Bronchiectasis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases of the airways globally and is caused by multiple pulmonary, as well as systemic, diseases, necessitating treatment that goes well beyond a “one-size-fits-all” model.

Despite the complexities of managing and treating bronchiectasis, recent research developments provide reasons for optimism. The FDA has set Aug. 12 as an action date for its review of brensocatib, which has the potential to be the first FDA-approved medication for bronchiectasis. If approved, the new drug could significantly alter the treatment landscape for bronchiectasis.

“Brensocatib is looking to address a phenotype of bronchiectasis that we haven’t really had an answer for,” explained Dan Belz, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at the John Hopkins School of Medicine. We often talk about endotypes/phenotypes of bronchiectasis where people can develop bronchiectasis for various reasons, and this would be the first medication to effectively address neutrophilic inflammation as a deleterious pathway that would contribute to bronchiectasis.”

These developments, and more, will be discussed extensively at the ATS 2025 International Conference, May 16-21 in San Francisco. The International Conference will feature timely discussions through scientific symposia, Meet the Expert Sessions, and abstract presentations examining the latest findings and best practices for treating bronchiectasis.

At 11:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, May 18, Dr. Belz will facilitate the wide-ranging abstract presentation session, “Latest Advances in Bronchiectasis, CF, and Respiratory Symptoms.” One of the presentations he highlighted will delve into the consequences of chronic coughs resulting from bronchiectasis and the deleterious effects it can have on patients’ quality of life.

“I think it speaks to an important component of care for patients with bronchiectasis because we are obviously trying to prevent exacerbations, preserve lung function, and focus on root causes, but there’s also the day-to-day quality of life of our patients and a lot of that can come down to these debilitating coughs,” Dr. Belz said.

The Meet the Expert session, “Bronchiectasis – More Than a Case of Chronic Cough,” starting at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 18, , will explore similar grounds, bridging knowledge gaps in managing patients with chronic cough from bronchiectasis and addressing targeted treatments towards the “vicious vortex” that lead to the progression of the disease. The session will follow the ATS PINE format, with experts focused on a challenging clinical case. Please note that pre-registration and a $100 admission fee are required to attend Meet the Expert sessions. Attendance is limited for this session format.

Another forward-looking Meet the Expert Session will use illustrative case studies to highlight the evaluation and treatment of patients with bronchiectasis, emphasizing guideline-based care and exploring new therapeutic modalities. “Bronchiectasis: Following the Updated Guidelines and Assessing New Therapeutics” will be held at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20. Incorporating up-to-date guidelines and treatment modalities will enable providers to effectively manage patients with a multimodality treatment approach for bronchiectasis.

Beginning at 2:15 p.m. on Monday, May 19, the scientific symposium, “Novel Management Strategies in Bronchiectasis” will examine the latest news and best practices in the management of bronchiectasis in 2025. The symposium will highlight topics such as the different clinical phenotypes in the public hospital sector, inflammation in bronchiectasis, and novel concepts related to the endotypes, phenotypes, and microbiomes related to the disease.

“I think we still have a lot to learn about the microbiome in bronchiectasis and the interplay between the normal bacterial that inhabit the upper airway, and to various extents, the lower airway as well, to understand what role they might be playing in bronchiectasis, especially when you have bacterial overgrowth in the lower respiratory tract,” Dr. Belz said. “The guidelines would have us give antibiotics a little bit sooner to these patients who have impaired mucociliary clearance, but we need to understand what we are doing to the microbiome when those are given.”

For the full listings of educational sessions, scientific symposia, Meet the Expert sessions, and abstract presentations at ATS 2025, visit https://ats2025.d365.events/.