28 August 2012 - London, UK - Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP.L), the drug discovery company with first-in-class drugs to treat respiratory diseases, today announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a new patent for the Company’s lead drug candidate, RPL554. The patent is the fourth patent issued for RPL554 and related compounds in the US.
RPL554, Verona Pharma’s lead drug candidate, is a dual phosphodiesterase 3 and 4 inhibitor with both bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory properties. RPL554 is being developed for the treatment of patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. The Company is currently carrying out clinical trials of the drug to further characterize its bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects.
Dr Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO of Verona Pharma, said: “We are growing the intellectual property portfolio around the RPL554 programme and the issue of this new US Patent strengthens and harmonizes our international patent estate around RPL554 and provides exclusivity in one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical markets. We continue to develop our intellectual property rights as this is a key part of Verona Pharma’s strategy.”
About Verona Pharma plc
Verona Pharma plc is developing first-in-class drugs to treat respiratory disease, such as COPD, asthma and chronic severe cough. The Company has three drug programmes, two of which are in Phase II. The lead programme, RPL554, is an innovative dual phosphodiesterease (PDE) 3 and 4 inhibitor with both bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects. VRP700 is an innovative product for suppressing chronic severe chough in patients with underlying lung disease. With its third programme, Verona Pharma is investigating novel anti-inflammatory molecules, called NAIPs, for a wide range of respiratory and inflammatory diseases. Verona Pharma is based in London, U.K. For more information, visit:
www.veronapharma.com
About RPL554
Verona’s lead drug, RPL554, is a dual phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 and 4 inhibitor being developed as a novel treatment for chronic obstructive airways disease such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma with bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory effects. Both effects are essential to aid breathing, especially in sufferers of COPD. There is currently no drug combining both effects in a single molecule. In addition, current treatments have unwanted side effects and/or limited effectiveness. The product is currently in phase II for both diseases.
For more information please contact:
Verona Pharma plc
Clive Page, Chairman
Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO Tel: 020 7863 3300
info@veronapharma.com
WH Ireland Group Plc
Chris Fielding
Jessica Metcalf
Tel: 020 7220 1650
Chris.fielding@WH-Ireland.Co.UK
College Hill
Melanie Toyne Sewell
Gemma Howe Tel: 020 7457 2020
verona@thecollegegroup.com
