According to Verona Pharma, the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the name “ensifentrine” as the international non-proprietary name for the company’s RPL554 inhaled PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor, which is in development as both an MDI and a DPI for the treatment of respiratory diseases.
Verona Pharma CEO 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 an INN 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. We are very encouraged by the positive data from our studies evaluating ensifentrine in COPD and CF and look forward to advancing this novel drug candidate into late stage development as a potential new treatment for patients.”
The company recently announced the appointments of a new Chief Medical Officer and a new VP of Research and Development to oversee continued development of RPL554. A Phase 2 trial of an RPL554 DPI for the treatment of COPD was initiated in December 2018.
Read the Verona Pharma press release.
