Verona Pharma has announced the appointment of former United Therapeutics executive David Zaccardelli as President and CEO, succeeding Jan-Anders Karlsson, who is retiring. Zaccardelli was most recently President and CEO of Dova Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Sobi in November 2019. The company also announced the appointment of Mark W. Hahn as Chief Financial Officer, the same role that he held at Dova.
In June 2019, Verona announced that it had initiated a Phase 2 study of its RPL554 ensifentrine MDI formulation in COPD patients. The company also initiated a Phase 2b study of nebulized ensifentrine and announced interim results from a Phase 2 study of the DPI formulation for COPD in 2019.
Verona Chairman David Ebsworth commented, “We are very pleased to have both Dr. Zaccardelli and Mr. Hahn join Verona Pharma. They are highly experienced leaders with a proven track record of working together to create significant value for shareholders. . . . The team will focus on the US and worldwide opportunities to help COPD patients in need of additional treatment. I thank Dr. Karlsson for his leadership in building Verona Pharma into a strong company with a Phase 3 program for ensifentrine expected to begin in 3Q 2020 . . . . ”
Zaccardelli, said, “I strongly believe it is a transformational time to join Verona Pharma to ensure the full potential of ensifentrine, a first-in-class, inhaled, dual inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) and phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzymes for the treatment of respiratory diseases including COPD, asthma and CF. In addition, the recently reported Phase 2 clinical trial results of ensifentrine added to inhaled tiotropium, a long acting anti-muscarinic (“LAMA”) commonly used to treat patients with COPD, underscores its potential for a significant impact on the treatment for patients with COPD. Verona Pharma will continue to focus on developing new treatments for patients with unmet medical need.”
Read the Verona Pharma press release.
