Pulmonx announced US FDA approval of its Zephyr endobronchial valve system for treating severe emphysema patients. This makes it the first minimally invasive device to be approved in the US for treating severe emphysema, a severe form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a widespread, progressive lung disease for which pulmonologists in the US have had few new treatment options available outside the standard pharmacological therapies, lung rehabilitation and high-risk lung volume reduction surgery. Now emerging technologies, in particular, endobronchial valves, which aim to shrink hyperinflated lungs in severe emphysema patients, could soon become the first minimally invasive treatment option available in the US. New study results, presented at this year's annual American Thoracic Society International Conference in San Diego, helped built momentum among US-based clinicians to extend upon their therapeutic arsenal for patients for devices that have already been widely used in Europe. This article discusses study findings presented at ATS, including a new cost-comparison analysis for treating COPD patients at home using non-invasive ventilation and oxygen therapy. We'll also discuss the latest innovative technologies for COPD patients presented at ATS and provide insights from leading experts on factors they think will drive treatment options forward.

A PMA for the PneumRx ELEVAIR endobronchial coil system will be considered by a US FDA advisory panel in June, but there will likely be some questions about the data.

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is now recommending insertion of endobronchial valves used to treat severe emphysema, and the Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee that wrote the recommendations points out that most of the support for this procedure comes from trials of Pulmonx' Zephyr "duckbill" endobronchial valve.