COPD Foundation announces Patient-Focused Drug Development meeting for COPD
Event highlights need for people's lived experiences at forefront of research, treatment development, and regulatory decisions
Miami (August 4, 2026) - The COPD Foundation today announced plans for an Externally-Led Patient-Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meeting for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This meeting is modeled after the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) PFDD public meetings. Drug developers, FDA, and other stakeholders will be in attendance.
COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, affects more than 30 million Americans. It is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Despite important advances in care, many people with COPD still face ongoing symptoms not addressed by currently available treatments, which negatively impact quality of life and health outcomes.
The COPD EL-PFDD meeting will:
- Enhance understanding of how living with COPD impacts daily life experiences;
- Capture representative perspectives across the population on what matters most for improving their condition; and
- Inform therapy development and regulatory decision-making with insights on current care and treatment benefit needs.
"Scientific innovation has expanded the treatment landscape for COPD, but there remains a critical gap between what current therapies can achieve and what people living with the disease still experience every day," said Jean Wright, M.D., MBA, CEO of the COPD Foundation. "This initiative will help ensure that the experiences, priorities, and treatment goals of people living with COPD are heard by the FDA and incorporated into the future of therapeutic innovation. Our goal is simple: to help drive the development of treatments that improve not only lung function, but also quality of life, independence, and the ability to participate fully in everyday life."
The COPD EL-PFDD meeting is proposed for mid-2027 and will include a virtual element to ensure accessibility for all attendees. The Foundation will engage a wide array of COPD community stakeholders in support of this initiative.
Additional information about the COPD EL-PFDD meeting will be released at a later date.
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About the COPD Foundation
The COPD Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help millions of people live longer and healthier lives by advancing research, advocacy, and awareness to stop COPD, bronchiectasis, and NTM lung disease. The Foundation does this through scientific research, education, advocacy, and awareness to prevent disease, slow progression, and find a cure. For more information, visit copdfoundation.org, or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Contact:
Brittany Irish
805-465-2497
mediarelations@copdfoundation.org