Two Treatments For IPF Edge Closer To Market, Will Come Down To Subtle Differences

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis could soon have two new treatments on the market, notable because there are currently no drugs approved in the U.S. for the progressive and deadly lung disease. Now that both drugs have crossed the Phase III clinical trial hurdle with positive data and appear closer to FDA approval, the question has shifted to which of the two drugs – InterMune Inc.’s pirfenidone or Boehringer Ingelheim GMBH’s nintedanib – will become the standard of care for first line treatment.

Some analysts and key opinion leaders think InterMune’s product, which is already approved in Europe and Canada as Esbriet, could have an edge over nintedanib, though the treatment paradigm will...