Boehringer Ingelheim completes enrolment for IPF trials

Boehringer Ingelheim has completed enrolment for a pair of pivotal phase III trials for an investigational therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

The last patients have now been randomised for the sister studies Inpulsis-1 and Inpulsis-2, which will be assessing the safety and efficacy of the compound nintedanib when administered in 150 mg doses twice daily.

Nintedanib is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor which targets growth factor receptors and has been awarded orphan drug designation in both the US and Japan, with phase II data showing its ability to reduce lung function decline.

The Inpulsis trials are being carried out across 23 countries and will help to support future regulatory applications for the drug.

Professor Klaus Dugi, corporate senior vice-president for medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: "Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to research in areas of unmet medical need, regardless of how many patients are affected. We strive to improve the lives of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis."

This comes after the company recently received a European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommendation for approval of an expanded indication for Trajenta, the diabetes therapy it has developed alongside Lilly.