FDA approves Ofev for interstitial lung disease

The FDA has approved Ofev (nintedanib), from Boehringer, to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in adults with interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis or scleroderma, called SSc-ILD. It is the first FDA-approved treatment for this rare lung condition.

The effectiveness of Ofev to treat SSc-ILD was studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 576 patients ages 20-79 with the disease. Patients received treatment for 52 weeks, with some patients treated up to 100 weeks. The primary test for efficacy measured the forced vital capacity, or FVC, which is a measure of lung function, defined as the amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled from the lungs after taking the deepest breath possible. Those who took Ofev had less lung function decline compared to those on placebo.

The overall safety profile observed in the Ofev treatment group was consistent with the known safety profile of the therapy. The most frequent serious adverse event reported in patients treated with Ofev was pneumonia (2.8% Ofev vs. 0.3% placebo). Adverse reactions leading to permanent dose reductions were reported in 34% of Ofev-treated patients compared to 4% of placebo-treated patients. Diarrhea was the most frequent adverse reaction that led to permanent dose reduction in patients treated with Ofev.