Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive scarring disease of the lungs that affects about 100,000 people in the United States. Two medications — nintedanib and pirfenidone — can slow the scarring by roughly half but don't stop it. Most people continue to decline, and the median survival after diagnosis is three to five years.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that target the scarring process through different pathways, including drugs that block specific proteins that drive fibrosis. Researchers are also studying combination therapies, drugs that target the immune system's role in scarring, and treatments for acute flare-ups. Several drugs approved for other fibrotic diseases are being tested in IPF.
Anti-fibrotic combinations
Studies are testing whether combining nintedanib or pirfenidone with other drugs can slow scarring more than current treatment. Early trials suggest some combinations are safe and may offer added benefit.
Immune pathway drugs
Several trials are testing whether drugs that quiet specific immune responses can slow lung scarring. This includes monoclonal antibodies that block proteins involved in inflammation and fibrosis.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on how recently you were diagnosed, lung function test results, whether you're taking nintedanib or pirfenidone, and extent of scarring on CT scans.
What types of trials are currently open
- Anti-fibrotic trials — Testing new drugs that aim to slow or stop lung scarring, often by blocking specific proteins or pathways that drive fibrosis.
- Combination trials — Testing whether adding a new drug to nintedanib or pirfenidone can slow disease progression more than current treatment alone.
- Acute exacerbation trials — Testing treatments for sudden worsening episodes, which are a major cause of hospitalization and death in IPF.
- Symptom trials — Testing treatments for cough, shortness of breath, and other symptoms that affect daily life.
- Biomarker studies — Following people with IPF to identify blood or lung markers that predict disease progression and treatment response.
Recently added Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis trials
Finger Versus Earlobe Pulse Oximetry During the 6-Minute Walk Test in Interstitial Lung Disease
The OXISITE-ILD study is a prospective, multicenter, observational study designed to evaluate the agreement between finger (digital) and earlobe (auricular) pulse oximetry for measuring oxygen saturation (SpO2) during the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). In routine clinical practice, exercise SpO2 is usually measured at the finger; however, the finger reading can be unreliable in some patients, and there is currently no recommendation on the best sensor location in ILD. This study compares the two sensor locations, recorded at the same time, and evaluates whether any disagreement changes how exercise desaturation is classified and whether ambulatory oxygen is indicated. All patients undergoing a 6MWT as part of routine ILD care are included consecutively to ensure a pragmatic, real-world representation of the ILD population. The primary objective is to measure the agreement between the two locations in the lowest SpO2 reached during the test, including the size and direction of any difference. Secondary objectives include the reclassification of patients at the clinical desaturation thresholds, the comparison between autoimmune and non-autoimmune ILD, the rate of invalid readings at each location, and the clinical, vascular and functional factors associated with disagreement.
Donate blood samples to help identify lung disease markers
Primary Objective: To evaluate the association between inflammatory, immunological, genetic, and epigenetic biomarkers measured at enrollment and the clinical, functional, and phenotypic characteristics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and lung cancer. Secondary Objective: To assess the prognostic value of the identified biomarkers by evaluating their ability to predict clinical outcomes at 12 months. Primary Outcome Measure: Association between baseline inflammatory, immunological, genetic, and epigenetic biomarkers and disease-specific clinical, functional, and phenotypic characteristics assessed at enrollment, including: COPD: current or former smokers, stratified according to the predominant phenotype (emphysema or bronchiolitis); IPF: rapid progressors, slow progressors, and patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE); Lung cancer: current smokers, former smokers who quit less than 15 years before enrollment, former smokers who quit 15 years or more before enrollment, and never-smokers. Secondary Outcome Measure: Predictive performance of baseline inflammatory, immunological, genetic, and epigenetic biomarkers for 12-month clinical outcomes.
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