Anti-fibrotic agent

An anti-fibrotic agent is a therapeutic class of drugs designed to inhibit or reverse the pathological process of fibrosis, which is characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components like collagen in tissues [3][5]. Fibrosis occurs as a maladaptive response to chronic tissue injury or inflammation and is a defining feature of life-threatening conditions like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), liver cirrhosis, and systemic sclerosis [1][12]. These agents typically target key molecular drivers of fibrogenesis, including signaling molecules like transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), as well as their corresponding receptor tyrosine kinases [1][7]. By blocking the activation and differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, anti-fibrotic agents reduce the synthesis of structural proteins and aim to preserve organ architecture [12][14]. Clinically approved drugs such as nintedanib and pirfenidone have been shown to slow the decline of lung function in IPF patients, though they do not fully halt or reverse the disease [7][14]. Because 'Anti-fibrotic agent' describes a pharmacological category rather than a specific biological molecule, it is not considered a single molecular target [3].

Other names

Antifibrotic drugFibrosis inhibitorAnti-scarring agent

Anti-fibrotic agents function by inhibiting pro-fibrotic signaling cascades (primarily TGF-beta, PDGF, and FGF pathways), blocking the differentiation of fibroblasts into contractile myofibroblasts, and reducing the secretion of collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins [1][7][12].