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Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

Respiratory
8
Pipeline Programs
13
Companies
12
Clinical Trials
0
Approved Products

Pipeline by Development Stage

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

Drug Modality Breakdown

Small Molecule
1100%
+ 12 programs with unclassified modality

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

12 companies ranked by most advanced pipeline stage

Medica Corp
Medica CorpMA - Bedford
2 programs
1
High-Dose DexamethasonePhase 31 trial
Asynchrony During Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress SyndromeN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT02732041Completed103Est. Feb 2019
NCT04395105Terminated100Est. May 2021
Faron Pharmaceuticals
Faron PharmaceuticalsFinland - Turku
1 program
1
Interferon beta-1aPhase 31 trial
Active Trials
NCT02622724Terminated301Est. May 2018
Colorado Therapeutics
Colorado TherapeuticsCO - Louisville
1 program
1
Transfuse plasma to High INR targetPhase 31 trial
Active Trials
NCT01461889Terminated50Est. Aug 2015
Healios
HealiosJapan - Tokyo
1 program
1
HLCM051Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT03807804Completed35Est. Dec 2021
Oregon Therapeutics
Oregon TherapeuticsFrance - Paris
1 program
1
Human Mesenchymal Stromal CellsPhase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT03818854Completed120Est. Jun 2024
Veru
VeruMIAMI, FL
1 program
1
Veru-111Phase 21 trial
Active Trials
NCT04388826Completed39Est. Aug 2021
Prevail Therapeutics
1 program
1
SivelestatPhase 1/2Small Molecule
MiNK Therapeutics
MiNK TherapeuticsUK - Cambridge
1 program
1
agenT-797Phase 11 trial
Active Trials
NCT04582201Completed20Est. Apr 2023
Baxter International
1 program
PrismalungN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT02252094Terminated8Est. May 2019
Nihon Kohden
Nihon KohdenNEW YORK, NY
1 program
Targeting transpulmonary pressure to avoid VILIN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT02342756Unknown20Est. Dec 2017
Angeles Therapeutics
Angeles TherapeuticsCA - Los Angeles
1 program
Ventilation InhomogeneityN/A1 trial
Active Trials
NCT03709199Active Not Recruiting176Est. May 2026
United Therapeutics
United TherapeuticsMD - Silver Spring
1 program
Treprostinil Inhalation SolutionPHASE_21 trial
Active Trials
NCT02370095Terminated14Est. Nov 2017

Trial Timeline

Clinical trial activity over time

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Medica CorpHigh-Dose Dexamethasone
Faron PharmaceuticalsInterferon beta-1a
Colorado TherapeuticsTransfuse plasma to High INR target
VeruVeru-111
Oregon TherapeuticsHuman Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
HealiosHLCM051
United TherapeuticsTreprostinil Inhalation Solution
MiNK TherapeuticsagenT-797
Angeles TherapeuticsVentilation Inhomogeneity
Baxter InternationalPrismalung
Medica CorpAsynchrony During Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Nihon KohdenTargeting transpulmonary pressure to avoid VILI

Clinical Trials (12)

Total enrollment: 986 patients across 12 trials

NCT04395105Medica CorpHigh-Dose Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone for COVID-19 Related ARDS: a Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial

Start: May 2020Est. completion: May 2021100 patients
Phase 3Terminated

Efficacy and Safety of FP-1201-lyo (Interferon Beta-1a) in Patients Having Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Start: Dec 2015Est. completion: May 2018301 patients
Phase 3Terminated
NCT01461889Colorado TherapeuticsTransfuse plasma to High INR target

INR-Triggered Transfusion In GI Bleeders From ER

Start: Jul 2011Est. completion: Aug 201550 patients
Phase 3Terminated

COVID-19 Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome With Veru-111

Start: Jun 2020Est. completion: Aug 202139 patients
Phase 2Completed
NCT03818854Oregon TherapeuticsHuman Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells For Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Start: Nov 2019Est. completion: Jun 2024120 patients
Phase 2Completed

Efficacy and Safety Study of HLCM051(MultiStem®) for Pneumonic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Start: Jan 2019Est. completion: Dec 202135 patients
Phase 2Completed
NCT02370095United TherapeuticsTreprostinil Inhalation Solution

Treprostinil Sodium Inhalation for Patients At High Risk for ARDS

Start: Feb 2015Est. completion: Nov 201714 patients
Phase 2Terminated

A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety of agenT-797 in COVID-19 Participants With ARDS

Start: Sep 2020Est. completion: Apr 202320 patients
Phase 1Completed
NCT03709199Angeles TherapeuticsVentilation Inhomogeneity

Long Term Follow up of Children Enrolled in the REDvent Study

Start: Oct 2018Est. completion: May 2026176 patients
N/AActive Not Recruiting

Ultra-protective Pulmonary Ventilation Supported by Low Flow ECCO2R for Severe ARDS

Start: May 2017Est. completion: May 20198 patients
N/ATerminated
NCT02732041Medica CorpAsynchrony During Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Asynchrony During Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Start: May 2016Est. completion: Feb 2019103 patients
N/ACompleted
NCT02342756Nihon KohdenTargeting transpulmonary pressure to avoid VILI

Esophageal Pressure-Guided Optimal PEEP/mPaw in CMV and HFOV: The EPOCH Study

Start: Jan 2015Est. completion: Dec 201720 patients
N/AUnknown

Related Jobs in Respiratory

Phase Legend

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

Key Insights

3 late-stage (Phase 3) programs, potential near-term approvals
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.