Verona Pharma in second phase testing DPI for COPD patients

Verona Pharma started the second phase of clinically evaluating a dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulation of RPL554 in moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

RPL554 is a first-in-class, inhaled, dual inhibitor of the enzymes phosphodiesterase 3 and 4 designed to have bronchodilator as well as anti-inflammatory properties, and is currently in development for the maintenance treatment of COPD, cystic fibrosis (“CF”) and asthma.

Jan-Anders Karlsson, PhD, CEO of Verona Pharma, said: “PL554 in the maintenance treatment of COPD and potentially broaden its use for other respiratory indications, such as asthma. With an estimated 5.4 million people using inhalers for the maintenance treatment of COPD in the US alone, and another one million patients using nebulized formulations, we believe it is important to understand how RPL554 works via these different delivery platforms in order to fully realize and leverage its clinical potential for patients with respiratory diseases.1 We look forward to building upon the positive results that have been garnered to date utilizing the nebulized formulation of RPL554.”

In addition, Verona Pharma noted in it’s Monday press release that it is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate nebulized RPL554 as an add-on treatment to dual LAMA/LABA therapy and triple LAMA/LABA/ICS therapy and also plans to evaluate RPL554 as a metered-dose inhaler (“MDI”) formulation as part of a comprehensive clinical program to fully demonstrate the clinical utility of RPL554 in improving the standard of care for COPD.