October 20, 2026
Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis (APF) welcomes findings from an early trial of taladegib as another promising step in the search for more effective treatments for IPF.
The WHISTLE-PF trial results follow the announcement from the ALOFT-IPF trial of admilparant, which APF reported on last week.
The WHISTLE-PF trial tested taladegib against a placebo, a treatment containing no active medicine, over 24 weeks. It involved 213 people with IPF across 14 countries including the UK. Most participants also continued their existing antifibrotic treatment.
The results showed that people receiving taladegib experienced improved lung function compared with placebo, meeting the trial's main goal. Lung scans also showed improvements in measures of scarring and lung capacity.
WHISTLE-PF was a phase 2b trial. This type of trial helps researchers understand how well a medicine might work, assess side effects and investigate different doses. They come before the larger, longer phase 3 trials usually needed to confirm how well a medicine works and how safe it is.
Why does this matter?
Current treatments can slow the loss of lung function, but they cannot stop or reverse IPF. Finding treatments that could improve lung function is therefore an important goal for research.
These findings are encouraging, but further research is needed to establish whether taladegib can provide lasting improvements for people living with IPF.
Only headline findings are available so far. Full results are needed to understand the size of the improvements, side effects and what they could mean for daily life.
The UK community helped make this research possible
Having enough people taking part in research is essential to finding better treatments. This trial could not have happened without the patients who took part in the UK and the doctors leading the research at UK hospitals.
APF supported the trial by providing guidance on potential UK research sites. This shows how charities, patients and clinical teams can help move research forward together.
Bradley Price, Director of Policy, Research and Involvement at APF, said:
“To see promising results from two trials in the space of a month gives us real reason for optimism. Further research is needed, particularly for taladegib, but this progress shows why continued investment in pulmonary fibrosis research matters.
We are proud to have helped support this trial in the UK. Above all, we thank the people who took part and the clinical teams who made it possible. Their contribution helps bring potential new treatments closer.”
What happens next?
These results are topline, and further details will be presented at a future medical meeting. It is likely this will lead to a larger phase 3 trial.
Taladegib is not an approved treatment for IPF. Further trials, regulatory approval and NHS assessment and access decisions would still be needed before it could become routinely available. There is no confirmed date for this, and success at this stage does not guarantee eventual approval.
APF will follow the research closely and keep our community informed. We will continue to support research and champion timely, equitable access to effective new treatments.
You can help move research forward by supporting APF, sharing this story or finding out how to get involved in research.