Should people with pulmonary fibrosis take Nintedanib for the rest of their lives?

Advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a fatal progressive fibrotic interstitial pneumonia, and positive results from multiple clinical trials have transformed the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Nintedanib(Nintedanib) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2014, and was approved by the European Medicines Agency in January 2015.

The first evidence of the efficacy of nintedanib in patients with IPF came from the TOMORROW trial, which showed that patients treated with nintedanib had a reduced incidence of exacerbations and improved health-related quality of life. Comparative control data for nintedanib over52 weeks are from an extension of this trial. The effect of nintedanib on slowing the progression of IPF persisted through week 76 (absolute change from baseline in predicted FVC; 3.1% and 6.3% of patients in the nintedanib and control groups, respectively). These results suggest that nintedanib is effective in reducing the decline in FVC for at least 3 years.

The original drug of nintedanib is marketed in China as nintedanib ethanesulfonate soft capsules and is covered by Class B medical insurance, but reimbursement is limited to patients who meet the indications. SpecificationsThe price of each box of 150mg*30 capsules may be more than 4,000 yuan. Nintedanib Original drug available overseas has Turkish version and Indian version, specificationsThe price of 150mg*60 capsules per box may be more than 5,000 RMB (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). There are also nintedanib generic drugs produced overseas in other countries. For example, the price of 150mg*30 capsules produced by BDR Pharmaceutical Factory in India may be several hundred yuan per box (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). Its pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drugs sold domestically and abroad.