A pioneer in novel therapies for airway repair has agreed to team up with an expert in respiratory disease treatment to fight a common foe: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the German-based company Boehringer Ingelheim announced recently.
The agreement reunites Boehringer, known for its respiratory work, with New York-based Weill Cornell Medicine. The companies had previously worked together on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and their goal now is to find ways to curb — and possibly reverse — the progression of COPD.
COPD is one of the chronic lower respiratory diseases that together are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 15 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD. While there is no cure, COPD researchers continue to work to keep sufferers active and enjoying a high quality of life.
Lead investigator Dr. Ronald Crystal, Weill Cornell’s chairman of genetic medicine, said the two firms have already looked into possible strategies.
“We will look to further expand our knowledge about progressive airway destruction … and focus on promising therapeutic concepts with the potential to slow down or halt progressive airway damage in patients with COPD,” Crystal said.
