Fresh from raising $200M, British biotech with an HQ in Raleigh mulls targeting COVID-19

A British clinical-stage biotech firm with U.S. base camp in Raleigh is investigating the alternative of repurposing its leading drug candidate to treat COVID-19 patients.

Flush with $200 million after a July raise, the London-based Verona Pharma is now making large walks with its "first-in-class" drug, ensifentrine, targeting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Now, against the backdrop of a pandemic, it’s pushing ahead with a pilot clinical trial on hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.