PureTech Health (PRTC) said Tuesday it has launched Celea Therapeutics, a company focused on developing therapies for respiratory diseases.

Sven Dethlefs, who led PureTech's deupirfenidone program for more than a year, was appointed to lead Celea.

Celea's lead program, deupirfenidone or LYT-100, is a phase 3-ready candidate initially being developed for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. PureTech said the drug also shows potential in other fibrotic and inflammatory lung conditions.