Ep206: Lyn Baranowski on Inhalable Medicines for Severe Lung Diseases

Developing inhalable treatments for rare, severe lung diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) offers a path to improve patient outcomes where oral therapies fail. Avalyn Pharma reformulates existing oral drugs into inhalable versions, delivering medication directly to the lungs to minimize systemic side effects and enhance patient adherence. Current oral treatments for IPF are often poorly tolerated, causing significant gastrointestinal issues that lead many patients to cycle off therapy. By utilizing a handheld nebulizer, Avalyn achieves higher lung exposure at a fraction of the oral dose, potentially stabilizing lung function. CEO Lyn Baranowski emphasizes that this drug-device combination strategy creates a durable commercial moat, as the complexity of inhalable delivery presents significant barriers to generic competition. This approach addresses the needs of the 300,000 U.S. patients currently underserved by existing, difficult-to-tolerate medications.