Verona Pharma has randomized the last patient in its Phase 2b dose-ranging study testing nebulized ensifentrine as an add-on to treatment with a long acting bronchodilator in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Verona Pharma (VP) said said in the press release Thursday that ensifentrine has the potential to be the first novel class of bronchodilator in over 40 years, and the first therapy for the treatment of respiratory diseases that combines bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory activities in one compound. The addition of nebulized ensifentrine to symptomatic COPD patients already treated with standard-of-care medicines represents a significant market opportunity, VP said.
“We remain on track to deliver data from this important Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD around year end 2019,” said Jan-Anders Karlsson, PhD, CEO of Verona Pharma.
Karlsson expects the second Phase 2 study with nebulized ensifentrine in COPD to help inform the company’s planned Phase 3 clinical development program, which is expect to start in 2020.
Karlsson said that millions of COPD patients urgently need better treatments as they remain symptomatic despite maximum treatment with currently available therapies. “We believe ensifentrine, with its unique mode of action and clinical profile, will have an important role in treating these patients,” he said.