Verona Pharma granted WHO approval for Ensifentrine name

9th Jan 2019 15:44

(Sharecast News) - Clinical stage biopharmaceutical outfit Verona Pharma has been granted approval of the name Ensifentrine for its first-in-class, inhaled, dual inhibitor drug candidate RPL554 by the World Health Organisation.RPL554, which was currently in development for the maintenance and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cystic fibrosis, targets enzymes phosphodiesterase 3 and 4 and is designed to have bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory properties.Chief executive Jan-Anders Karlsson said: "We are pleased to receive approval from the WHO for the use of Ensifentrine, which to our knowledge, is the only molecule with a name assignment using the '-fentrine' stem currently in clinical development."We believe that this designation underlines our drug candidate's position as a novel compound with a dual bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory mechanism of action."As of 1540 GMT, Verona shares had shot up 12.41% to 109.60p.