Exploitation of Novel Molecular Targets to Treat Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Drug Discovery Perspective.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common fibrosing lung disease and is caused by excessive lung scarring. IPF-associated severe mortality can be attributed to late diagnosis due to its generic symptoms, and more importantly due to the lack of effective therapies available. Despite extensive research in the past decades, lung transplant still remains the most effective treatment for IPF.