Clinical Trials Blog

June 2025 clinical trial highlights

by Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
June 19, 2025
Patient with doctor

Clinical trial participants are essential in the quest for new treatments and a cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF).

In the June 2025 clinical trial highlights, we'll showcase just a few of the many trials that are enrolling volunteers. To view more available trials for various forms of interstitial lung disease (ILD), please visit the 🔍 PFF Clinical Trial Finder.


Seeking participants with progressive pulmonary fibrosis

ALOFT-IPF

Seeking participants with PF

Advanced Imaging for Pulmonary Fibrosis

  • Study ID: NCT06532071
  • Trial Phase: Phase 2
  • Intervention: Oral drug
  • Sponsor: Peter Caravan (Massachusetts General Hospital)
  • Study Contact: Sydney Montesi, MD (617.724.4030; sbmontesi@mgb.org); Caroline Fromson (CFROMSON@mgh.harvard.edu)
  • Learn more about this study

Seeking participants with PH-ILD

PHocus

Seeking participants with hypersensitivity pneumonitis

RISE-HP

  • Study ID: NCT06811389
  • Intervention: Peer coach delivered intervention to improve quality of life and health knowledge among individuals with hypersensitivity pneumonitis
  • Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University
  • Study Contact: pulmonaryresearch@med.cornell.edu; Alicia Morris (646.962.2741, ajm2017@med.cornell.edu); Anna Tharakan BS (646.962.8230, ant4034@med.cornell.edu) 
  • Learn more about this study

Karen thought she was in good health, competing in triathlons and staying active, until she developed a cough, breathlessness, and unexplained weight loss. Although she found her symptoms to be only a minor inconvenience, Karen made an appointment with her physician. Her life then changed when she was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

With her diagnosis, Karen has relied on the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) for accurate and trustworthy information about the disease, treatments, clinical trials, and caring support. ”The PFF is a lifeline for those with respiratory diseases, and they are there for you. Go to their website to access the resources they have available.”

Despite these challenges, Karen is determined to enjoy every moment of life. She focuses on the things she loves to do: traveling with her grandson and volunteering to help others. She attributes her sense of well-being to quality medical care, a positive attitude, a sense of purpose, and a support system.

As a patient with IPF and PH-ILD, Karen is giving back to the community by supporting research, raising awareness, and educating people about the disease.

To learn more about PH-ILD, watch the PFF’s webinar, “ Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease: Diagnosis and Disease Management.” 

 

 

American Thoracic Society (ATS) Conference Updates

In May, PFF staff attended the ATS Conference 2025. This international conference brings together healthcare providers, researchers, drug developers, and patient advocates to learn about the latest developments in pulmonary research. We are thrilled to share some of the exciting updates we learned about while attending.

Common clinical trial terms and definitions referenced in these updates

  • Placebo looks like medicine but has no active ingredients in it. Having one group of volunteers take the drug being studied and another group take the placebo is an important way for researchers to measure how well the new drug will work.
  • Antifibrotic therapy is a treatment which may slow or inhibit the production of scar tissue (fibrosis).
  • Forced vital capacity (FVC) is the measurement obtained when a patient completes a spirometry test (e.g., pulmonary function test).
  • Phase: There are typically three stages or phases of clinical trials that must be performed before a drug or treatment may be submitted to regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for approval.

New data on phase 3 progressive pulmonary fibrosis and IPF studies

Boehringer Ingelheim provided details about their global FIBRONEER program which include two trials – FIBRONEERTM-ILD and FIBRONEERTM -IPF.  In both studies, the drug being studied, nerandomilast, was compared with placebo in some volunteers who were on antifibrotic therapy already (pirfenidone or nintedanib) and some who were not.

Nerandomilast was shown to significantly reduce the decline in lung function as measured by FVC in FIBRONEERTM-ILD and FIBRONEERTM -IPF. This was consistent whether nerandomilast was taken alone or with another antifibrotic agent. Now the FDA is reviewing this data for drug approval. This means that nerandomilast is not yet available for patients.

Phase 2b ELEVATE IPF trial results

Additionally, PureTech presented the results from its phase 2b EVELATE IPF study. ELEVATE IPF studied the efficacy and safety of the oral drug deupirfenidone.

In this global study, deupirfenidone demonstrated the potential to stabilize lung function decline over at least 26 weeks while maintaining safety and tolerability. PureTech plans to meet with the FDA before the end of the third quarter of this year with the goal of initiating the phase 3 trial by the end of 2025.

These clinical trial updates are important steps forward for people living with ILD and showcase the continued importance of clinical trial participation to advance the search for treatments, and ultimately a cure, for PF.