Dr Reddy''s Laboratories Ltd has announced initiation of phase-I clinical trials for its cardiovascular drug candidate, RUS-3108.

In a press release, the company said the trails, being conducted in Belfast, Ireland, would explore the safety and pharmacokinetic profiles of this drug candidate in humans. "This is the first time the company is testing a drug in Europe," the release said.

According to the company, RUS-3108 is being developed for the treatment of atherosclerosis, the major cause of cardiovascular disorders such as heart attacks and stroke. Stating that the cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death world-wide, the company said there are currently no drugs in the market that directly treat atherosclerosis.

Dr Reddy''s said the drug candidate represents a new approach to the treatment of atherosclerosis. It is the first in its class and works through multiple pathways involved in the disease such as inflammation, proliferation and thrombosis by inducing a protein called perlecan.

The company said that its scientists have determined that regulating the expression of perlecan can provide direct protection against this disease.

The company''s chief scientific officer, Uday Saxena, said, "RUS-3018 represents a unique approach for 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."

Dr Reddy''s is conducting its drug discovery research activities in facilities located at Hyderabad and Atlanta, US. The company has discovery programmers in the areas of diabetes, cardiovascular, anti-infectives, inflammation and cancer. It has six new chemical entities at various stages of clinical development, the release said.