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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Respiratory
9
Pipeline Programs
13
Companies
14
Clinical Trials
4 recruiting
0
Approved Products

Pipeline by Development Stage

Preclinical
Phase 1
Phase 1/2
Phase 2
Phase 2/3
Phase 3
On Market
0
1
3
4
0
1
0
Early DiscoveryClinical DevelopmentMarket

Respiratory is a $39.4B mature market dominated by established inhalers and combination therapies with significant patent cliff risk.

$39.4B marketMature→ Stable30 products15 companies

Key Trends

  • Consolidation around GSK's triple-therapy franchises (Trelegy, Breo, Anoro)
  • Major patent expirations 2026-2031 creating $7.8B revenue cliff
  • High clinical trial activity (4,862 trials) suggesting pipeline innovation despite market maturity

Career Verdict

Respiratory offers stable commercial careers but limited growth upside; best for professionals seeking established markets with strong commercial infrastructure rather than innovation-driven advancement.

AI-generated market analysis based on FDA, CMS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and hiring data

Market Leaders

#1ELIQUISGrowing
$18.3B
Bristol Myers Squibb·Launch15.0yr
#3TRELEGY ELLIPTADeclining
$4.5B
GSK·Peak4.9yr
#4CREONDeclining
$1.5B
AbbVie·Approaching LOE
#5BREO ELLIPTADeclining
$1.4B
GSK·Peak4.9yr

Drug Class Breakdown

FXa Inhibitors
$18.3B(46%)

dominant market driver

Unknown/Undisclosed Mechanism
$9.7B(25%)

fragmented portfolio

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
$7.4B(19%)

rapidly expanding

Pancreatic Enzymes
$1.5B(4%)

legacy product

Corticosteroid/LABA Combinations
$796M(2%)

patent cliff approaching

Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonists
$456M(1%)

mature maintenance therapy

Career Outlook

Stable

Respiratory is a stable, mature market suitable for commercial and medical affairs professionals seeking established career paths, but offers limited growth or innovation-focused opportunities. The impending patent cliff ($7.8B+ revenue at risk 2026-2031) will drive near-term restructuring and consolidation, potentially reducing headcount in 2027-2028. Professionals should expect strong compensation in Medical Affairs and field roles but limited advancement into strategic or R&D positions.

Breaking In

New graduates should prioritize commercial, field-based, or Medical Affairs roles over R&D; respiratory offers structured training and stable compensation but limited innovation exposure, so pair this experience with cross-therapeutic skill-building for long-term mobility.

For Experienced Professionals

Experienced professionals should evaluate whether to maximize earnings in this mature, stable market or transition to higher-growth areas (oncology, cell therapy); respiratory consolidation 2027-2030 will reduce senior-level opportunities, so consider strategic moves before patent cliff impacts headcount.

In-Demand Skills

Commercial execution and territory managementMedical Affairs/Key Opinion Leader engagementRegulatory affairs and lifecycle managementInhalation device expertise and product trainingManaged care and payer negotiations

Best For

Brand ManagerMedical Science LiaisonRegional Sales ManagerField Medical RepresentativePayer Relations ManagerRegulatory Specialist

Hiring Landscape

$84K-$314K

The respiratory sector shows modest hiring momentum (510 jobs across tracked positions) concentrated in commercial and engineering roles, with AstraZeneca and GSK leading. Medical Affairs positions command premium salaries ($314K avg) but represent only 3% of openings, reflecting the mature market's focus on sales execution over innovation. Hiring velocity is moderate and reflects market consolidation rather than expansion, suggesting limited career progression opportunities for early-to-mid career professionals.

510
Open Roles
5
Companies Hiring
5
Departments

Top Hiring Companies

43Stable
70Growing
45Stable
15Stable

By Department

Commercial(23%)
$122K
Engineering(11%)
$111K
Medical Affairs(3%)
$314K
IT(4%)
$84K
Manufacturing(3%)

Respiratory hiring favors commercial and field-based roles over R&D; Medical Affairs roles offer premium compensation but are scarce, making this area competitive for specialized talent.

Competitive Landscape

13 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

Sunshine Biopharma
Sunshine BiopharmaQC - Varennes
1 program
1
HEC585Phase 31 trial
Active Trials
NCT07082842Recruiting472Est. Feb 2032
Insilico Medicine
Insilico MedicineChina - Hong Kong
2 programs
2
INS018_055Phase 21 trial
INS018_055Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT05938920Completed71Est. Aug 2024
NCT05975983Recruiting40Est. Feb 2026
Galecto Biotech
Galecto BiotechDenmark - Copenhagen
1 program
1
GB0139Phase 2
Syneos Health
Syneos HealthNC - Morrisville
1 program
1
GB0139Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT03832946Completed172Est. May 2023
Colorado Therapeutics
Colorado TherapeuticsCO - Louisville
2 programs
1
N-acetyl cysteine then PlaceboPhase 1/21 trial
Blood drawN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT03478553Recruiting1,000Est. Dec 2026
NCT03720483Withdrawn0Est. Dec 2023
AstraZeneca
AstraZenecaCAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
1 program
1
SaracatinabPhase 1/2
Innovation Pharmaceuticals
1 program
1
SaracatinabPhase 1/21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04598919Active Not Recruiting49Est. Jun 2025
Theravance Biopharma
1 program
1
TD-1058Phase 11 trial
Active Trials
NCT04589260Terminated72Est. Oct 2021
Bristol Myers Squibb
2 programs
BMS-986278PHASE_11 trial
ThalidomidePHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT03981094Completed22Est. Jul 2019
NCT00162760Completed19Est. Jul 2007
Contineum Therapeutics
1 program
PIPE-791PHASE_11 trial
Active Trials
NCT06683612Completed16Est. Jun 2025
Vicore Pharma
Vicore PharmaSweden - Stockholm
1 program
BuloxibutidPHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT06588686Active Not Recruiting378Est. Jun 2027
Rein Therapeutics
1 program
LTI-03PHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT06968845Recruiting120Est. Dec 2027
Liminal BioSciences
1 program
PBI4050PHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT02538536Completed41Est. Jan 2017

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
Sunshine BiopharmaHEC585
Rein TherapeuticsLTI-03
Vicore PharmaBuloxibutid
Insilico MedicineINS018_055
Insilico MedicineINS018_055
Syneos HealthGB0139
Liminal BioSciencesPBI4050
Bristol Myers SquibbThalidomide
Colorado TherapeuticsN-acetyl cysteine then Placebo
Innovation PharmaceuticalsSaracatinab
Contineum TherapeuticsPIPE-791
Theravance BiopharmaTD-1058
Bristol Myers SquibbBMS-986278
Colorado TherapeuticsBlood draw

Clinical Trials (14)

Total enrollment: 2,472 patients across 14 trials

Confirmatory Clinical Study of HEC585 Tablets in Patients With IPF

Start: Oct 2025Est. completion: Feb 2032472 patients
Phase 3Recruiting

A Phase 2 Study of LTI-03 in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Start: Feb 2026Est. completion: Dec 2027120 patients
Phase 2Recruiting

A Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Buloxibutid in People With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Start: Dec 2024Est. completion: Jun 2027378 patients
Phase 2Active Not Recruiting

Study Evaluating INS018_055 Administered Orally to Subjects With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Start: Feb 2024Est. completion: Feb 202640 patients
Phase 2Recruiting

Study Evaluating INS018_055 Administered Orally to Subjects With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Start: Jun 2023Est. completion: Aug 202471 patients
Phase 2Completed

A Study to Test the Efficacy and Safety of Inhaled GB0139 in Subjects With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Start: Feb 2019Est. completion: May 2023172 patients
Phase 2Completed

A Phase 2 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of PBI-4050 in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Start: Jul 2015Est. completion: Jan 201741 patients
Phase 2Completed

Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis With Thalidomide

Start: Oct 2003Est. completion: Jul 200719 patients
Phase 2Completed
NCT03720483Colorado TherapeuticsN-acetyl cysteine then Placebo

Inhaled NAC in Treatment of IPF

Start: Jan 2022Est. completion: Dec 20230
Phase 1/2Withdrawn

Saracatinib in the Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Start: Nov 2020Est. completion: Jun 202549 patients
Phase 1/2Active Not Recruiting

PET Study of PIPE-791 in Healthy Volunteers and Volunteers With PrMS and IPF

Start: Dec 2024Est. completion: Jun 202516 patients
Phase 1Completed

TD-1058 First-In-Human Study in Healthy Subjects and Subjects With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Start: Oct 2020Est. completion: Oct 202172 patients
Phase 1Terminated

A Study of the Pharmacokinetic Interaction Between Pirfenidone and BMS-986278 in Healthy Participants

Start: May 2019Est. completion: Jul 201922 patients
Phase 1Completed

The Genetics of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Start: Jan 2018Est. completion: Dec 20261,000 patients
N/ARecruiting

Related Jobs in Respiratory

Phase Legend

PreclinicalLab & animal studies
Phase 1Safety & dosing
Phase 2Efficacy testing
Phase 3Large-scale trials
On MarketApproved & available

Key Insights

1 late-stage (Phase 3) programs, potential near-term approvals
4 actively recruiting trials targeting 2,472 patients
13 companies competing in this space

The information on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Drug information is sourced from FDA, DailyMed, and other government databases. Adverse event data from FAERS does not establish causation. Always consult a healthcare professional for medical decisions.