RESPIRATORY technology company Invion Limited (ASX:IVX) has delivered findings from its trial of oral nadolol to international medical experts at a conference in the US.
The Brisbane-based company attended the American Thoracic Society (ATS) meeting to present data from its ongoing study of INV102.
The trial uses the lead compound to assist patients experiencing chronic cough while attempting to give up cigarettes.
Early results show that key signs of respiratory inflammation could be reduced in four weeks of treatment, as opposed to the placebo.
Lead study investigators Dr Mario Castro and Geneline Sajol from Washington University say they decided to open the trial to patients without chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).
Oral nadolol could be safely administered to patients with "smokers cough" as well as cases of COPD.
"On examining baseline biomarkers, we found no difference in COPD versus non-COPD subjects," Castro says.
"What this essentially means is that we now believe we can safely target the smoking population with or without diagnosed COPD, because of the similarities in airway inflammation."
Nadolol is currently used to treat high blood pressure and migraine. Invion is repurposing the drug to treat asthma and COPD.
The global market opportunity for inflammatory airway disease treatment is estimated to be worth $34 billion.
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