Nintedanib: highly specialized medical care for fibrosing interstitial lung diseases

Lukianchuk Evheniia

Summary. Progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILD) includes a number of similar pathophysiological conditions, indicating the potential for general approaches to treatment. Nintedanib (Ofev®), an intracellular tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antifibrotic properties, is one of the first drugs approved for use in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and has recently been approved for use in other chronic fibrosing ILDs with a progressive phenotype and systemic sclerosis-associated ILD (SSc-ILD). In multinational phase III trials have been shown that nintedanib significantly reduces the annual rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) in adults with IPF, other progressive fibrosing ILDs and SSc-ILD. The rate of FVC reduction in nintedanib in patients with IPF and severe gas exchange impairment were comparable to that in patients with milder disease. The use of nintedanib in routine medical practice in patients with IL IPF F confirms the effectiveness of the drug in slowing the progression of ILD.