Verona Pharma, which is developing an inhaled PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor, has named Kathleen Rickard as Chief Medical Officer and Tara Rheault as VP of Research and Development Operations and Global Project Management.
Rickard has previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Aerocrine, Head of Clinical Development at Circassia, and VP Clinical Development and Medical Affairs of GlaxoSmithKline’s Respiratory Medicines Development Centre. She will oversee clinical development of RPL554, which Verona is developing as both an MDI and a DPI for the treatment of COPD and cystic fibrosis. In December 2018, Verona announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of its RPL554 DPI for the treatment of COPD.
Rheault was most recently Senior Director, Drug Development Lead at Quintiles (now IQVIA), and in her prior work at GSK, she was involved in the late stage development of the Incruse, Breo, and Anoro Ellipta inhalers.
Verona Pharma CEO Jan-Anders Karlsson said, “We are delighted to welcome Drs. Rickard and Rheault to Verona Pharma and look forward to working with them to advance RPL554 into late stage clinical development. Dr. Rickard’s extensive expertise in respiratory drug development combined with her strong leadership skills will be a tremendous asset as we prepare for the pivotal Phase 3 clinical development program for the maintenance treatment of COPD. Likewise, Dr. Rheault’s years of experience at the intersection of clinical development, regulatory affairs and commercialization will help guide our global R&D and project management efforts.”
Read the Verona Pharma press release.
