VRP.L Regulatory News (VRP)

Verona Pharma plc ("Verona Pharma" or the "Company") RPL554 presentations at ERS Congress highlight its valuable potential in combination therapy for COPD and other respiratory diseases 9 September 2014, Cardiff - Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP), the drug developmentcompany focused on first-in-class medicines to treat respiratory diseases,announces that today two posters discussing the potential of RPL554 as acombination therapy with anticholinergic agents such as glycopyrronium bromidein the treatment of airway disease will be presented at the EuropeanRespiratory Society (ERS) Annual Congress in Munich, Germany 6-10 September2014. The posters will be presented during the session entitled "Novel approaches andevidence for drug development in respiratory disease". They furthercharacterize the synergistic bronchodilatory action of both agents on large andsmall airways, expanding on initial work in this area (1). Both posters support Verona Pharma's view that RPL554 could become animportant, novel and complementary inhaled medicine for the treatment of suchrespiratory diseases as asthma, COPD and potentially others where effectivebronchodilation and/or anti-inflammatory activity is required. Importantly, thepresented data suggests the valuable utility of RPL554 as part of combinationtherapy as well as monotherapy for such diseases. The Company is initiallyprogressing further development of the drug, in nebulised form, as a treatmentfor severe COPD, for which there is a significant unmet medical need. The ERS Annual Congress is the largest respiratory meeting in the world, withdelegates attending from more than 100 countries. All abstracts and details ontimings can be accessed through the ERS website: http://www.erscongress2014.org The title, timing and location of the poster presentations are as follows Abstract P3334 Title: Long-lasting interaction study between RPL554 and glycopyrronium bromide Authors: L. Calzetta, M. Cazzola, C. Page, P. Rogliani, F. Facciolo, M. G. Matera (Rome, Naples, Italy; London, United Kingdom) Session Info: Session 365-Poster Discussion : Novel approaches and evidence for drug development in respiratory diseases Day/Date: Tuesday, 09 September, 2014 Session Time: 08:30-10:30 CET Location : Room M-1(B0) Abstract P3337 Title: Interaction between RPL554 and glycopyrronium bromide in small human airways Authors: L. Calzetta, M. Cazzola, C. Page, P. Rogliani, F. Facciolo, M. G. Matera (Rome, Naples, Italy; London, United Kingdom) Session Info: Session 365-Poster Discussion : Novel approaches and evidence for drug development in respiratory diseases Day/Date: Tuesday, 09 September, 2014 Session Time: 08:30-10:30 CET Location : Room M-1(B0) 1. Calzetta, L. et al. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. (2013) 346:414-23 For further information please contact: Verona Pharma plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7863 3300Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO N+1 Singer Tel: +44 (0)20 7496 3000Aubrey Powell / Jen Boorer FTI Consulting Tel: +44 (0)20 3727 1000Julia Phillips / Simon Conway Notes to Editors About Verona Pharma plc Verona Pharma is developing first-in-class drugs to treat respiratory disease,such as COPD and asthma. The Company currently has two drug programmes, one ofwhich is in Phase II trials for two diseases. The lead programme, RPL554, is aninnovative dual phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 and 4 inhibitor with bothbronchodilator and anti-inflammatory properties. In its second programme,Verona Pharma is investigating novel anti-inflammatory molecules, called NAIPs,for a wide range of respiratory and inflammatory diseases. About RPL554 for the treatment of COPD and Asthma Verona's lead drug, RPL554, is a dual phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 and 4 inhibitorbeing developed as a novel treatment for chronic obstructive airways diseasesuch as COPD and asthma with bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects. Botheffects are essential to improve symptoms in patients with COPD or 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 combined market for COPD and asthma drugs is currently estimated to beGBP20 billion (source: visiongain).