Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) conveys a median survival of 3 years and 
until recently has lacked effective therapies. Nintedanib, an orally available, 
small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor with selectivity for vascular 
endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and 
fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors has recently been shown, in two pivotal 
phase III studies, to effectively slow IPF disease progression. Consequently, 
nintedanib was given accelerated approval by the FDA in October 2014 for the 
treatment of IPF. This monograph explores the preclinical rationale for the 
antifibrotic role of nintedanib and provides an overview of the available data 
on pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety.