A new view of lung fibrosis in IPF

The advances in imaging technology helping companies better quantify changes in fibrosis have paved the way to the first demonstration of an absolute reduction in fibrotic tissue in the lungs of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients. The next step for companies is to determine the amount of fibrosis reduction needed to achieve a functional benefit.

Both therapies marketed for IPF — Esbriet pirfenidone from Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) and Ofev nintedanib from Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH — were approved by FDA based on the endpoint of forced vital capacity (FVC), a measure of lung function. However, both Esbriet and Ofev demonstrated a slowing in the decline in lung function, not an improvement. ...