5 Pulmonology Headlines You Missed in December 2025

Pulmonology news in December 2025 closed the year with landmark regulatory advances that expanded treatment options for historically underserved respiratory diseases. FDA approvals of nerandomilast for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis—the first new idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) therapy in more than a decade—and depemokimab-ulaa for severe eosinophilic asthma highlighted parallel progress toward disease modification and reduced treatment burden, supported by robust phase 3 data demonstrating meaningful clinical benefit with favorable safety profiles.

Alongside these approvals, late-year data and expert commentary reinforced a broader shift toward precision, trait-based respiratory care. New evidence showing pulmonary rehabilitation can reduce type 2 airway inflammation in select asthma populations complemented discussions on biomarker-driven management across asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), while persistent gaps in COPD and lung cancer screening underscored that translating innovation into improved outcomes will also require better implementation of existing, evidence-based tools.

Check out this December 2025 pulmonology month in review for a recap of HCPLive’s coverage of the top news and research from the past few weeks:

1. Nerandomilast Nets First New FDA Approval for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Over 10 Years

The FDA has approved nerandomilast 9 mg and 18 mg (Jascayd; Boehringer Ingelheim) for adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, marking the first new IPF therapy approved in more than a decade. The decision was supported by phase 3 FIBRONEER-IPF data showing significantly reduced decline in forced vital capacity versus placebo, with a generally well-tolerated safety profile.

2. FDA Approves Depemokimab-ulaa (Exdensur) for Severe Asthma

The FDA has approved GSK’s depemokimab-ulaa (Exdensur) as an add-on maintenance therapy for severe eosinophilic asthma in patients aged 12 years and older, introducing the first ultra–long-acting biologic in this space with twice-yearly dosing. The approval was supported by data from the phase 3 SWIFT-1 and SWIFT-2 trials demonstrating significant reductions inannualized asthma exacerbations compared with placebo while maintaining a safety profile comparable to standard of care.

3. Pulmonary Rehabilitation Reduces Type 2 Inflammation in High Inflammation Asthma

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) was shown to meaningfully reduce airway inflammation in people with asthma who began treatment with elevated FeNO, with the high-FeNO group experiencing a 40% drop in levels during the 3-week program. Improvements in asthma control and exercise capacity occurred across all baseline FeNO categories, but the anti-inflammatory effect was exclusive to those with high initial FeNO.
4. Rewriting Airway Disease With Trait-Based Care: 2025’s Convergence of Asthma and COPD Management

In this HCPLive expert discussion moderated by Joseph Khabbaza, MD, clinicians examine how the FDA approval of mepolizumab for eosinophilic COPD could mark a turning point in a field long limited to symptom-focused therapies. Drawing on phase 3 MATINEE data, the panel highlights its potential to reduce exacerbations, limit systemic steroid exposure, and usher COPD care toward a more asthma-like, biomarker-driven precision model.

5. Getting Through the Door: How COPD, Lung Cancer Screening Remains Minimal

Despite well-established screening tools and expanded eligibility criteria, COPD and lung cancer remain profoundly underdiagnosed in the US, with most patients still identified at advanced stages when survival benefits are limited. Experts point to systemic access gaps, clinician hesitation, and persistent disease stigma as key barriers, underscoring that improving outcomes in 2026 will depend less on new technology than on using the tools already proven to work.