Insight on Boehringer Ingelheim’s new indication approval for Ofev to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in patients with Ssc-ILD

Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ofev (nintedanib) as the first and only medicine to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). Ofev is already approved in the US and more than 70 countries for the treatment of patients living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and has been shown to slow IPF progression by reducing the annual rate of decline in lung function, as measured by forced vital capacity (FVC).

Basis of new indication approval:

The approval was based on results of SENSCIS, a phase III double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial, that involved 576 patients from 194 trial sites across 32 countries. The primary endpoint was the annual rate of decline in FVC in patients with SSc-ILD. Results shows that Ofev slowed the loss of pulmonary function by 44% (41 mL/year) in patients with SSc-ILD relative to placebo, as measured by FVC over 52 weeks.

About Systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis, also known as scleroderma, is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by thickening and scarring of connective tissue throughout the body. The disease is estimated to affect about 100,000 people in the US and 2.5 million worldwide. Fibrosis, the hallmark of the disease, can affect the skin and internal organs, including the lungs. Interstitial lung disease (ILD), one of the most frequent disease manifestations, can be debilitating and may become life-threatening. Approximately 25 percent of patients develop significant lung involvement within three years of diagnosis. ILD is the leading cause of death among people with SSc.