Vectura has announced that it is presenting positive results from a Phase I clinical study of VR942, an inhaled anti-IL-13 monoclonal fragment antibody, at the American Thoracic Society 2017 International Conference. Vectura is partnered with UCB to develop VR942 as a treatment for severe asthma, and the companies expect to begin a Phase 2 study in the second half of 2017.
According to Vectura, the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose escalation study evaluated 3 doses of the dry powder formulation in healthy volunteers and mild asthmatics. VR942 was well tolerated, and 2 out of the 3 daily doses demonstrated statistically significant reductions in fractional exhaled nitric oxide over a 10-day period.
Vectura CEO James Ward-Lilley said, “The successful completion of this Phase I clinical study illustrates the potential of VR942 as an attractive, novel and differentiated future treatment alternative to parenterally administered monoclonal antibodies that are currently indicated for the treatment of severe asthma. In addition, the successful development of our large molecule formulation and device technology provides an exciting and potentially highly valuable platform for the development of additional biological candidates in the future.”
Read the Vectura press release.
