IPF Drug Deposition Study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A study of the pharmacokinetics and deposition of inhaled salbutamol in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (TOPICAL-IPF Study).

  • IRAS ID

    47938

  • Contact name

    Toby M Maher

  • Sponsor organisation

    Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

  • Eudract number

    2011-000336-29

  • ISRCTN Number

    not known

  • Research summary

    TITLE: A study of the pharmacokinetics and deposition of inhaled salbutamol in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and invariably fatal lung disease for which no effective treatment exists. It is characterised by progressive fibrosis and destruction of the lung. Medication given directly to the lung (e.g. by inhaler device or nebuliser) is important in the treatment of a number of respiratory diseases such as asthma or emphysema. Because of the changes that occur in the lungs of patients with IPF it is not clear whether it is possible or effective to deliver inhaled medication in patients with this disease. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of this approach in IPF by using radiolabelling (attaching a radioactive probe to a drug) and imaging of the lungs and by measuring the absorption of the safe and widely used medication, salbutamol. Radio-labelled salbutamol will be administered to study participants on 4 separate occasions via a specially designed inhaler device and thorugh a nebuliser. Images of the lung taken after inhalation of the salbutamol will provide important information on whether the drug reaches areas of scarring and fibrosis.The study will recruit 20 individuals with either moderate or severe IPF. Participation in the study will entail four visits each at least a week apart.It is hoped that this study will pave the way to the development of novel treatments for IPF.

  • REC name

    London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    11/LO/0372

  • Date of REC Opinion

    8 Jun 2011

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion