Researchers in separate clinical trials found two drugs slow the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal lung disease with no effective treatment or cure, and for which there is currently no therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Paul W. Noble, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai and director of the Women's Guild Lung Institute, is the senior author of the multicenter study that found that the investigational drug pirfenidone significantly slowed the loss of lung function and reduced the risk of death. Pirfenidone was developed by InterMune Inc. and in 2011 was approved by the European Union for the treatment of idiopa Studies Published In New England Journal Of Medicine Identify Promising Drug Therapies For Fatal Lung Disease thic pulmonary fibrosis.
The findings of the ASCEND drug trial are published online by the New England Journal of Medicine and are being presented this week at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego. "What we discovered about the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties of pirfenidone offers help and encouragement to so many patients suffering from this relentless disease that robs them of breath and life," said Noble.
On September 28, 2016, my partner Allen’s pulmonologist told him to go home and get his affairs in order, because he only had 30 days to live. At that time, his biopsy showed severe idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Allen’s IPF caused him to struggle with many common daily activities. For instance, walking just 10 feet would leave him feeling dizzy and ready to fall. He had to use a walker to get from his living room chair to the bathroom. Even on supplemental oxygen, he had no energy.
ReplyDeleteAllen began doing all the research he could on his condition and treatment options. At first, he was discouraged by the lack of information and support groups for IPF — the support groups he found were for people with COPD. Then, Allen found the multivitamincare.org website, and everything started to change for him.
After his treatment, he doesn’t need his walker to get around anymore, and he’s been able to walk short distances and exercise his legs. He still needs supplemental oxygen, but the amount he uses hasn’t increased. He’s been able to go on an Alaskan cruise with his friends without feeling like a burden. He’s also been able to travel to beaches along the Oregon coast and watch whales in the bay. He says he likes being able to go places, get out of the car and take in the sights. Before multivitamin herbal formula, he wouldn’t have been able to travel or sustain the energy for sightseeing.
Now, Allen says he feels so lucky to be alive after his doctor told him he only had 30 days left. Because of the results from his treatment, Allen has a short, sweet piece of advice for other chronic lung disease patients considering getting help from multivitamin herbal remedy.