Chiesi USA AIR vice president discusses climate change, advancements in respiratory care

Key takeaways:

• Chiesi USA’s AIR franchise specifically focuses on developing products and services for patients with respiratory diseases.
• The company hopes to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.

One of the biggest issues particularly impacting patients with respiratory diseases is climate change.

A recent paper published in Frontiers in Science demonstrated that multiple outcomes of climate change contribute to asthma development and worsening. Further, increased air pollution is a result of climate change, and exposure to air pollutants at high levels has been found to contribute to interstitial lung disease incidence, acute exacerbations and death.

Considering the impacts of climate change on respiratory health, Chiesi USA’s AIR franchise is developing products and services for patients with respiratory diseases with a dedication to environmental sustainability.

Healio spoke with Richard Smith, vice president and business unit leader of U.S. AIR at Chiesi, to learn more about climate change, advancements in respiratory care and upcoming products from the company.

Healio: Could you explain why climate change is a major and current issue for patients with respiratory diseases?

Smith: Lung health is directly affected by the quality of air we breathe. As a warming climate worsens air pollution, disrupts habitats and spawns wildfires and droughts, people will face new onsets and exacerbated symptoms of asthma, allergies, COPD and bronchitis.

Further, patients with respiratory diseases often experience health disparities due to the varied frequency of risk factors across demographic groups.

One of the best ways to protect the health of all people is to reduce air pollution from sources such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter (soot). Mounting research shows these fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, triggering asthma attacks, heart attacks and early death.

As a sustainable pharmaceutical company with a B Corp-certification, Chiesi is invested in the health of the people and planet. We have set ambitious goals, such as reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. We’re also actively working to minimize the environmental impacts of our products, operations and supply chain.

Healio: What are some general trends in respiratory diseases?

Smith: According to the WHO, some of the most common respiratory diseases are asthma, COPD, occupational lung diseases and pulmonary hypertension. Tobacco smoke is a key risk factor in many of these diseases. However, other risk factors include air pollution, occupational chemicals and dusts, and frequent lower respiratory infections during childhood.

Chronic respiratory diseases are not curable. However, various forms of treatment may improve shortness of breath, help control symptoms and increase the quality of life for people with respiratory diseases.

Healio: How has respiratory care advanced over the last few years? What are some recent advancements in this type of care?

Smith: Thankfully, we’re seeing a trend of continued innovation in respiratory care that is giving patients and providers more options to help manage their disease, as new products come to market and older ones become generic. A recent focus on affordability, with announcements from major manufacturers and discussions in the government, will hopefully drive additional access and better outcomes for patients.

Technology and AI are significantly changing the field of health care, including respiratory. Digital technologies and interventions, collectively “e-health,” may improve the quality of care and the adherence to therapy, as well as allow for early detection of worsening in chronic pulmonary diseases, according to a review article published in Pulmonary Therapy.

There is also increased awareness that environmental factors (other than tobacco smoking) may contribute to COPD and that the disease may start earlier in life and affect younger individuals. According to the 2024 GOLD report, this provides new opportunity for prevention, early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic interventions.

Additionally, as noted in the most recent 2023 GINA update, there is a need to increase awareness of the preventable morbidity associated with asthma, despite the existence of highly effective controller treatments, and to increase efforts to ensure that environmentally friendly inhaled medications are made available in all countries. This is an area where pharmaceutical companies and policymakers can make an impact.

Healio: What is your background in providing products and services related to breathing? How do you plan to build on this experience as vice president of U.S. AIR?

Smith: Over the last 25-plus years, I’ve cultivated my career in building world-class commercial organizations at pharmaceutical companies large and small. I developed expertise in a variety of areas through my previous roles, including dermatology and thrombosis, allergy and immunology, and pulmonology.

Although each therapeutic area is different, I believe there is a common theme of partnering with the real heroes of health care — health care providers — to help patients achieve better health outcomes. This means enhancing the commercial availability of proven, innovative new medicines and devices, ensuring access to these new medicines and examining aspects of whole human health to improve the quality of life for patients, their families and their communities.

I’ve brought this approach to each of my experiences and intend to do the same as vice president of U.S. AIR at Chiesi USA. Putting patients who are affected by respiratory disease at the center of what we do is fundamental to our Chiesi AIR strategy.

Healio: What respiratory diseases is Chiesi USA studying/developing products for? How are upcoming products expected to impact these patients?

Smith: Our well-rounded pipeline will initially address asthma and COPD, and the advancement of our low global warming potential (GWP) pressurized metered-dose inhaler (PMDI) that will reduce its carbon footprint by up to 90%. Earlier this month, Chiesi Group announced the initiation of a new phase 3 long-term safety trial of these inhalers.

Chiesi USA’s development pipeline consists of new molecular entities and continues to make significant progress. Our programs include innovative anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator and antifibrotic molecules.

To develop better medicines that treat respiratory diseases, we continue to discover new active ingredients, create new formulations and build new devices to deliver drugs more efficiently and with a reduced impact on the environment.

As a privately owned company, we have the flexibility to adapt our U.S. respiratory business practices to prioritize shared value, where we create sustainability and long-term prosperity for our business and other stakeholders in respiratory disease.

Chiesi USA AIR brings a fresh perspective to the U.S. respiratory landscape that is informed by nearly a century of our company’s global pharmaceutical leadership. In fact, Chiesi Group has made and launched leading medicines for respiratory diseases for the last 40 years.

Healio: What are your goals as vice president? How do these go hand in hand with helping patients with respiratory diseases?

Smith: The Chiesi USA AIR franchise launch is not just a moment, but a significant milestone that can genuinely put Chiesi USA on the map. Our future consists not just of products but the catalyst for a journey that will elevate us as a company that excels in doing good and doing well.

To realize that future, one of my top priorities in this role is partnering strategically with the respiratory community to drive better outcomes for patients, who need more and better options to breathe well. I’m also focused on recruiting new team members who live Chiesi’s values and bring deep and broad experience in respiratory and product launches, so we can deliver on our performance commitments and continue investing in our ability to do good.

References:

• Chiesi carbon minimal inhalers reach new milestone with clinical phase III initiation. https://www.chiesi.com/en/carbon-minimal-inhalers-milestone/. Published March 4, 2024. Accessed May 7, 2024.
• Chiesi USA appoints Richard Smith as vice president and business unit leader, U.S. AIR. https://www.chiesiusa.com/news-details.php?guid=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/04/15/2862720/0/en/Chiesi-USA-Appoints-Richard-Smith-as-Vice-President-and-Business-Unit-Leader-U-S-AIR.html#. Published April 15, 2024. Accessed April 16, 2024.
• Honkoop P, et al. Pulm Ther. 2022;doi:10.1007/s41030-022-00191-y.