A 70-year-old woman who has had a cough since her 40s is receiving a potential treatment for chronic cough as part of a study.
The clinical trial, taking place at the National Institute Health Research’s Manchester Clinical Research Facility, uses a drug called NOC-100, inhaled using a nebuliser.
The scientists think it might be able to reduce coughs by decreasing activation of the sensory nerves in the airway. Sensory nerves in the airways play a role in generating the body’s cough response and are activated in response to cough stimuli such as irritants.
The researchers hope NOC-100 has the ‘potential to have a beneficial impact on the lives of people with this distressing condition’ if proven safe and effective.
Study lead Dr Paul Marsden explained that long-term chronic cough ‘can have a huge impact on someone’s life’. He added: ‘It is more than just an annoyance. It can cause a list of unwelcome effects, including anxiety, depression and exhaustion.’
Dr Marsden continued: ‘I’ve spent my career seeing patients in my specialist clinic for the investigation and treatment of chronic cough, and conducting clinical research aimed at finding therapies for those patients whose cough is resistant to treatment.
‘If proven to be safe and effective, NOC-100 has the potential to have a beneficial impact on the lives of people with this distressing condition,’ he added.
Joan, from Stockport, is the first global participant of the study, which will be extended to other patients in the UK and Germany.
Joan said: ‘I’ve lived with my cough for 30 years, and in that time, I’ve had people show concern for me, offering various forms of help, from cough sweets to hot herbal drinks.
‘However, I’ve also been asked to leave shops, move seats on public transport, or sit outside at restaurants and bars,’ she added.
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