Biotechnology Phase III trials, demonstrating that treatment with US biotech firm InterMune's (Nasdaq: ITMN) pirfenidone, a novel antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory drug, was associated with favorable effects on lung function, six-minute walk test distance and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), have been published in the on-line version to the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. 17 May 2011