Implantable Artificial Bronchus 50 Flex for adults with severe emphysema

A Two Center Trial of the Implantable Artificial Bronchus 50 Flex (IAB 50 Flex) in Patients With Severe Emphysema

This tests a small implant called the IAB 50 Flex to see if it is safe and helps adults with severe COPD or emphysema breathe and move more easily.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Ages: 22 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Pulmair Medical, Inc. (Industry-sponsored)
• Drugs / interventions: prednisone
• Locations: 2 sites (Limoges and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07086339 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The trial implants the IAB 50 Flex, an airway stent-like device, into the bronchi of adults with severe COPD/emphysema to try to reduce hyperinflation and improve symptoms. Participants are selected by lung function and CT criteria (FEV1 15–45% predicted, RV >175% predicted, mMRC ≥2, and ≥25% emphysema score on CT) and must meet other fitness and smoking-abstinence requirements. Procedures are performed at two hospital centers with follow-up to monitor safety and clinical outcomes such as exercise capacity and symptoms. The sponsor is Pulmair Medical and the study targets patients with homogeneous or heterogeneous emphysema patterns who meet the specified imaging and physiologic thresholds.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults with severe COPD or emphysema who are non-smokers for at least four months, have FEV1 between 15% and 45% predicted, RV >175% predicted, mMRC ≥2, 6-minute walk distance 100–400 m, BMI 18–32, and CT evidence of ≥25% emphysema in each lung are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, active smoking, or whose lung function or CT pattern falls outside the study criteria are unlikely to benefit from this device in the context of this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the device could reduce lung hyperinflation and improve breathing, exercise tolerance, and daily symptom burden for selected patients.

How similar studies have performed: Other bronchoscopic lung-volume-reduction approaches such as endobronchial valves and coils have shown mixed but sometimes meaningful benefits in carefully selected patients, while implantable bronchial devices like the IAB 50 Flex are less extensively studied.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Signed Informed Consent
2. Diagnosis of COPD/emphysema
3. At least 22-years of age
4. 18 ≤ BMI ≤ 32
5. 6-minute walk Distance of between 100 - and 400 meters
6. Stable disease with less than 10-mg prednisone (or equivalent) daily
7. Non-smoking for 4-months prior to screening interview (this includes tobacco, vaping, marijuana, etc.).
8. FEV1 between 15% and 45% of predicted value at baseline exam
9. FEV1/FVC \<70%
10. Subject has ≥25% emphysema destruction score in each lung defined by areas of low attenuation less than -950 HU, as determined by CT core lab.
11. Subject has homogeneous or heterogeneous emphysema, and at least one lung has a 15% difference between upper and lower lobes in emphysema destruction score less than -950 HU, as determined by CT core lab.
12. RV \> 175% of predicted value.
13. mMRC score ≥ 2

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Currently participating in another clinical study that involves surgery, interventional or pharmaceutical treatment
2. α-1 Antitrypsin deficiency
3. Women of child-bearing potential
4. More than 2 COPD exacerbation episodes requiring hospitalization in the last year prior to screening
5. Any COPD exacerbations requiring hospitalization within 6-weeks of planned intervention
6. Two or more instances of pneumonia episodes requiring hospitalization in the last year prior to screening
7. Clinically significant mucus production or chronic bronchitis
8. Myocardial Infarction or unstable / uncontrolled congestive heart failure within 6-months of screening
9. Prior lung transplant, LVRS, bullectomy, lobectomy or endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR)
10. Clinically significant bronchiectasis
11. Unable to safely discontinue anti-coagulants or platelet activity inhibitors for 7-days
12. Uncontrolled pulmonary hypertension (systolic pulmonary arterial pressure \>45 mm Hg) or evidence or history of cor pulmonale as determined by recent echocardiogram
13. Suspected malignant pulmonary nodule or other lung cancer
14. HRCT collected per CT scanning protocol within the last 6 months of screening date and evaluated by clinical site personnel using 3D segmentation software shows:

    * Large bullae encompassing greater than 30% of either lung
    * Insufficient landmarks to evaluate the CT study using the software as it is intended
    * All lobes are less than 25% parenchyma diseased (\< -950 HU).
15. Any cardiac comorbidity which the PI believes would compromise the safety of the patient after an IAB implant
16. TLC \< 100% predicted at screening
17. DLCO \< 15% or \> 50% of predicted value at screening
18. PaCO2 \> 50 mm Hg at screening
19. PaO2 \< 45 mm Hg in room air at screening
20. Plasma cotinine level \> 13.7 ng/ml or carboxyhemoglobin (arterial or ear lobe capillary) \>2.5% at screening.
21. Current diagnosis of substance abuse disorder.
22. Current diagnosis of any of the following: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder
23. Any other conditions, which, in the opinion of the Investigator, would make the patient unsuitable for inclusion, or could interfere with the patient participating in or completing the study.

Where this trial is running

Limoges and 1 other locations

• DUPUYTREN University Hospital — Limoges, France (Recruiting)
• University Medical Center Groningen — Groningen, Netherlands (Not_yet_recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: VP Clinical Operations

Conditions COPD; Emphysema; IAB; Pulmair Medical; Lung Volume Reduction; Interventional Pulmonology; Pulmonology; COPD treatment