Nintedanib and symptoms of fibrotic lung disease: a glimmer of hope for patients living with pulmonary fibrosis

Extract Patients diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis face progressive loss of lung function and debilitating symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough and fatigue. Historically, clinical trials of novel therapies for pulmonary fibrosis have focused on slowing disease progression, as defined by a decline in forced vital capacity (FVC). Landmark studies such as ASCEND, CAPACITY and INPULSIS paved the way for approval of the first anti-fibrotic drugs for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by establishing their ability to slow FVC decline [1–3]. The INBUILD clinical trial extended the indication for anti-fibrotic treatment to a broader group of fibrotic lung diseases by showing that nintedanib slows FVC decline in those with other forms of progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) [4]. However, both nintedanib and pirfenidone fell short in demonstrating an impact on symptoms and quality of life, leaving these crucial components of the patient experience unaddressed.
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research