Smith J, Allman D, Badri H, et al. - Researchers performed an open-label study to test orvepitant, a brain-penetrant neurokinin-1 antagonist, with respect to its efficacy and safety in chronic refractory cough patients with chronic refractory cough. They administered orvepitant 30 mg once daily for 4 weeks to 13 patients with daytime cough frequency > 3 to < 250 coughs/h. They obtained measurements of objective cough frequency over 24 h at baseline and weeks 1, 4, and 8. The study was completed by all patients. Mean baseline cough frequency was 71.4/h. Safety, as well as good tolerability of orvepitant, were evident. Findings revealed that a significant and sustained improvement in objective cough frequency, severity visual analog scale, and quality of life, was brought about by treatment with orvepitant.