Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis Urges Patients to Consider Clinical Trials Including Two New Ones Funded By the NIH

Deadly Lung Disease has no FDA Approved Therapies, Desperately Needs Treatment Options

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) is urging the more than 128,000 people known to suffer from the deadly lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis (PF), to consider clinical trials, including two new ones funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Clinical trials of potential drug therapies are critical to the discovery of treatments for any disease and for a disease like PF that claims as many lives each year as breast cancer with virtually no survivors, they are the likely path to answers and saved lives.

Among the clinical trials currently underway in PF (see www.coalitionforpf.org or www.clinicaltrials.gov for more information on treatment trials in PF), are two new trials being conducted by the Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Clinical Research Network (IPFnet) (www.ipfnet.org).

"The only way to defeat PF is by finding new safe and effective treatments through well-designed clinical trials," said Mishka Michon, CEO of the CPF.  

The new clinical trials are testing drugs that block pathways considered key for the development of tissue fibrosis, yet, have, until now, never been adequately tested for their effectiveness in PF.   The first trial, termed PANTHER, will evaluate the effectiveness of anti-oxidants.  An earlier study suggested a promising role for anti-oxidants in PF, but the limited number of patients tested in that study prevented investigators from reaching a firm conclusion.  PANTHER has been adequately designed to address this issue and this sophisticated design also allows for this clinical trial to test whether steroids and related drugs are helpful.  

"Many PF patients are treated with these types of drugs, yet the usefulness of steroids remains in question.  PANTHER will answer this question once and for all, but only if patient enrollment goals are met," said Jesse Roman, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at University of Louisville and chair of the Education Committee in the IPFnet.  "It is critical that PF patients participate in this study so that we begin to obtain answers that might lead to effective and safe treatments.  Patients are crucial for the success of this research.  These trials should provide valuable answers, but only if patient participation is strong."

The second trial, also conducted by the IPFnet, is called ACE.  The ACE Trial will explore the effectiveness of anti-coagulants (blood thinners) in treating PF.  Anticoagulation with Coumadin and related drugs is common in patients with vascular disorders, but it has not been tested extensively in the setting of PF even though animal studies and small clinical studies suggest it may be beneficial.  ACE was designed to test this.  

The NIH established the IPFnet to accelerate the search for safe and efficient treatment options for PF through the design and conducting of clinical trials testing new drug interventions.  The IPFnet includes more than 20 centers across the U.S. staffed with experts in PF and related lung disorders.  This year, the network finished a clinical trial testing the use of Sildenafil (known under the commercial name Viagra) a vasodilator, in patients with advanced PF.  The new trials, PANTHER and ACE, are currently enrolling patients.

To learn more information about the IPFnet trials, contact the IPFnet via the site closest to your geographic location using the listing below:

About Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF)

Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is a lung disorder characterized by a progressive scarring – known as fibrosis -- and deterioration of the lungs, which slowly robs its victims of their ability to breathe. Approximately 128,000 Americans suffer from PF, and there is currently no known cause or cure. An estimated 48,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. PF is difficult to diagnose and an estimated two-thirds of patients die within five years of diagnosis.  Sometimes PF can be linked to a particular cause, such as certain environmental exposures, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, residual infection, or autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis. However, in many instances, no known cause can be established. When this is the case, it is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

About the CPF

The CPF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2001 to accelerate research efforts leading to a cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF), while educating, supporting, and advocating for the community of patients, families, and medical professionals fighting this disease. The CPF funds promising research into new approaches to treat and cure PF; provides patients and families with comprehensive education materials, resources, and hope; serves as a voice for national advocacy of PF issues; and works to improve awareness of PF in the medical community as well as the general public. The CPF's nonprofit partners include many of the most respected medical centers and healthcare organizations in the U.S. With more than 23,000 members nationwide, the CPF is the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to advocating for those with PF. For more information please visit www.coalitionforpf.org or call (888) 222-8541.

SOURCE Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis