Zhejiang Conba Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (SHA: 600572) has announced that its modified version of US firm Marnac’s pirfenidone, in the form of an inhalable solution, has been approved for clinical trials in China. The drug is aimed at treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease characterized by diffuse alveolitis and alveolar structural disorder.
Category 2.2 Drug Development for IPF
The Category 2.2 drug from Conba Pharmaceutical is part of a broader effort to develop treatments for idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. Pirfenidone, known for its broad-spectrum anti-fibrotic effects, has already been approved to treat IPF in Japan, the US, and Europe.
Market Presence of Pirfenidone in China
In China, Continent Pharma’s pirfenidone capsules were the first to obtain marketing approval in 2013, becoming the first Category 1 drug to treat mild to moderate IPF with National Reimbursement Drug List (NRLD) status from 2017. Kawin Technology’s generic version of the tablets received market approval in September 2019. The sales of pirfenidone in China reached RMB 526 million for capsules and RMB 33 million for tablets in 2022.
Conba Pharma’s Unique Approach to Pirfenidone Administration
Conba Pharmaceutical’s pirfenidone is tentatively set for a 25mg initial dose, to be inhaled through a suitable nebulizer twice a day. It is important to note that this formulation cannot be taken orally or injected, offering a new method of administration for patients with IPF.-Fineline Info & Tech
