The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the medicine nerandomilast (jascayd) to treat adults with a lung disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis (PPF).

IPF and PPF are conditions where the lung tissue becomes scarred over time and as a result breathing becomes increasingly difficult.

The active ingredient, nerandomilast, helps to regulate the immune system and reduces tissue scarring on the lungs.

The medicine can only be obtained with a prescription and should be taken exactly as a doctor or pharmacist has prescribed. The recommended dose is an 18 mg tablet taken orally twice a day.

Julian Beach, Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access, MHRA, said, “Nerandomilast provides a new treatment option for adults with IPF and PPF.?This approval reflects the MHRA’s commitment to ensuring patients can access safe and effective medicines where there is an unmet clinical need.? As?with any medicine, the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of nerandomilast under close review.”

The most common side effects of nerandomilast, which may affect more than 1 in 10 people, are diarrhea and weight loss.