Author Interviews, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pulmonary Disease / 01.10.2019

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Donald ZozDonald Zoz, M.D. Director, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs Respiratory Specialty Care Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this announcement? Would you briefly explain what is meant by systemic sclerosis and how it affects lung function?  Response: In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ofev as the first and only therapy to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). The FDA granted priority review and Fast-Track designation earlier this year. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is characterized by thickening and scarring of lung tissue and is the leading cause of death among people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma. In fact, approximately 25 percent of SSc patients develop significant lung involvement within three years of diagnosis. Prior to this approval, there were no options for this patient population, making this an exciting announcement for the community.  (more…)