Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Highlights Scientific Program at Upcoming Third Biennial International Conference

CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF), the leading pulmonary (PF) fibrosis information resource, today announced a record number of scientific poster presentations concerning idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and interstitial lung diseases to be featured at the upcoming PFF Summit 2015: From Bench to Bedside, which will take place November 12-14 in Washington D.C.

"The PFF Summit is a unique event that combines an innovative scientific program with educational sessions that address the current and ongoing needs of the pulmonary fibrosis community," said Andrew H. Limper, M.D., Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee, PFF Medical Advisory Board. "This year we are pleased to offer a robust research agenda that examines a broad range of topics advancing the field, including promising early-stage research, patient outcome optimization and the latest data on currently available treatments."

The scientific program for the PFF Summit 2015 includes more than 70 poster presentations from leading academic institutions and industry leaders, including 30 abstracts from the 21-site PFF Care Center Network (CCN). The CCN is a group of medical centers across the country that use a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to deliver comprehensive care to patients living with PF and offer access to important support services for patients and their families. Plans are currently underway to expand the CCN to 40 sites by the end of the year.

Highlights from the scientific program to be presented on November 12 at 5:00 PM ET include:

• Inducible T-cell Costimulator (ICOS) Expression on CD4 T Cells Predicts Outcomes in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
  Catherine A. Bonham M.D., Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellow
  University of Chicago
• Rare Variants in RTEL1 are Associated with Pulmonary Fibrosis
  Jonathan Kropski M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
  Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Predictors of Mortality Do Not Predict Disease Progression in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
  Brett Ley, Clinical Instructor, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
  University of California San Francisco
• TOLLIP, MUC5B and the Response to N-acetylcysteine Among Individuals with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
  Justin Oldham, M.D., M.S., Fellow, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
  University of Chicago
• Quantitative CT Densitometry Detects Subclinical Interstitial Lung Disease and Predicts Mortality in Community Dwelling Adults: The MESA Lung Fibrosis Study
  Anna Podolanczuk, M.D., Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow
  Columbia University Medical Center

The PFF thanks the PFF Summit 2015 Everest sponsors: Boehringer Ingelheim and Genentech; McKinley sponsor: The Edmunds, Esernia and Steffy Families; Ranier sponsor: Chuck and Monica McQuaid; Shasta sponsors: Bayer Pharma AG, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Inspire; Grand Teton sponsors: Veracyte, Promedior and PatientsLikeMe; and Partner sponsors: InspiRx, Inova, Spectrum Health and Fibrogen; Summit Circle for Individuals and Families: The Strickland Family. The Welcome Reception and Poster Presentation are made possible by our presenting sponsors and the Pete DeVito Memorial Foundation. The CME/CE program is supported by an educational grant from Gilead Sciences. Additional support is provided by Novartis and The France Foundation.

To register for the PFF Summit 2015 and learn more about the full event program, please visit www.pffsummit.org or call 888.733.6741.

About Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a condition in which, over a period of time, lung tissue becomes thickened, stiff and scarred. The development of the scar tissue is called fibrosis. As the lung tissue becomes scarred and grows thicker, the lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. As a result, the brain and other organs don't receive enough oxygen. In some cases, doctors can determine the cause of the fibrosis, but in many cases, there is no known cause. When the cause of the fibrosis is unknown (and certain pathologic or radiographic criteria are met), the disease is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or IPF. There is no cure for IPF. Presently, there are two FDA-approved treatments for IPF in the U.S.

About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) is to serve as the trusted resource for the pulmonary fibrosis (PF) community by raising awareness, providing disease education, advancing care and funding research. The PFF collaborates with physicians, organizations, people with PF and caregivers worldwide. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Better Business Bureau accredited charity. The PFF Summit 2015: From Bench to Bedside, its third biennial international health care conference, will be held November 12-14, 2015 in Washington, D.C. For more information visit www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 844.TalkPFF (844.825.5733) or +1 312.587.9272 from outside of the U.S.

About the PFF Summit 2015: From Bench to Bedside
The PFF Summit 2015: From Bench to Bedside is the Foundation's third biennial international health care conference on pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The goal of the Summit is to foster a collaborative environment to improve education and awareness of PF and to identify new approaches to treat, and ultimately cure, this devastating disease. The Summit will feature an innovative continuing medical education (CME) program for health professionals as well as provide sessions for PF patients and caregivers that address their growing educational needs. Plenary sessions for professionals, patients, and caregivers will also be presented during the PFF Summit 2015, further fostering dialogue among the PF community. Conference registration is currently open. The Summit will be conducted in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). CME certification will be provided by the France Foundation, and CE credits for nurses will be provided by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine. For more information, please visit www.pffsummit.org or call 844.TalkPFF (844.825.5733).

For Media Inquiries:
Michelle Michael
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
312.239.6628
[email protected]

SOURCE The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation