Fighting the Persistent Cough in a Rare and Deadly Lung Disease

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a family of lung diseases characterized by scarring and thickening of lung tissue leading to an irreversible loss of lung function and reduced life expectancy. In normal times, the dry and persistent cough the condition can cause, can have a big impact on a person’s quality of life, but in the midst of a pandemic where coughing is a sign of infection, it can be particularly isolating. Respivant Sciences is developing an experimental therapy that treats IPF patients who suffer from a persistent cough. We spoke to Bill Gerhart, CEO of Respivant, about IPF, what life with the condition can be like, and the company’s experimental therapy to treat the it.