Invion repurposes blood pressure drug to target asthma

Invion (ASX:IVX) is about to kick off a phase II clinical trial of tried and tested nadolol to treat inflammatory lung diseases, including asthma and chronic bronchitis.

Nadolol is a beta blocker that is currently used to treat high blood pressure, migrane and chest pain. The trial will look at the effects of nadolol (INV102) on airway responsiveness.

The trial is funded care of a US$4.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The company will also be starting a phase II trial assessing nadolol as an aid to treating smokers cough and helping smokers with chronic bronchitis doff the durries.

According to the company, research to date suggests Nadolol will tackle smoker’s cough by restoring the inflamed airways responsible for producing the mucus that causes the cough.

The strategy of taking an existing drug with a well known safety profile and repurposing it for another indication reduces the risks associated with having the drug approved for sale. The market for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was estimated at $34 billion in 2011, with a compound growth rate of 4.4%.

Following the announcement on 2nd of January Invion’s (ASX:IVX) share price jumped by over 50% and is now trading at 9c.