Avalyn Pharma Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing inhaled therapies for respiratory diseases, appointed Jon Congleton to its board of directors.

Congleton currently serves as chief executive officer and board member of Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company. He has led Mineralys from its founding as a private company through its evolution into a public biotechnology company.

The appointment comes as Avalyn advances its Phase 2 programs, including the MIST trial for AP01 and the AURA trial for AP02, according to a company statement.

Congleton brings nearly 40 years of biopharmaceutical experience across cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system therapeutic areas. He previously served as chief executive officer at Impel Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company focused on central nervous system drug delivery, and at Nivalis Therapeutics.

Earlier in his career, Congleton held positions at Teva Pharmaceuticals, where he was part of the original U.S. launch team for Copaxone in multiple sclerosis and led the Canadian and U.S. Teva Neuroscience businesses. He holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Kansas State University.

Avalyn is developing inhaled formulations of antifibrotic medicines designed to deliver drugs directly to the lungs. The company's AP01 program involves an inhaled formulation of pirfenidone being evaluated in a Phase 2b trial for progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Its AP02 program features an inhaled formulation of nintedanib in a Phase 2 trial for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.