Resp Res
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Review
Ongoing challenges in pulmonary fibrosis and insights from the nintedanib clinical programme.
The approvals of nintedanib and pirfenidone changed the treatment paradigm in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and increased our understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms. Nonetheless, many challenges and unmet needs remain in the management of patients with IPF and other progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases. This review describes how the nintedanib clinical programme has helped to address some of these challenges. ⋯ The long-term use of nintedanib and an up-to-date summary of nintedanib in clinical practice are discussed. Directions for future research, namely emerging therapeutic options, precision medicine and other progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases, are described. Further developments in these areas should continue to improve patient outcomes.