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In November 2007, Verona Pharma announced that it had acquired significant know-how from a leading North American biotechnology company for VRP700, a potential anti-tussive (cough) drug. In September 2011, the Company successfully completed a trial demonstrating that the inhalation of a single dose of VRP700 significantly reduced coughing in a group of patients with chronic intractable cough due to underlying lung disease. There were no adverse effects associated with the treatment. The Company is now working on further advancing the clinical value of VRP700, including identifying and developing a second generation of compounds as well as planning further clinical studies.
The September 2011 trial was a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled, contingency study to assess the anti-tussive effects of VRP700 in patients with chronic intractable cough. Each patient received two treatments, either VRP700 or placebo inhaled from a nebuliser device. The trial met all of its primary and secondary endpoints. The primary endpoint was the number of coughs recorded, with VRP700 producing a significant reduction in the number of coughs (p values 0.01 to 0.001) compared to both placebo and pre-treatment values. A secondary endpoint was the attending physicians' blind assessment of the patients' coughing, with the post-treatment period being clinically superior to the pre-treatment period at a statistical significance of p<0.05. Another secondary endpoint was the patients' subjective blind assessment of treatment, with a statistically significant number of patients (p<0.01) reporting that they felt improved comfort during drug treatment. Patients were also asked to identify in which of the two treatment periods they received the drug, with the VRP700 treatment period being correctly identified in almost 90% of cases.
The mechanism of action of VRP700 involves the suppression of cough initiating signals originating at cough sensory nerve endings located in the lungs.
Cough is one of the most debilitating medical complaints reported by patients, especially in patients with respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, fibrosis or infection. It is an area where there is significant self-medication, with consumer spend on OTC remedies, including for cough, growing by 10% over 2005-10, to reach £532m [Source: Mintel]. However, there remains no truly safe and effective treatment for cough since currently available treatments are either morphine-based, or derivatives of morphine, which have significant unwanted effects that limit the doses that can be administered and the use of such drugs.
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