Verona Pharma's COPD drug produces significant trial effects

Verona Pharma announced that clinical trials for its treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) produced a highly significant effect and was well tolerated by patients.

Phase IIa trials are evaluating the addition of Verona's unique RPL554 molecule to standard reliever medications in patients with COPD.

RPL554 produced a highly significant and a clinically meaningful additional bronchodilation of over 60% when used in combination with other relievers, significantly larger than the effects of either salbutamol or ipratropium bromide alone.

A secondary objectives of reducing trapped air in the lung, which leads to shortness of breath, was also produced.

Verona is now confident of advancing into a Phase IIb clinical trial, which is currently expected to begin in early 2017.

Verona’s management believe RPL554, which is unique in combining bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory properties in a single molecule, could become an important and much needed novel treatment option for patients with COPD and other respiratory diseases.

It is felt that due to both the lack of innovation in the respiratory market in creating better products in for some of the most common conditions such as asthma and COPD, as well as RPL554's unique dual effects, that it could pave the way for a new generation of similar drugs.

Chief executive Jan-Anders Karlsson said the highly encouraging results from the trial "vindicate the rationale" for developing a novel bronchodilator for treatment of patients with moderate to severe disease and acute exacerbations of COPD.

The Phase IIb clinical trial programme will explore further RPL554's potential as a novel nebulised treatment for moderate-to-severe COPD patients in a hospital or home-care setting, he said, which is a multi-billion dollar market.