Intravenous Immunoglobulin for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbations of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Exacerbations of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Intravenous Immunoglobulin for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbations of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (NCT07299695) is a Phase 3 interventional studying Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, sponsored by Argyrios Tzouvelekis. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

About This Trial

Acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) are sudden and severe worsening episodes that can be life-threatening. Currently, no treatment has been proven to clearly improve outcomes during these events. Inflammation and immune system imbalance are thought to play an important role in causing AE-IPF. Early clinical experience suggests that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can be beneficial for patients suffering from AE-IPF. This clinical trial aims to determine whether adding IVIG to usual treatment can improve outcomes for patients hospitalized with AE-IPF.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 3 trials confirm efficacy and safety in large patient groups (often 300–3,000+) and form the evidence base for an FDA approval submission. For Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Phase 3 studies typically randomize participants between the investigational treatment and either a placebo or current standard of care. A successful Phase 3 result is the threshold most treatments need to clear before regulatory approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 196 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Patients ≥ 18 years of age 2. Patients with IPF diagnosis that fulfils ATS/ERS Consensus Criteria. 3. Patients hospitalised with a definite or suspected AE-IPF diagnosis, as defined by the international working group criteria and as ascertained by the responsible Primary Investigator. The criteria of IPF-AE are as follows: - Previous or concurrent diagnosis of IPF - Acute worsening or development of dyspnoea typically \< 1 month duration - Computed tomography with new bilateral ground-glass opacity and/or consolidation superimposed on a background pattern consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia pattern - Deterioration not fully explained by cardiac failure or fluid overload Patients who fail to meet all 4 criteria due to missing computed tomography should be considered as having "suspected Acute Exacerbation". A) If the diagnosis of IPF is not previously established, this criterion can be met by the presence of radiologic and/or histopathologic changes consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on the current evaluation. B) If no previous computed tomography is available, the qualifier "new" can be dropped from the third AE-IPF criterion. 4. Patient able to understand and sign a written willing to sign a consent form form. In case of incapacity of the patient, the written willing to sign a consent form form will be signed by the patients' legally authorized representative. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: 1. Patients with acute worsening due to uncontrolled heart failure or pulmonary embolism. 2. Patients with known hypersensitivity to corticosteroids, IVIG or any component of the study treatment. 3. Patients with known IgA deficiency (IgA level \<7 mg/dL)- to preclude IVIG reactions. 4. Patients without a definite diagnosis of IPF or AE-IPF based on clinical, radiological, laboratory evaluation, and multidisciplinary discussion. ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Patients ≥ 18 years of age 2. Patients with IPF diagnosis that fulfils ATS/ERS Consensus Criteria. 3. Patients hospitalised with a definite or suspected AE-IPF diagnosis, as defined by the international working group criteria and as ascertained by the responsible Primary Investigator. The criteria of IPF-AE are as follows: * Previous or concurrent diagnosis of IPF * Acute worsening or development of dyspnoea typically \< 1 month duration * Computed tomography with new bilateral ground-glass opacity and/or consolidation superimposed on a background pattern consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia pattern * Deterioration not fully explained by cardiac failure or fluid overload Patients who fail to meet all 4 criteria due to missing computed tomography should be considered as having "suspected Acute Exacerbation". A) If the diagnosis of IPF is not previously established, this criterion can be met by the presence of radiologic and/or histopathologic changes consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on the current evaluation. B) If no previous computed tomography is available, the qualifier "new" can be dropped from the third AE-IPF criterion. 4. Patient able to understand and sign a written informed consent form. In case of incapacity of the patient, the written informed consent form will be signed by the patients' legally authorized representative. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients with acute worsening due to uncontrolled heart failure or pulmonary embolism. 2. Patients with known hypersensitivity to corticosteroids, IVIG or any component of the study treatment. 3. Patients with known IgA deficiency (IgA level \<7 mg/dL)- to preclude IVIG reactions. 4. Patients without a definite diagnosis of IPF or AE-IPF based on clinical, radiological, laboratory evaluation, and multidisciplinary discussion. 5. Patients with active malignancy or currently receiving cancer treatment, except for basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or low-risk prostate cancer (T1 or T2a stage with PSA \<10 ng/dL). These criteria are aligned with current guidelines. 6. Patients that have received treatment for \>14 days within the preceding month with \>20mg daily prednisone (or equivalent) or any treatment during the last month with immunosuppressants (e.g., cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate etc.) according to already published therapeutic protocols or \> 1 mg/kg/d from more than 7 days in the last 15 days. 7. Patients participating to another interventional clinical trial. 8. Patients with documented pregnancy or lactation. 9. Patients under tutorship or curatorship. 10. Patients deprived of liberty or under court protection. 11. Patients who refuse to participate or decline to provide written informed consent.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)

Total dose of 1 g/kg, divided over three consecutive days. The infusion will start at a rate of 0.5 mg/kg/hour for the first 15 minutes and, if no adverse reaction occurs, the rate will then be gradually increased step-wise as tolerated. Premedication with acetaminophen and levocetirizine. Usual treatment will be co-administered, as described.

DRUG

Usual treatment

1. Corticosteroids: A pulse regimen of IV methylprednisolone at 250 mg daily (days 1 to 3), with no additional corticosteroids thereafter. 2. Antibiotics: Empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics starting from the first 24 hours of hospitalization - respiratory quinolone and/or an antipseudomonal penicillin. Duration or escalation of antibiotics may be adjusted based on available antibiograms or treating physician's clinical judgment. 3. Anticoagulation: Prophylactic-dose anticoagulation - low molecular weight heparin or fondaparinux - throughout hospitalization. Patients with an established indication for therapeutic anticoagulation will be maintained on their therapeutic regimen. 4. Antifibrotic therapy: Antifibrotics (nintedanib, pirfenidone, or nerandomilast) will be continued during hospitalization if already prescribed and not contraindicated. No new antifibrotic treatment will be initiated during the study period.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital of Patras

Pátrai, Greece

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT07299695), the sponsor (Argyrios Tzouvelekis), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT07299695 clinical trial studying?

Who can participate in NCT07299695?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT07299695?

Contact information for this trial may be available directly on the ClinicalTrials.gov record. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar for the official source. Always discuss any potential trial with your doctor before contacting the study site.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT07299695. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT07299695. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.