Here is a polished English translation of the Chinese title: **Boehringer Ingelheim Partners with Multiple Stakeholders to Innovate Science Communication and Raise Public Awareness of Pulmonary Fibrosis**

“Break the ‘Honeycomb’ Breath: Pulmonary Fibrosis Care Initiative” Officially Launched

ShanghaiApril 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 25, 2026, the “Break the ‘Honeycomb’ Breath: Pulmonary Fibrosis Care Initiative” and the debut unveiling ceremony of the Giant Lung Installation Art Exhibition were officially launched at the Shanghai North Bund International Passenger Transport Center. This initiative, jointly initiated by Boehringer Ingelheim, CNR News of China Media Group, Tencent Medpedia, and patient organizations, brings together cross-sector forces to raise public awareness of pulmonary fibrosis through innovative science communication formats, supporting the “Healthy China 2030” and the “15th Five-Year Plan” goals of reducing chronic respiratory disease mortality and improving early screening and diagnosis.

Chen Wenhan, General Manager of Human Pharma Business, Boehringer Ingelheim Greater China, stated: “As a leading global biopharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim has deep R&D expertise and continuous innovation capabilities in the field of pulmonary fibrosis treatment. Over the past decade, we have consistently increased our scientific investment in pulmonary fibrosis, actively driving the development of innovative therapies, and striving to bring more valuable treatment options to patients. We also understand that innovative drugs are just one part of disease management; disease education is equally critical. In reality, many pulmonary fibrosis patients miss the optimal window for early diagnosis and treatment due to a lack of disease awareness—this is precisely the motivation behind our ‘Break the ‘Honeycomb’ Breath’ public welfare initiative. Going forward, Boehringer Ingelheim will continue to collaborate with all sectors of society, deepen our focus on respiratory health, persistently promote science communication and patient care for pulmonary fibrosis, and advocate for the public not to ignore every cough or delay every instance of shortness of breath, thereby advancing early screening and diagnosis to help every patient breathe freely.”

Pulmonary Fibrosis Has a Grim Prognosis: Over Half of Patients Die Within 5 Years of Diagnosis^[1][2][3][4]

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, irreversible, and fatal lung disease characterized by the gradual formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lung tissue, appearing as a “honeycomb” structure on imaging. A healthy lung should be like a soft, elastic sponge. As the disease progresses in pulmonary fibrosis patients, lung elasticity decreases, and gas exchange function is impaired. With disease advancement, patients experience a continuous decline in lung function and worsening dyspnea, severely threatening quality of life and survival prognosis^[5].

Based on etiology, pulmonary fibrosis is often categorized into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). IPF has an unknown cause, primarily affects individuals over 50, and is more common in men than women^[6]. Its mortality rate is even higher than that of several common cancers, including bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and cervical cancer¹². PPF can be secondary to connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis, and Sjögren’s syndrome, or caused by environmental exposures (e.g., asbestos, silica)^[7][8][9]. Over half of pulmonary fibrosis patients die within five years of diagnosis¹²³⁴, representing a severe disease burden.

Professor Song Yuanlin, Director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, stated:“The early symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are atypical, such as persistent dry cough and post-activity shortness of breath, which are often overlooked or misdiagnosed. The challenge in diagnosing and treating this disease lies in early detection and diagnosis. Standard chest X-rays are insufficient for detecting early-stage lesions, making high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest crucial for early diagnosis. Additionally, initiating antifibrotic therapy as early as possible, seizing the golden window for early intervention, and actively managing the disease course can effectively slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis and improve long-term patient outcomes. This public welfare initiative, by using innovative formats to disseminate disease knowledge and screening methods, can effectively enhance the public’s ability to recognize the disease, which holds significant practical importance for promoting early clinical diagnosis and treatment and improving patient survival outcomes.”

Innovative Science Communication Formats: Making the ‘Invisible Honeycomb Lung’ Seen and Understood

As a key component of this project, a Giant Lung Installation Art Exhibition, inspired by the ‘honeycomb lung’ design, debuted at the Shanghai North Bund. One side of the installation presents a soft, elastic healthy lung state, while the other side visually reproduces the pathological features of a pulmonary fibrosis patient’s lung—hardened, losing elasticity, and resembling a ‘honeycomb’—creating a powerful visual impact that helps the audience understand the disease’s severity, making the ‘invisible honeycomb lung’ a tangible visual experience. Additionally, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Care Initiative has enlisted public figures from the arts and sports communities as ‘Pulmonary Fibrosis Care Ambassadors’ and created a dedicated Tencent Medpedia pulmonary fibrosis science page. Through ‘offline experience’ and ‘online dissemination,’ this initiative allows pulmonary fibrosis science knowledge to transcend geographical and time constraints, reaching a broader audience, enabling more people to recognize pulmonary fibrosis and its dangers, pay attention to early disease signals, and encourage patients to actively seek correct, scientific, and professional help.

Chen Shun from the Cooperation and Development Department of the CORD (Chinese Organization for Rare Disorders), and Zheng Ai, Chairperson of the Purple Shell Public Welfare Service Center, participated in this care initiative as representatives of patient organizations. They stated: “Pulmonary fibrosis falls under the category of rare diseases, and patients with connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma are among the high-risk groups for pulmonary fibrosis. We deeply understand that the development of rare disease care relies on attention and support from all sectors of society, and awareness is the foundation of all support. This public welfare initiative brings pulmonary fibrosis, a ‘niche disease,’ into the public eye, not only bringing attention and warmth to the patient community but also exploring new pathways for rare disease science communication. At the same time, pulmonary fibrosis patients commonly face real-world challenges such as late diagnosis, heavy treatment burdens, and a lack of support for long-term disease management. We hope society will offer more understanding and attention to this group, enabling more pulmonary fibrosis patients to achieve early diagnosis, early treatment, and free breathing.”

From breaking cognitive barriers through innovative science communication formats to calling for multi-sector collaboration, the “Break the ‘Honeycomb’ Breath: Pulmonary Fibrosis Care Initiative” puts the concept of “Healthy China 2030” into practice.

Following this Shanghai event, the Giant Lung Installation Art Exhibition will also be held in Beijing this September, allowing more urban residents to focus on pulmonary fibrosis while experiencing the appeal of innovative science communication.