LONDON (Alliance News) - Verona Pharma PLC said Wednesday that it started the second phase of a clinical trial of its nebulized RPL554 drug for the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The company said it has enrolled the first, of 75, patients in the study, which will investigate the safety of the drug. Verona expects data from the study in the first quarter of 2019.
RPPL554, which is an inhaled dual enzymes inhibitor acting as bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory agent, will be tested as an add-on to treatment with dual long-acting anti-muscarinic and long-acting beta2-agonist drugs, the company explained.
The primary endpoint of this trial will be to provide improvement in lung function with RPL554 against placebo, Verona said.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an incurable progressive and life-threatening respiratory disease.
"This Phase 2 trial will examine the effect of RPL554 as an add-on to LAMA/LABA therapy, and in some patients to triple therapy, as many of these patients continue to experience breathing difficulties and daily symptoms that impair their quality of life despite concomitant treatment with two bronchodilators," Chief Executive Officer Jan-Anders Karlsson said.
Verona shares were trading down 1.2% at 121.00 pence each.