Verona Pharma posted Monday expanded analysis to positive results for
ensifentrine from March, from from findings from its chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”) clinical trial program with lead product candidate. Positive results from the 4-week, 400-patient Phase 2b study were initially reported in March 2018.
The company said the expanded analysis is supportive of the differentiated, dual mechanism of action of ensifentrine, as both a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory agent in a single compound. It provides further evidence of the potential for ensifentrine to provide significant symptom benefits to patients.
“These encouraging data suggest that ensifentrine’s dual mode of action combining anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effects will lead to additional symptom benefits in COPD patients,” said Dave Singh, M.D., Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Respiratory Medicine, Medicines Evaluation Unit, University of Manchester, and presenter of the poster at ATS. “Importantly, ensifentrine was highly effective in improving symptoms independently of the magnitude of the bronchodilator response, suggesting that the activity of the PDE3/4 inhibitor is different to that of available bronchodilators when used alone or in combination. The anti-inflammatory activity may be responsible for this effect as it cannot be explained by bronchodilation alone.”