SFDA registers Jascayd for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
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A new medicine for a rare lung disease has been cleared for use in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has registered Jascayd, whose active ingredient is nerandomilast, for adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The drug had already been given orphan drug status under the authority’s program for rare conditions.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive illness in which scar tissue keeps building up in the lungs and takes the place of healthy tissue, bringing breathlessness and a cough that does not go away. Jascayd works by blocking an enzyme, PDE4B, that is linked to scarring and inflammation in the lungs.
The authority said it approved the drug after reviewing its effectiveness, safety, and quality. In the main trial, 1,177 patients took one of two doses or a placebo for a year. Lung capacity, measured as forced vital capacity, fell by 115 mL on the higher dose and 139 mL on the lower dose, against 184 mL on placebo. The most common side effects reported were diarrhea, nausea, weight loss, reduced appetite, and back pain.
The authority stresses that the medicine is to be used under medical supervision and according to its approved product information. Patients should talk to their own doctor before any change in treatment.
Source. Saudi Gazette, 4 October 2026
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