Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)-associated cough significantly impairs quality of life, yet effective treatment options remain limited. Nalbuphine extended release (ER), a κ-opioid receptor agonist and μ-opioid receptor antagonist, has emerged as a potential therapeutic option for refractory cough in this population. To address this unmet need, a study evaluated whether nalbuphine ER reduces cough compared with placebo among 223 patients with IPF-associated cough.
The study found that nalbuphine ER significantly reduced cough frequency in patients with IPF-associated cough compared with placebo. At week 6, objective cough counts decreased by 47.9%, 53.4%, and 60.2% with nalbuphine ER 27 mg, 54 mg, and 108 mg twice daily, respectively, versus 16.9% with placebo. Patient-reported cough frequency also improved, with reductions of 31.4%, 40.6%, and 40.2% across the three dose groups,…
