August 24, 2026 | Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Celea Therapeutics announced that it will present new clinical development updates for deupirfenidone (LYT-100) at the upcoming European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, from September 5–9, 2026. The company will present the design and rationale of SURPASS-IPF, its global Phase 3 trial evaluating deupirfenidone against pirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), together with results from a Phase 1 drug-drug interaction study assessing deupirfenidone when administered with nintedanib. The presentations represent an important step in Celea’s clinical development strategy for deupirfenidone, an investigational next-generation antifibrotic being developed as a potential new treatment option for patients with IPF. The company highlighted the head-to-head Phase 3 design, patient-reported outcomes and potential compatibility with existing antifibrotic therapy as key elements of the program.

Celea Presents Head-to-Head SURPASS-IPF Phase 3 Design

The centerpiece of Celea’s ERS program will be the SURPASS-IPF Phase 3 trial, designed to evaluate whether deupirfenidone 825 mg three times daily can demonstrate superiority over pirfenidone 801 mg three times daily. The global randomized, double-blind study is planned to enroll approximately 1,100 adults with IPF who are not receiving background antifibrotic therapy. The primary endpoint is the change from baseline in absolute forced vital capacity (FVC) at Week 52, providing a measure of lung-function decline over the treatment period. Celea also plans to evaluate additional clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes, allowing the study to assess treatment effects beyond pulmonary function measurements. The company describes SURPASS-IPF as the first industry-sponsored head-to-head Phase 3 trial in IPF, reflecting its strategy of directly comparing deupirfenidone with an established antifibrotic treatment rather than relying solely on placebo-controlled comparisons.

Drug Interaction Data Support Deupirfenidone Development

A second ERS presentation will focus on a Phase 1 two-way drug-drug interaction study evaluating deupirfenidone and nintedanib, another established antifibrotic therapy used in IPF. According to Celea, the study found that clinically relevant drug-drug interactions are unlikely when the two medicines are administered together. This finding could be relevant to the future clinical positioning of deupirfenidone because treatment strategies for IPF may involve patients receiving different antifibrotic approaches during the course of their disease. The presentation is scheduled for September 7 and will provide additional details on the pharmacological interaction findings. Celea will also present the SURPASS-IPF trial design on September 6, giving the respiratory medicine community an opportunity to review the company’s Phase 3 development strategy and the endpoints selected for evaluating deupirfenidone.

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Deupirfenidone Moves Forward in IPF Development

Deupirfenidone is a deuterated form of pirfenidone being developed as an investigational antifibrotic therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive disease characterized by irreversible scarring of lung tissue and declining respiratory function. The program has previously generated Phase 2b data in the ELEVATE IPF trial, where Celea reported potential stabilization of lung-function decline over at least 26 weeks with a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Deupirfenidone has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. FDA and European Commission. With SURPASS-IPF now advancing as a large global Phase 3 study, the program is moving toward a pivotal evaluation of whether deupirfenidone can provide clinically meaningful advantages over existing pirfenidone therapy. The upcoming ERS presentations will therefore provide important visibility into the trial design and drug-interaction profile as Celea progresses toward potentially establishing a differentiated treatment option for patients with IPF.

Source:Celea Therapeutics,press relese