Roche Group subsidiary Genentech has received approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Esbriet (pirfenidone) drug to treat patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Esbriet is an oral medicine believed to interfere with the production of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta, a small protein in the body involved in the growth of cells and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, a small protein involved in inflammation.

Genentech chief medical officer Sandra Horning said: "This is a historic day for the people and their families in the United States who live with this deadly, incurable disease."

"With today's approval of Esbriet in the US, people with IPF finally have an FDA-approved medicine that may slow the worsening of the disease."

Roche Group subsidiary Genentech has received approval from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Esbriet (pirfenidone) drug to treat patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Esbriet is an oral medicine believed to interfere with the production of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta, a small protein in the body involved in the growth of cells and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, a small protein involved in inflammation.

Genentech chief medical officer Sandra Horning said: "This is a historic day for the people and their families in the United States who live with this deadly, incurable disease."

"With today's approval of Esbriet in the US, people with IPF finally have an FDA-approved medicine that may slow the worsening of the disease."