Boehringer's Ofev approved in EU for the treatment of IPF

German family-owned pharma major Boehringer Ingelheim revealed today that the European Commission (EC) has approved its Ofev (nintedanib) for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

This decision follows an expedited review and positive Committee for Medicinal Products for Human CHMP opinion last fall (The Pharma Letter November 22, 2014). IPF is a debilitating and fatal lung disease – with a median survival of two-three years after diagnosis, the company noted.

“Approval of this treatment for patients in the EU is a significant step towards meeting the substantial unmet need in IPF. Patients suffering from this chronic, debilitating disease can now be offered a new treatment option that has been shown to have a clinically meaningful effect on their disease,” said Klaus Dugi, chief medical officer of Boehringer Ingelheim. “This approval is another milestone in Boehringer Ingelheim’s ongoing efforts with regard to innovation in rare diseases in general and our continuing research for the benefit of patients affected by such a dreadful disease as IPF in particular,” Prof Dugi added.