Novel Approaches for the Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis with Emphasis on the Role of Galectin-3 Inhibitors as a Potential Therapeutic Approach.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease affecting the lungs and the respiratory system that carries along a high fatality rate with no specific therapeutic approaches, making it a disorder sometimes termed as incurable. There have been various researches elaborating on the potential treatment and formulation approaches. Therapeutically effective drugs, new molecules, potential drug targets and novel delivery approaches have been identified. Recent findings suggest galectin-3 as a potential target to alleviate the condition by inhibition of the lectin. Certain molecules of galectin-3 have been discovered as promising therapeutic agents. These drug molecules have been administered either orally or through inhalation, and as of now, there is no candidate in the market to pose as a treatment for pulmonary fibrosis. There is a wide window to research and find novel dosage forms for the drug molecules to be presented as an efficacious and tolerable drug therapy against pulmonary fibrosis.