Pirfenidone (INN, BAN) is an anti-fibrotic drug for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). It works by reducing lung fibrosis through downregulation of the production of growth factors and procollagens I and II.
It is a drug developed by several companies worldwide, including InterMune Inc. (now part of Roche), Shionogi Ltd., and GNI Group Ltd. In 2008, it was first approved in Japan for the treatment of IPF after clinical trials, under the trade name of Pirespa by Shionogi & Co. In October 2010, the Indian Company Cipla launched it as Pirfenex. In 2011, it was approved for use in Europe for IPF under the trade name Esbriet; it was approved in Canada in 2012 under the trade name Esbriet; and was approved in the United States in October 2014 under the same name. In September 2011, the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration provided GNI Group Ltd with new drug approval of pirfenidone in China, and later manufacture approval in 2013 under the trade name of Etuary.
In 2014 it was approved in Mexico under the name KitosCell LP, indicated for pulmonary fibrosis and liver fibrosis. There is also a topical form created for the treatment of abnormal wound healing processes.