Data support Ohtuvayre™ (ensifentrine), as a first-in-class, selective, dual inhibitor of PDE3 and PDE4 in a broad COPD population

LONDON and RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verona Pharma plc (Nasdaq: VRNA) ("Verona Pharma” or the "Company”) announces four oral presentations and two posters on analyses from its successful Phase 3 ENHANCE studies with Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine) for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ("COPD”) will be presented at CHEST Annual Meeting ("CHEST”) 2024. The analyses are published in the CHEST Annual Meeting on-line supplement.

Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine) is a first-in-class selective dual inhibitor of the enzymes phosphodiesterase three and phosphodiesterase 4 ("PDE3 and PDE4”) that combines bronchodilator and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory effects in one molecule. Ohtuvayre is the first novel inhaled mechanism for the maintenance treatment of COPD in more than 20 years.

The analyses will summarize the efficacy and safety of Ohtuvayre in subgroups of COPD patients including data supporting improvements in lung function, symptoms and quality of life, as well as reductions in the rate of exacerbations, regardless of COPD severity (moderate or severe), smoking status (current or former), and chronic bronchitis (with or without). Furthermore, an analysis of ensifentrine's impact on reducing exacerbation rates and COPD-related healthcare resource utilization over 48 weeks will also be presented.

"Ensifentrine is a remarkable addition to COPD therapy,” said William Stringer, MD, FCCP, Professor of Medicine in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "It has the capacity to bronchodilate, reduce inflammation, augment mucociliary clearance, and reduce exacerbations in smokers and former smokers.”

Details of Verona Pharma's presentations and posters are listed below and linked to the CHEST website. In addition, the Company will present five presentations that will highlight the unmet need in COPD based on real world claims data.

Oral presentation: Ensifentrine improved lung function, symptoms, and quality of life regardless of COPD severity

Presenter: Jessica Bon, MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Session: Assessing Treatment Outcomes in Obstructive Lung Disease

Oral presentation: Ensifentrine, a novel COPD treatment, reduced COPD-related healthcare resource utilization over 48 weeks

Presenter: Emily Wan, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Session: Emerging Treatments in Obstructive Lung Disease

Oral presentation: Ensifentrine improved lung function in patients with moderate to severe COPD: a pooled analysis from the Phase 3 ENHANCE trials

Presenter: Diego J. Maselli Caceres, MD, FCCP, Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care, UT Health San Antonio

Session: Emerging Treatments in Obstructive Lung Disease

Oral presentation: Ensifentrine improved lung function and reduced exacerbation rate and risk in patients with COPD regardless of smoking status

Presenter: Amy Dixon, PharmD, Verona Pharma

Session: Novel Therapeutic Targets and Interventions in Obstructive Lung Disease

Poster 3513: Ensifentrine improved symptoms and quality of life in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD regardless of smoking status

Presenter: William Stringer, MD, FCCP, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Session: Novel Therapeutic Targets and Interventions in Obstructive Lung Disease

Poster 4285: Ensifentrine improved symptoms and quality of life in patients with COPD regardless of bronchitis history

Presenter: Jill Ohar, MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Session: Lung Disease Abstracts Posters

For further information please contact:

  Verona Pharma plcTel: +1-844-341-9901Victoria Stewart, Senior Director of Investor

Relations and CommunicationsIR@veronapharma.comArgot Partners

(US Investor Enquiries)Tel: +1-212-600-1902

verona@argotpartners.comTen Bridge Communications

International / US Media EnquiriesTel: +1-312-523-5016

tbcverona@tenbridgecommunications.comLeslie Humbel 

About Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine)

Ohtuvayre is the first inhaled therapy for the maintenance treatment of COPD that combines bronchodilator and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory activities in one molecule. Verona has evaluated nebulized Ohtuvayre in its Phase 3 clinical program ENHANCE ("Ensifentrine as a Novel inHAled Nebulized COPD thErapy”) for COPD maintenance treatment. Ohtuvayre met the primary endpoint in both ENHANCE-1 and ENHANCE-2, demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in lung function. A fixed-dose combination of ensifentrine and glycopyrrolate, a LAMA, is currently under development for the maintenance treatment of COPD.

About Verona Pharma

Verona Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases with significant unmet medical needs. Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine) is the Company's first commercial product and the first inhaled therapy for the maintenance treatment of COPD that combines bronchodilator and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory activities in one molecule. Ensifentrine has potential applications in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, asthma and other respiratory diseases. For more information, please visit www.veronapharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipate,” "believe,” "plan,” "expect,” "intend,” "may,” "potential,” "prepare,” "possible” and similar words and expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential benefits and efficacy of our drug Ohtuvayre and future poster presentations and academic publications pertaining to Ohtuvayre.

These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from our expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of Ohtuvayre compared to competing drugs and the other important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2024 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC”) on August 8, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this press release, even if subsequent events cause our views to change, except as required under applicable law.