Boehringer Ingelheim is collaborating with the online patient community PatientsLikeMe on the rare lung condition idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

The partnership, announced to coincide with last week's Rare Diseases Day, will see Boehringer help enhance PatientsLikeMe's existing IPF community.

This will take the form of providing what PatientsLikeMe says will be a “customised experience” for its users that will allow them monitor their health and progress over time and connect with others to learn more about the condition.

PatientsLikeMe co-founder and president Ben Heywood said: “We are excited to partner with Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading pharmaceutical company, to support this patient initiative.

“Rare diseases are sometimes called 'orphan diseases' because they affect so few people, and don't attract significant research attention or funding. Our website is where patients count. They're contributing their real-world experience to help others living with IPF and advance research.”

In pulmonary fibrosis deep lung tissue becomes scarred over time, making it harder for the lungs to move oxygen into the bloodstream. Cases where the cause of the disease is unknown are called IPF, which has no known cause, treatment or cure.

IPF usually affects middle-aged and older adults and in the US an estimated 100,000 people have the condition.

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