Vectura Group plc has received an Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial with VR647. VR647 is a drug/device combination, using the AKITA® JET smart nebuliser, for the delivery of nebulised budesonide for maintenance treatment and prophylactic therapy of asthma in children (12 months to 8 years) for the US market. This wholly-owned pipeline programme seeks to significantly improve the currently available nebulised delivery of budesonide with a faster delivery time and better lung deposition where there is potential for reducing the dosage whilst maintaining similar efficacy, thereby reducing the risk of local and systemic side effects.