Franck Rahaghi
Executive Director of Cardiopulmonary, Global Medical Affairs United Therapeutics Corporation
Dr. Franck Rahaghi is Executive Director of Cardiopulmonary, Global Medical Affairs at United Therapeutics Corporation, bringing over 25 years of experience in pulmonary and critical care medicine. He previously led the Interstitial Lung Disease Program at Cleveland Clinic Florida and served as a clinical professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.
A recognised expert in pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension, Dr. Rahaghi has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and has consistently bridged clinical care, research, and education. Known for his strong commitment to patient-centred care, he has dedicated his career to improving outcomes for patients with complex lung diseases while advancing therapeutic development through global medical affairs leadership.
Seminars
- Presenting results from the Phase 3 TETON clinical program investigating nebulized treprostinil in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, including its impact on decline in forced vital capacity and overall disease progression
- Examining the biological and clinical rationale for targeting the prostacyclin pathway in fibrotic lung disease, building on signals observed in patients with IPF in the INCREASE study
- Discussing the implications of the TETON findings for the future treatment paradigm in IPF, including the role inhaled therapies may play alongside existing antifibrotics and in combination strategies
- Comparing commonly used IPF patient-reported outcome measures, including ERS-IPF, K-BILD, cough-specific instruments, and Living with IPF to understand their strengths, limitations, and clinical relevance
- Exploring why PRO use varies across trials, including regulatory expectations, endpoint selection, and differences in therapeutic mechanisms
- Discussing whether the field should move toward standardized PRO frameworks to better capture symptoms such as cough, breathlessness, fatigue, and overall quality of life
The past year has been transformative for IPF, with new therapies, emerging mechanisms, and evolving patient management strategies reshaping the landscape. This panel will provide a strategic, forward-looking overview of how the field has progressed and what the next 12-18 months may hold. Panellists will discuss the expanding pathophysiology of IPF, emerging classifications of therapies, and implications for patient care, clinical development strategy, and communication with stakeholders.
Key Discussion Points:
- How newly approved therapies and emerging candidates are expected to influence IPF treatment and clinical and research priorities in the next 12–18 months.
- Exploring the practical impact of emerging terminology, anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, de-differentiation, fibrolysis, and how these distinctions may shape patient and clinician preferences
- Approaches for ordering, timing, and combining therapies in a multi-drug era, balancing efficacy, safety, and operational feasibility.
- Identifying opportunities, challenges, and areas for collaboration to ensure trials and programs remain aligned with evolving clinical practice
- Understanding the real-world challenges associated with current antifibrotic therapies, including gastrointestinal side effects, tolerability issues, and the high annual discontinuation rates seen in clinical practice
- Exploring strategies to improve treatment adherence and quality of life through supportive care, dose optimization, and multidisciplinary management approaches
- Discussing how future therapies and trial designs may reduce treatment burden while maintaining clinical benefit for patients living with IPF
