Qureight Urges Fibrosis Extent as Antifibrotic Trial Endpoint
A Viewpoint in the European Respiratory Journal argues that quantitative HRCT fibrosis measurement should be the principal structural imaging biomarker in antifibrotic trials.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Asthma
Qureight, an imaging company that provides imaging and precision endpoints for clinical trials, published a Viewpoint in the European Respiratory Journal titled "Fibrosis extent on HRCT: the principal structural imaging biomarker for antifibrotic trials." The article was authored by Qureight Chief Scientific Officer Dr Simon Walsh.
Why it matters
Forced vital capacity (FVC) remains the current registrational primary endpoint in antifibrotic trials, yet it is a downstream measure influenced by more than fibrosis alone. The Viewpoint argues that if these drugs are designed to slow scar tissue accumulation, trials should measure that scar tissue directly.
The Viewpoint contrasts fibrosis extent measured on quantitative high-resolution computed tomography with FVC, which is influenced by factors beyond fibrosis. Whether fibrosis extent can serve as a surrogate endpoint remains unresolved pending a more robust evidence base.
The players
Qureight
Qureight is an imaging company providing imaging and precision endpoints for clinical trials in lung and heart disease.
Dr Simon Walsh
Dr Simon Walsh is the Chief Scientific Officer of Qureight and the author of the Viewpoint.
The details
The Viewpoint argues that quantitative HRCT can reveal structural disease change that lung-function testing alone cannot capture. It calls for regulator-facing evidence that would allow fibrosis burden to be used consistently across antifibrotic trials.
Timeline
Viewpoint published online in the European Respiratory Journal early edition on 15 October 2026.
Qureight announced publication of the Viewpoint on 2 November 2026.
Roadmap
Antifibrotic trials have long relied on forced vital capacity as their registrational primary endpoint, a lung-function measure that captures overall respiratory status. The Viewpoint positions quantitative HRCT fibrosis measurement as a direct structural alternative that could better reflect how these drugs act on scar tissue.
Antifibrotic trials that adopt fibrosis extent as an endpoint could shape which treatments reach patients and how their progression is measured. Any change would depend on regulators accepting imaging-based endpoints beyond the current FVC standard.
The takeaway
Measuring scar tissue directly through quantitative imaging may offer a clearer view of whether antifibrotic drugs are working. Future trials may rely on structural evidence alongside lung-function tests.
Further reading
For related background, see the Asthma section on Wisevoter.
More information
Read the European Respiratory Journal fibrosis HRCT Viewpoint on the journal's publications site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News-Medical.
