Syndax's axatilimab misses its goal in Phase 2 IPF trial; development halted

What's the deal? On 12 October 2026, Syndax Pharmaceuticals reported that the MAXPIRe Phase 2 trial of axatilimab in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) did not meet its primary endpoint: the annualised rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), a measure of how much air a patient's lungs can hold. The trial enrolled 145 patients with IPF, a progressive lung disease in which lung tissue scars and stiffens, across 62 sites in 14 countries. No new safety signals emerged beyond those seen in earlier studies of the drug. Because of the miss, Syndax does not plan to take axatilimab further in IPF.

Why it matters: Axatilimab is a monoclonal antibody that targets CSF-1R, a protein that drives the activity of certain immune cells implicated in fibrosis (scarring of tissues). It is already approved for chronic graft-versus-host disease, another condition caused by errant immune activity. The company stressed that the IPF result does not affect its ongoing trials of axatilimab in other potential indications. The failure is a notable setback in the search for new IPF treatments, an area where several experimental drugs have struggled to show a meaningful effect on lung function.

Read more: GlobeNewswire, 12 October 2026