Extinguish lung fibrosis using inhalative anti-fibrotic drugs (LuFex)

Organ fibrosis is among the leading causes of death in industrialized countries, accounting for approximately 50% of all deaths due to the progressive loss of organ function. Fibrotic diseases affect vital organs such as the lungs, liver, and heart, where excessive scar tissue formation gradually impairs normal tissue architecture and function.

The LuFex project is dedicated to the development of a novel inhaled therapy for pulmonary fibrosis, with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) as the initial lead indication. IPF is a chronic, progressive, and ultimately fatal interstitial lung disease for which no curative treatment currently exists.

Approximately three million people worldwide are affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), predominantly individuals over 65 years of age. Persistent inflammation and fibroblast activation lead to excessive extracellular matrix deposition, causing progressive lung stiffening, impaired gas exchange, and declining lung function. As a result, patients experience chronic cough, dyspnoea, reduced exercise capacity, and a severely impaired quality of life.

Current therapies provide only limited efficacy, can cause significant side effects, and do not halt disease progression. Consequently, median survival remains only three to five years after diagnosis, and patients with advanced disease often require long-term oxygen therapy or lung transplantation.

LuFex aims to address this urgent unmet medical need by developing a more effective and better tolerated inhaled therapeutic approach. By delivering the treatment directly to the lungs, the project seeks to maximize local efficacy while minimizing systemic side effects, ultimately improving treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

The project is supported through IBT funding of €0.8 million.