Pirfenidone tablets in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a profile of their use

Pirfenidone (Esbriet(®)) is available as capsules containing 267 mg of pirfenidone and, more recently, as bioequivalent tablets containing 267, 534 or 801 mg of pirfenidone. Both formulations are indicated to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), with pirfenidone being shown to generally reduce the rate of decline in forced vital capacity in patients with mild to moderate IPF, while prolonging progression-free survival and reducing the risk of IPF-related and all-cause mortality. The availability of the tablet formulation reduces the daily pill burden of pirfenidone, as the recommended daily divided maintenance dose of 2403 mg/day may be administered as one 801 mg tablet three times daily instead of three 267 mg capsules three times daily. Pirfenidone is associated with gastrointestinal and skin-related events, with such events generally being manageable.