VRP Verona Pharma Plc

 
TIDMVRP 
 
Verona Pharma plc 
 
                      ("Verona Pharma" or the "Company") 
 
           Appointment of Dr Kenneth Newman as Chief Medical Officer 
 
                    and Incorporation of Verona Pharma, Inc. 
 
17 December 2014, Cardiff - Verona Pharma plc (AIM: VRP.L), the drug 
development company focused on first-in-class medicines to treat respiratory 
diseases, today announces the appointment of Kenneth Newman, M.D., M.B.A. to 
the newly created position of Chief Medical Officer, with effect from 1 January 
2015. The Company today also announces the incorporation of its fully owned 
subsidiary Verona Pharma, Inc. Dr Newman will be based in the US and provide 
his expertise to support the Company's global activities. 
 
Today's appointment and the creation of the US affiliate reflects the 
continuing focus of Verona Pharma on advancing the clinical development and 
commercialisation of its lead pipeline drug, RPL554, a first-in-class PDE3/PDE4 
inhibitor currently in phase II development for the treatment of chronic 
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. RPL 554 is also in preclinical 
development for cystic fibrosis. In addition to the US being the largest market 
for each of the therapeutic areas of application for this drug, it is 
anticipated that future drug development trials will involve significant 
participation from US sites, as well as consultation with US regulators and 
potentially also collaborations with future partners. The Board therefore 
believes a US presence will be of tangible benefit in facilitating the 
Company's development and commercialisation plans. 
 
Dr. Newman is an experienced pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry 
executive with extensive leadership experience in clinical development, 
including a number of orally inhaled drugs for the treatment of respiratory 
disease. Dr. Newman will join Verona Pharma from Mesoblast Inc (ASX: MSB), a 
leading regenerative medicine company, where he was Chief Development Officer 
and Head of Global Clinical Development. Prior to that, between 2010 and 2013, 
Dr. Newman was Chief Medical Officer and EVP of Acton Pharmaceuticals, where he 
was responsible for the clinical development and regulatory submission of two 
respiratory products that were subsequently approved by the FDA. Acton was sold 
to Meda Pharmaceuticals (STOSE: MEDA) for $135m in August 2013. From 2006 to 
2009, Dr. Newman was VP, Medical Affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he 
oversaw the Medical Affairs Department, which comprised of a number of 
therapeutics areas, including respiratory. From 1997-2006, Dr. Newman held a 
number of positions of increasing seniority within the Clinical Development and 
Medical Affairs Departments at Forest Laboratories (now Actavis NYSE: ACT), 
culminating in Executive Director, Clinical Development. Dr. Newman began his 
professional career as an attending physician at the National Jewish Medical 
and Research Center, Denver, Colorado and then the University of Cincinnati, 
Ohio. He was awarded an MBA from University of Cincinnati in 1998. 
 
Dr Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO of Verona Pharma, said: 
 
"I am delighted that Dr. Newman will be joining Verona Pharma in the newly 
created position of Chief Medical Officer, based in the US. His extensive 
experience in the clinical development of respiratory drugs, including his 
success in securing regulatory approvals, will be invaluable as we progress our 
lead drug, RPL554, in the clinic and through to commercialisation. This 
first-in-class PDE3/4 inhibitor is currently in phase II development as a 
nebulised treatment for acute exacerbations in COPD and asthma. This is an area 
of high unmet medical need with an addressable market that is estimated to be 
in excess of $1bn1 in the US alone." 
 
                                    -Ends- 
 
References 
 
1 Bronchodilating Nebulizer US Market Assessment, IMS (Dec 2014) 
 
For further information please contact: 
 
Verona Pharma plc                       Tel: +44 (0) 20 7863 3300 
 
Jan-Anders Karlsson, CEO 
 
N+1 Singer                              Tel: +44 (0)20 7496 3000 
 
Aubrey Powell / Jen Boorer 
 
FTI Consulting                          Tel: +44 (0)20 3727 1000 
 
Julia Phillips / Simon Conway 
 
Notes to Editors 
 
About Verona Pharma plc 
 
Verona Pharma plc is a UK-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company 
focused on the development of innovative prescription medicines to treat 
respiratory diseases with significant unmet medical needs, such as COPD, asthma 
and cystic fibrosis. Verona Pharma's lead drug, RPL554, is a first-in-class 
drug currently in Phase II trials as a nebulised treatment for acute 
exacerbations of COPD in the hospital setting. The drug is a dual 
phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3/4 inhibitor and therefore has both bronchodilator and 
anti-inflammatory effects, which are essential to the improvement of patients 
with COPD and asthma. Verona Pharma is also building a broader franchise around 
RPL554 to maximise its value, both to patients and to investors. This includes 
the very significant markets for COPD and asthma maintenance therapy. The 
Company is also exploring the potential of the drug in different diseases, such 
as cystic fibrosis, where it is in pre-clinical testing and has recently 
received a Venture and Innovation Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. 
 
 
 
END 
 

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