VRP.L Regulatory News (VRP)

Verona Pharma plc ("Verona Pharma" or the "Company") Change in Registered Office 24 April 2014, Cardiff - Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP), the drug developmentcompany focused on first-in-class medicines to treat respiratory diseases,announces that its Registered Office Address is now Bradley Court, Park Place,Cardiff, CF10 3DR. -Ends- For more information, please contact: Verona Pharma plc Tel: 020 7863 3300Clive Page, ChairmanJan-Anders Karlsson, CEORichard Bungay, CFO WH Ireland Limited(NOMAD) Tel: 020 7220 1666Chris FieldingNick Field FTI Consulting Tel: 020 3727 1000Julia PhillipsSimon Conway Notes to Editors About Verona Pharma plc Verona Pharma is developing "first-in-class" drugs to treat respiratorydisease, such as COPD, asthma and chronic, severe cough. The Company has threedrug programmes, two of which are in Phase II. The lead programme, RPL554, isan innovative dual phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 and 4 inhibitor with bothbronchodilator and anti-inflammatory properties. VRP700 is an innovativeproduct for suppressing chronic, severe cough in patients with underlying lungdisease. In its third programme, Verona Pharma is investigating novelanti-inflammatory molecules, called NAIPs, for a wide range of respiratory andinflammatory diseases. About RPL554 for the treatment of COPD and Asthma Verona Pharma's lead drug, RPL554, is a dual phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 and 4inhibitor being developed as a novel treatment for chronic obstructive airwaysdisease such as COPD and asthma with bronchodilator and anti-inflammatoryeffects. Both effects are essential to improve symptoms in patients with COPDor asthma. RPL554 is currently in phase II for both diseases. COPD is a chronic lung disease with significant unmet need for which currenttreatment is far from optimal, as it often has unwanted side-effects and/orlimited effectiveness. COPD is most commonly characterised by fixed airflowobstruction and chronic airways inflammation resulting from exposure toirritants like tobacco smoke. Asthma, which remains one of the most commonchronic diseases in the world, is characterised by recurrent breathing problemsand symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing.The market for COPD and asthma drugs is currently estimated to be GBP20 billion[source: visiongain]. About VRP700 for the treatment of Cough VRP700 is Verona Pharma's lead drug compound for the treatment of cough, havinga novel mechanism of action involving the suppression of cough initiatingsignals originating from cough sensory nerve endings located in the lungs. Aclinical trial completed at the University of Florence, Italy in September 2011clearly demonstrated significant anti-tussive effects with nebulised VRP700 inhospitalized patients with chronic severe cough. Cough can be a very debilitating comorbidity reported by patients, especiallythose with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD, lung cancer,interstitial lung disease, fibrosis or lung infections. It is a neglectedsymptom which is often self-medicated. Consumer spending on OTC medications,including those for cough, grew by 10% over 2005-10, to reach GBP532 million inUK [source: Mintel]. However, there is very little clinical evidence for suchOTC cough medications being really effective and it is widely recognised by themedical community that there is a large need for more effective drugs tocontrol and prevent pathologically induced coughing.