Asthma is a common diagnosis. In fact, 27 million people in the United States have it. Even so, it still came as a surprise to Susan Hawkins-Walther 25 years ago when her pulmonologist informed her she suffered from it.

“I had never had asthma before,” Walther said.

However, on Dec. 31, 2021, after living with asthma for many years, a second diagnosis from her pulmonologist revealed that she was now dealing with something more complex — bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic pulmonary condition that causes a persistent cough and mucus buildup. It occurs when the airways that carry air in and out of your lungs are damaged, causing them to widen and become loose and scarred.

After the diagnosis, Walther, a retired special education instructor, kept detailed records of her symptoms and treatments. This included using a nebulizer, albuterol, liquid aztreonam, a compression ves,t and more. It was common for Walther to cough up sputum on average 10 to 12 times a day. That is until a trusted friend saw a clinical study ad on Facebook for a Boehringer Ingelheim-sponsored trial conducted at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.

“It was out of the blue; my friend happened to see an ad on Facebook and recommended it to me,” she said. “My pulmonologist and I did some research. I recall him saying, if it works it will help a lot of people.”

Months later, she said the trial is in fact helping her. The name of the trial is “A study to test whether different doses of BI 1291583 help people with bronchiectasis.” BI 1291583 is a new drug that specifically blocks a particular enzyme or protein called cathepsin C. The trial tests the study drug for safety, effectiveness, and side effects when compared with taking a placebo in subjects with bronchiectasis and seeks to discover the recommended dose of the study drug, BI 1291583, that can be used in future clinical research studies. Different doses of the study drug will be tested to see which dose has fewer undesirable side effects and is more effective in managing the condition.

The trial’s principal investigator is Mehdi Mirsaeidi, MD, a professor and associate chair of research and innovation at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. Mirsaeidi also serves as chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.

“This trial aimed to determine drug efficacy and safety in patients with bronchiectasis. Are their number of exacerbations or flare-ups decreasing? It’s not necessarily to cure them,” Mirsaeidi said. “Our department conducts critical research to improve the quality of life for our patients. We have 10 active clinical studies and our research over the last 15 years has been focused on disparities, especially in our minority communities. We want people to become more comfortable with research.”

Brandi Wells, a research coordinator, works closely with patients and has been seeing Walther once a month for check-ins and medication refills throughout the trial. From beginning to end, the trial lasts 56 weeks. Once Walther concludes this portion, she will move to another phase where she will continue treatment.

“It’s nice to see she’s improved so significantly,” Wells said. “Treatments she would depend on regularly have been used sparingly or are not necessary for her. Her pulmonologist, who is not a UF physician, is hoping she can stay on this drug because it’s making a difference in her health.”