According to the
American Lung Association, more than 35 million Americans are living with chronic lung disease such as asthma and emphysema. Other respiratory illnesses include tuberculosis, influenza, pneumonia, and sarcoidosis, among others.
October is a national awareness month for respiratory health. Recognizing the impact that these lung and respiratory conditions have on the American population, Innovation.org highlights important research in respiratory health. Click on the links below to read more about treatments and research.
Infants: Of the 250,000 infants born prematurely each year, up to 50,000 will suffer from infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Three new medicines have been approved in the last decade for this one rare condition, improving treatment for neonates with immature lungs. With these medicines, premature infants have a better chance of surviving this life-threatening disorder.
Click here to read about medicines in development for RDS.
Children: A 2007 report by PhRMA found that biopharmaceutical researchers are testing 219 medicines to help meet the special health care needs of children. The report highlights 14 medicines in development for respiratory disorders, including medicines for asthma, the leading serious chronic disease among children, which affects some 6.2 million children.
Click here to read about medicines in development to treat these and other diseases that affect children.
Older Americans: A November 2008 report by PhRMA found that more than 2,000 new medicines are in development to treat the diseases of aging. Among the new medicines in development are innovative treatments for respiratory and lung disorders.
Click here to read about medicines in development to treat these and other diseases that affect the elderly.
Developing countries: Tuberculosis (TB) is still the most common cause of death and morbidity in the world, killing 30 million people worldwide in the 1990s, according to the WHO. The disease is far rarer in the United States, with 13,293 new cases reported in 2007.
Click here to read about new treatments in development for TB.
Innovation in Lung and Respiratory Health – Discoverers Awards
Each year, PhRMA honors pharmaceutical research scientists whose research and development of new medicines have greatly benefited humankind, and whose dedication and interest in improving the quality of life exemplify the best in the research industry with the Discoverers Award.
The Story of Prevnar® The 2005 Discoverer’s Award went to
Ronald J. Eby, Ph.D., Dace V. Madore, Ph.D., and Velupillai Puvanesarajah, Ph.D. for the creation of Prevnar
®, a new vaccine for pediatric pneumonia and ear infections worldwide were caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. According to the World Health Organization, one million deaths worldwide in children 5 years and younger were linked to S. pneumoniae infection each year prior to approval of Prevnar in 2000. Since then it has all but wiped out invasive pneumoccal disease in young children, preventing 12,700 cases in the U.S. in 2002 alone. Read about the development of Prevnar and see a video with remarks by the research scientists.
The Story of Exosurf®The 1996 Discoverers Award went to
John A. Clements, M.D., for his contributions to the discovery of Exosurf
®, a therapy for infant respiratory distress syndrome. This therapy has helped save the lives of thousands of babies in this country and abroad. The impact of Exosurf and, later, other surfactant substitutes can be best shown in the startling decline of United States infant mortality after the introduction of Exosurf.
Click here for a list of all of the Discoverers Awards since 1987.
ResourcesMedicines in Development DatabaseClick here to access our medicines in development database, which contains information about drugs currently in clinical trials or at FDA for review across all diseases.
Clinical Trials ResourcesClick here to visit our new Clinical Trials Resources page to learn more about ongoing clinical trials for cancer and many other diseases in the United States and around the world.
