Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease characterised by scarring of lung tissue, leading to impaired lung function and respiratory symptoms. One of the primary challenges in managing IPF is the difficulty in achieving an early diagnosis, since the nonspecific nature of symptoms often leads to misdiagnosis or late-stage identification, delaying the initiation of treatment. The current treatment landscape is limited: therapies such as Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ofev (nintedanib) and Roche’s Esbriet (pirfenidone) can only slow disease progression and are associated with side effects that may impact the patient’s quality of life.
The standard of care for IPF currently includes Ofev and Esbriet. These drugs have been approved based on their efficacy in slowing disease progression. However, their use is not without challenges, as side effects, particularly gastrointestinal issues and skin-related events, can affect patient adherence to the treatment regimen. A study by Dempsey et al has shown that the low adoption of both marketed therapies may be related to high costs, further highlighting the need for alternative therapies (Dempsey et al 2021). There is therefore a need for early treatment and diagnosis which will allow a better prognosis for IPF patients.
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A potential game-changer in the IPF treatment landscape
The clinical development pipeline for IPF includes various agents that offer potential new treatment options. These emerging therapies aim to address unmet needs in IPF management by targeting specific fibrotic pathways, which could lead to more effective treatments. Therapies such as LYT-100 by PureTech, currently in Phase IIb clinical trials, show promise in potentially offering improved efficacy and safety profiles, as it is a deuterated form of pirfenidone which allows it to break down more slowly than pirfenidone. The entry of new agents, as well as generics, could disrupt the market currently dominated by Ofev and Esbriet, leading to significant shifts in treatment paradigms. As a deupirfenidone, LYT-100 offers a new approach to targeting fibrosis in IPF, which could significantly benefit patients.
PureTech presented promising Phase IIb data from its ELEVATE study at the American Thoracic Society 2025 conference, held from 16 May to 21 May in San Francisco, demonstrating unprecedented efficacy outcomes in patients living with IPF, including the potential to stabilise lung function decline at 26 weeks while maintaining safety and tolerability. With these results, LYT-100 could demonstrate superior outcomes compared to existing therapies, positioning LYT-100 as a potential game-changer in the IPF treatment landscape.
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