VRP700 clinical trial is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2011, depending on patient recruitment and the efficacy of the drug.
Verona Pharma said that the mechanism of action of VRP700 is presumed to involve the suppression of cough initiating signals originating at cough sensory nerve endings located in the lungs via a new mechanism.
Verona Pharma CEO Michael Walker said that the start of this clinical trial is an important step in the development of a new class of drugs for the treatment of chronic cough.
"Previous work indicates that VRP700 could provide effective relief for cough sufferers without the usual side effects associated with existing drug treatments," Walker said.