Insmed Funds Expansion of COPD Foundation Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 14, 2017 – The COPD Foundation announced today a grant award from Insmed, Inc. to expand the Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry. The Registry is a consolidated database of non-cystic fibrosis Bronchiectasis (NCFB) and/or Nontuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) patients from multiple clinical institutions across the United States. The goal of the Registry is to support collaborative research and assist in the planning of clinical trials for the treatment of non-CF Bronchiectasis and/or NTM lung disease. Expansion plans include enrollment of 1,200 new patients into the Registry and the addition of at least two new Consortium sites.

“The COPD Foundation would like to thank Insmed for their continued support of the Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry. We are confident this support will help us progress our goal of supporting collaborative research and assisting with clinical trials that ultimately result in approved therapies for patients with NTM, with or without Bronchiectasis,” said Craig Kephart, Chief Executive Officer at the COPD Foundation.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) is a naturally occurring environmental bacterium that causes chronic lung infections and progressive lung deterioration. NTM lung disease affects tens of thousands of individuals in the U.S., with rates of infection on the rise. Individuals with NTM lung disease often also have Bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis is a severe lung disease characterized by the permanent widening of the small airways, causing collection of mucus and recurring infections.

“We are proud to be a founding supporter of the expansion of the COPD Foundation’s Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry. Insmed is dedicated to raising awareness of NTM, and data from the Registry will have an impactful influence on our understanding of the natural course of the disease and will further clinical research efforts needed to identify new approaches to treatment,” said Will Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Insmed, Inc.

The COPD Foundation has been dedicated to the needs of the NCFB and NTM community since 2008 when the COPD Foundation’s Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry was initiated to address the critical, but unmet needs of the non-cystic fibrosis Bronchiectasis (NCFB) community. The COPD Foundation’s Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry was developed by The COPD Foundation in collaboration with a consortium of physicians from academic medical centers across the U.S. A primary goal of the Registry is to accelerate research and improve therapies for NCFB and NTM patients.