Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Monday said it has, for the first time, started testing a drug in Europe with the initiation of Phase I clinical trials for its cardiovascular drug candidate RUS 3108 in Belfast, Ireland.
The trial would explore the safety and pharmacokinetic profiles of this drug candidate in humans, Dr Reddy's informed Bombay Stock Exchange.
"RUS 3018 represents a unique approach for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, a growing unmet medical need worldwide. It represents the company's commitment to finding new solutions through cutting edge research and development," the company communique to BSE said quoting its chief scientific officer Uday Saxena.
RUS 3108 is being developed for the treatment of atherosclerosis, the major cause of cardiovascular disorders such as heart attacks and strokes, it added.
The drug represents a new approach to the treatment of atherosclerosis. The company's drug candidate is first-in-class and works through affecting multiple pathways involved in the disease such as inflammation, proliferation and thrombosis by inducing a protein called perlecan, it said.
Company scientists have determined that regulating the expression of perlecan can provide direct protection against this disease, it added.
