RPL554, a new drug, was recently identified as an effective option for treating patients suffering from asthma and hay fever and is about to undergo trials in humans.
The drug has the ability of providing dramatic relief to patients suffering from respiratory diseases and does not lead to side effects, which are regular features with many of the presently available drugs.
From News-Medical.Net:
Dr. Page who is a professor of pharmacology at King’s College London, says RPL554 is a single molecule that does both jobs and should have fewer side effect profile and he says they are cautiously optimistic that they can develop a treatment where one puff will last all day.
Current treatments for asthma and hay fever sufferers are beta-agonists, which open up the airways, and inhaled steroids, which dampen down the inflammation that causes irritation - they are either taken together or singly.
But they have serious side effects, including possible harm to the cardiovascular system and the ’shakes’ reported by many patients from excess use.
Experts say little progress has been made recently with alternative, effective and practical treatment options for a wide range of people with asthma and hay fever and by combining anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to overcome airway narrowing in a single long-lasting dose via the nose, RPL554 could offer real hope of a significant breakthrough.
Dr. Clive Page, chairman of Verona Pharma, which is developing the treatment, remarked that the company is presently also examining other novel compounds to tackle respiratory diseases based on anti-inflammatory substances that are found in starfish and a treatment for coughs.
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