We've engaged 15,000+ pulmonary fibrosis patients across our IPF programs, backed by an established advocacy network. Now we're bringing that same infrastructure to Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis (PPF).

PPF is a basket diagnosis most recruiters cannot screen for properly. Leapcure re-engages a warm pulmonary fibrosis patient database, activates an established PF advocacy network, and pre-screens across differential diagnoses so sites get patients ready to enroll.

Talk to our pulmonary teamSee how it works →
589
Patients assigned to sites
across 2 recent IPF programs
77
Enrollments delivered
across those programs
25+
PF advocacy partnerships
traditional orgs and grassroots communities
70%
Of opted-in sites enrolled
at least one Leapcure referral

Understanding Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis as a Clinical Trial Indication

Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is not a single disease. It is a pattern of worsening lung scarring that can arise from many underlying conditions, including connective-tissue-disease interstitial lung disease, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, unclassifiable ILD, and others. What unites them is a progressive fibrosing phenotype: despite management, lung function declines, symptoms worsen, and imaging shows advancing fibrosis. Because the label describes a trajectory rather than one diagnosis, PPF is often called a basket diagnosis.

That basket structure is exactly why PPF is a harder screening problem than a single-disease indication. Confirming PPF eligibility means screening across several underlying differentials at once, each with its own diagnostic pathway, rather than confirming one condition. The eligible population is smaller and more fragmented than IPF, it is spread across rheumatology, pulmonology, and ILD centers, and it requires physician education to identify correctly. Patients are frequently frail, older, and managing comorbidities and medications, and many weigh side effects and travel before agreeing to anything new.

Leapcure brings deep pulmonary fibrosis infrastructure to PPF. Across 2 recent IPF studies we engaged 15,000+ pulmonary fibrosis patients, assigned 589 to sites, and drove 77 enrollments. We built a 50+ site US pulmonary network, with 9 sites where 100% of enrollments came from Leapcure and a 70% site-level opt-in enrollment rate. Our pre-screening process was refined through direct one-on-one conversations with thousands of pulmonary fibrosis patients, covering medication concerns, dropout reasons, and travel and access barriers, which is exactly the kind of complexity a basket diagnosis demands. And we maintain an established PF advocacy network of 25+ partnerships and a warm patient database we can re-engage, so a PPF trial does not start from a cold outreach.

The Challenge

PPF recruitment is a screening problem before it is a reach problem. A basket diagnosis, a fragmented pool, and a frail population all have to be solved at once.

A basket diagnosis means screening across several differentials at once

PPF spans connective-tissue-disease ILD, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, unclassifiable ILD, and more. Confirming eligibility is not confirming one diagnosis, it is screening across all of them. Most recruiters screen for a single condition and miss eligible patients whose fibrosis reached the progressive phenotype through a different underlying disease.

Leapcure's pre-screening process was refined through direct one-on-one conversations with thousands of pulmonary fibrosis patients, built for exactly the differential-screening complexity a basket diagnosis requires.

The eligible pool is small and fragmented across specialties

PPF patients are fewer than IPF patients and are spread across rheumatology, pulmonology, and interstitial lung disease centers rather than concentrated in one clinic type. Reaching them takes an existing network and a warm database, not a cold campaign built from scratch for every study.

Leapcure built a 50+ site US pulmonary network and maintains a warm pulmonary fibrosis patient database and a 25+ partnership PF advocacy network that can be re-engaged immediately.

Identifying PPF correctly carries a physician-education burden

Because PPF is defined by trajectory, physicians must recognize the progressive fibrosing phenotype across different underlying diagnoses before a patient is ever referred. Recruitment that does not support that recognition leaves eligible patients unidentified in the community.

Across 2 recent IPF programs Leapcure engaged 15,000+ pulmonary fibrosis patients and assigned 589 to sites, working directly with patients and physicians to surface correctly identified candidates.

Patient frailty, comorbidity, and medication concerns suppress enrollment

PPF patients are often older, frail, and managing comorbidities and existing therapies. Decisions to join a trial hinge on side effects, travel, and whether the study feels worth the effort. Referrals that ignore these realities never screen.

Leapcure's one-on-one patient conversations surfaced real dropout reasons, medication concerns such as Ofev and Esbriet comparisons, and travel and access barriers, and fed them back into pre-screening so referrals arrive prepared. 70% of opted-in sites enrolled at least one Leapcure referral.

Three steps. One strategy built for your PPF trial.

Leapcure applies its pulmonary fibrosis infrastructure to your protocol, starting warm rather than cold and screening for the full basket of PPF differentials.

1

Reconnect with our existing PF patient database and activate our advocacy network

We re-engage previously screened, seemingly-qualifying pulmonary fibrosis patients from our warm database and activate an established PF advocacy network of 25+ partnerships spanning traditional organizations and grassroots communities. Your PPF trial starts from existing relationships rather than a cold outreach.

2

Actively pre-screen and educate patients across differential diagnoses

PPF eligibility spans multiple underlying diseases, so we pre-screen across those differentials, not one diagnosis. Our process, refined through thousands of one-on-one pulmonary fibrosis patient conversations, educates patients, addresses medication and travel concerns, and confirms the progressive fibrosing phenotype before a patient reaches a site.

3

Match patients to sites by location and capacity

We assign screen-ready patients to the right site by geography and capacity across our 50+ site US pulmonary network, then track referral quality and site performance continuously and rebalance as sites engage.

2 recent IPF programs: 15,000+ patients engaged, 589 assigned to sites, 77 enrolled.

Challenge Context

Experience

2 recent idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis programs, the closest adjacent indication to PPF.

Sponsor

Leading Pulmonary Sponsor, IPF Program (no study named)

Challenge

A small, fragmented pulmonary fibrosis population spread across specialties, a frail and often oxygen-dependent patient profile, medication and travel barriers, and the need to pre-screen carefully rather than push volume.

Channels Deployed

Warm patient database re-engagement, an established 25+ partnership PF advocacy network, active pre-screening across differentials, a 50+ site US network, and answer-engine visibility.

Results & Metrics

Patients Engaged and Assigned

15,000+ pulmonary fibrosis patients engaged and 589 assigned to sites across 2 recent IPF programs.

Enrollments Delivered

77 enrollments delivered across those programs.

Site Network

50+ site US pulmonary network, with 9 sites where 100% of enrollments came from Leapcure.

Site-Level Opt-In

70% site-level opt-in enrollment rate, with 70% of opted-in sites enrolling at least one Leapcure referral.

Sponsor Attribution

Leading Pulmonary Sponsor, IPF Program

Four capabilities. Built in IPF. Ready for PPF.

Leapcure reaches and qualifies PPF patients through a warm patient database, active differential pre-screening, an established PF advocacy and site network, and answer-engine visibility delivered to your trial.

Warm Patient Database and Re-Engagement

  • •We have run pre-registry campaigns in pulmonary fibrosis before this program and maintain a warm patient database.
  • •We can re-engage previously screened, seemingly-qualifying patients immediately, rather than starting outreach from zero.
  • •Starting warm shortens time to first screen-ready referral on a PPF study.

Active Pre-Screening Across Differential Diagnoses

  • •PPF eligibility spans multiple underlying diseases, so we pre-screen across differentials rather than one diagnosis.
  • •Our process was refined through direct one-on-one conversations with thousands of pulmonary fibrosis patients, covering medication concerns, dropout reasons, and travel and access barriers.
  • •Sites conduct official screening. We make sure the patients who arrive are informed, eligible, and prepared.

Established PF Advocacy and Site Network

  • •An established pulmonary fibrosis advocacy network of 25+ partnerships spans traditional advocacy organizations and grassroots patient communities.
  • •A 50+ site US pulmonary network, including 9 sites where 100% of enrollments came from Leapcure, gives your study geographic coverage from day one.
  • •Advocacy on this page is reported as a proof count rather than a logo grid, so every relationship behind it is real and active.

Answer-Engine and AI-Search Visibility

  • •Pulmonary fibrosis patients increasingly ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overview which trials they may be eligible for. We make your trial's information genuinely retrievable for those engines.
  • •We do this with crawlable, factually rich content, cited sources, and presence in the advocacy and community sources AI engines actually cite, not schema tricks or content written for machines.
  • •This puts your PPF study where high-intent patients are already searching.

Living with progressive pulmonary fibrosis? A clinical trial may be an option.

If you are living with progressive pulmonary fibrosis, a clinical trial may give you access to investigational treatments that are not yet widely available. We know PPF can come from several underlying conditions and that travel, medications, and energy all factor into any decision. Leapcure's team offers step-by-step support, answers your questions, and includes your family or caregivers wherever that helps.

See if a PPF trial may be right for you
Leapcure kangaroo mascot

Leapcure engaged 15,000+ pulmonary fibrosis patients across 2 recent IPF programs, assigned 589 to sites, drove 77 enrollments, and built a 50+ site US pulmonary network backed by a 25+ partnership advocacy network and a warm patient database. We apply that infrastructure directly to progressive pulmonary fibrosis, screening across the full basket of differentials. Talk to our pulmonary team about your active or upcoming PPF study.

Talk to our pulmonary team