Pulmonary fibrosis has an acute exacerbation mortality rate exceeding 50%, with existing treatments only able to slow its progression. The development of new drugs urgently requires clinical collaboration. Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) and Boehringer Ingelheim signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for clinical trial cooperation yesterday. TVGH Superintendent Shih-Ann Chen emphasized that TVGH is patient-centered, focusing on advanced medical equipment and technologies, particularly in critical, severe, rare, and difficult medical fields, to develop emerging treatments and research that can help solve patient problems. This aligns perfectly with Boehringer Ingelheim's goals.
In 2021, TVGH established committees for advanced medical care, smart healthcare, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine, earning global recognition as a top smart hospital. From 2024, TVGH has actively engaged in clinical trials, setting up dedicated clinical trial wards, optimizing contract review and trial matching mechanisms, and incorporating information technology into clinical trials to develop decentralized clinical trials. TVGH has also been recognized under the Ministry of Health and Welfare's 2024-2027 Center of Excellence for Clinical Trials program.
Chien-Chih Chiu, General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim, noted that their clinical trial collaboration with TVGH includes early-stage trials in diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. By integrating the strengths and resources of both parties, they aim to accelerate international early-stage clinical trials, enhancing Taiwan's influence in new drug development. Future efforts will focus on six major specialties: thoracic diseases—progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases, cardio-renal-metabolic diseases, oncology, schizophrenia, immunology, and ophthalmology.
TVGH established the National Integrated Care Center for Interstitial Lung Disease in 2021, which now has the highest number of patients in the country. Dr. Ping-Kuei Fu, Director of the Center, pointed out that pulmonary fibrosis is a highly challenging disease. Currently, only two drugs are approved by the U.S. FDA for treating it, with only one drug available for progressive pulmonary fibrosis worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for new treatments. In recent years, Boehringer Ingelheim's new drug for pulmonary fibrosis showed excellent results in Phase II clinical trials, demonstrating anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects that help slow the decline in lung function.
TVGH is also working with primary care to develop early screening and referral services for pulmonary fibrosis, providing patients with early diagnosis and treatment opportunities, as well as the chance to participate in new drug clinical trials. In the third phase of clinical trials for new pulmonary fibrosis treatments, TVGH ranks among the top three global trial centers in terms of enrollment numbers.
The signing of this cooperation agreement will see both parties collaborating on the development of smart clinical trials, including participant screening, consent form signing, home visits, remote collection of physiological parameters, and optimizing clinical trial processes. This partnership aims to maximize innovation in research and development, promote clinical trials, and benefit more patients.
Resource (mandarin): 加快肺纖維化新藥研發 中榮、百靈佳殷格翰攜手合作
