg, president and CEO of Altimmune, according to the company's statement.

Arbet-Engels previously held chief medical officer positions at Neurogastrx, Millendo Therapeutics, and Poxel Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in his career, he worked at Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck Research Laboratories, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, and Ligand Pharmaceuticals, contributing to products including Lantus and Jardiance.

As part of his compensation, Arbet-Engels will receive options to purchase 450,000 shares of Altimmune common stock and 150,000 restricted stock units. The options will have an exercise price equal to the closing price on October 1, 2025. One-fourth of the options will vest on the one-year anniversary, with monthly vesting thereafter until full vesting on the fourth anniversary.

Altimmune is developing pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist, for treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, alcohol use disorder, alcohol-associated liver disease and obesity.

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