The COPD Foundation's COPD360Net Initiative Approach to Patient-Centric Drug Development: A Case Study in Using Patient Surveys to Inform New Treatments for Viral Respiratory Infections

Abstract

Patient-centric drug development is crucial to creating treatments that address unmet patient needs but is often ignored. The COPD Foundation's COPD360Net ® includes a multistakeholder approach for operationalizing patient-centric development of treatments where patients, caregivers, scientists, and clinicians review opportunities based on scientific merit, potential to address an unmet need, and feasibility of adoption. COPD360Net deploys large-scale online community surveys to review profiles of potential therapies based on those criteria. This approach was implemented to inform the development of an intranasal spray to prevent viral respiratory infections (VRIs), a major cause of exacerbations in people with chronic lung diseases. Insights included: Of the 376 respondents with COPD surveyed, frequent exacerbators reported strong interest in a new type of antiviral nasal spray to prevent VRI. Patient survey and advisory committee insights demonstrated that a pan antiviral nasal spray has potential high value to both clinicians and patients and informed the COPD360Net decision to partner on its development. Including patient perspectives from the outset can be conducted efficiently by mobilizing an engaged online patient community.