INGELHEIM, Germany, June 18, 2026
Boehringer Ingelheim has announced new long-term survival modeling analyses from its pivotal Phase III FIBRONEER™ clinical program, suggesting that nerandomilast, an oral preferential PDE4B inhibitor, could significantly extend survival for patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). The findings, presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2026 and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) 2026 congresses, indicate that treatment with nerandomilast may deliver meaningful improvements in life expectancy compared with no treatment and additional benefits when combined with existing standard therapies. The results further reinforce the growing clinical significance of nerandomilast, which has already received approvals in several major markets and is currently under regulatory review in additional regions. As pulmonary fibrosis remains one of the most devastating and life-threatening respiratory disorders, the latest data provide encouraging evidence that long-term disease management may translate into improved patient survival.
FIBRONEER Analyses Predict Significant Survival Extension
The new modeling analyses were developed using data from the FIBRONEER™-IPF and FIBRONEER™-ILD Phase III studies and evaluated projected survival outcomes over a 30-year period. In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, researchers estimated that nerandomilast 18 mg monotherapy could increase median survival from 3.7 years to 9.1 years, representing a potential extension of up to 5.4 years. Among patients receiving background treatment with nintedanib, adding nerandomilast was predicted to increase median survival from 4.6 years to 6.0 years.
Similar benefits were observed in progressive pulmonary fibrosis, where monotherapy was projected to extend median survival from 3.9 years to 7.2 years, while combination treatment with nintedanib increased survival from 3.4 years to 4.4 years. These projections suggest that sustained treatment with nerandomilast may provide substantial long-term benefits for patients facing diseases historically associated with poor prognosis and limited survival.
Clinical Trial Results Support Potential Long-Term Benefits
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The survival projections build upon positive outcomes from the Phase III FIBRONEER™ trials, where nerandomilast successfully met its primary endpoint by significantly slowing the decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) compared with placebo in both IPF and PPF populations. Preservation of lung function is widely recognized as a critical indicator of disease progression and an important factor influencing long-term outcomes. Although the key secondary endpoint was not achieved in the individual studies, pooled analyses demonstrated a 59% nominally significant reduction in the risk of death among participants receiving nerandomilast 18 mg monotherapy compared with placebo.
Researchers noted that the survival modeling indicates benefits that may extend beyond improvements in lung function alone, suggesting that nerandomilast could have a broader impact on disease progression and patient outcomes. The therapy’s favorable tolerability profile may also support long-term treatment adherence, a critical factor in chronic fibrotic diseases.
Expanding Hope for Patients With Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and progressive pulmonary fibrosis are progressive and irreversible conditions characterized by the accumulation of scar tissue within the lungs, leading to declining respiratory function and premature mortality. Together, these diseases are estimated to affect up to 9.2 million people worldwide, with approximately half of patients dying within five years of diagnosis. Current treatment options have improved disease management, but significant unmet medical needs remain. Boehringer Ingelheim believes nerandomilast represents an important advancement in the pulmonary fibrosis treatment landscape by combining efficacy with a safety profile that may enable patients to remain on therapy longer.
The company is continuing to evaluate the medicine through ongoing extension studies and additional research programs, while regulatory reviews continue across multiple international markets. The latest survival modeling results strengthen the evidence supporting nerandomilast as a potentially transformative therapy capable of extending survival and improving quality of life for patients living with severe fibrotic lung diseases.
Source: Boehringer Ingelheim press release
