Temple Lung Center at ATS 2026: Conference Recap
The American Thoracic Society's 2026 International Conference brought together leading voices in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine — and Temple Health was well represented. Faculty and fellows from the Temple Lung Center presented over 70 abstracts across a range of sessions in Orlando, Florida (May 15–20). Topics spanned COPD therapeutics, lung cancer screening and comorbidity detection, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in everyday clinical diagnostics.
Featured Presentations & Media Spotlights
Pegtarazimod (RLS-0071) Decreases Supplemental Oxygen Need in a Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept Trial in Hospitalized Participants with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
PRESENTER:
Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP
Director, Temple Lung Center
Chair and Professor, Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Data from this clinical trial demonstrated pegtarazimod, a dual-acting anti-inflammatory peptide, was safe and well-tolerated in patients with acute COPD exacerbations. Compared to patients receiving placebo, improvements in inflammatory biomarkers were observed, and a reduction in supplemental oxygen need was demonstrated.
Read Dr. Criner's interview with Healio »
Watch Dr. Criner’s interview with HCPLive »
Mepolizumab Reduces the Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations in a Wide Spectrum of Patients: Pooled Results from Phase III Randomized Controlled Trials
PRESENTER:
Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP
Director, Temple Lung Center
Chair and Professor, Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Pooled results from the METREX, METREO, and MATINEE trials showed mepolizumab — a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-5 — as an add-on to inhaled triple therapy significantly reduces the risk of exacerbations requiring hospitalization across a wide spectrum of COPD patients, with blood eosinophil counts starting from 150 cells/µL, compared with placebo.
Watch Dr. Criner discuss the findings in this HCPLive video interview »
Periconception Eosinophil Counts Predict Asthma Exacerbations During Pregnancy
PRESENTER:
Christian Cardillo, MD
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Elevated eosinophil counts near conception were found to be strongly and independently associated with increased asthma exacerbations during pregnancy. The findings may help identify high-risk patients and inform closer monitoring and preventive strategies, as asthma exacerbations during pregnancy are associated with increased maternal morbidity and may contribute to adverse perinatal outcomes.
Read Dr. Cardillo's interview with HCPLive »
Baseline 6-Minute Walk Testing Heart Rate Metrics Associated with Greater Hospital Utilization in Patients with Moderate-Severe COPD in the HiFlo Trial
PRESENTER:
Andrew Ho, MD
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Baseline 6-minute walk test heart rate metrics were associated with greater hospital utilization in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD enrolled in the HiFlo trial, which is investigating High Flow Nasal Therapy as a means of reducing exacerbations in COPD. The findings suggest 6-minute walk testing may help predict exacerbations and identify potential responders to therapy.
Learn more via this HCPLive interview with Dr. Ho »
Inhaled Treprostinil Significantly Preserves Lung Function in Adults with IPF: TETON-1 Phase 3 Trial
PRESENTER:
Parth M. Rali, MD, FCCP
Director, Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) Program, Temple University Health System
Chair, Anticoagulation Stewardship Committee, Temple University Health System
DESCRIPTION:
Dr. Rali, a site investigator of the TETON-1 study, provided expert perspective on the phase 3 trial results — simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine — which found inhaled treprostinil significantly preserved lung function in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
Survival After Lung Transplant Following SARD-ILD Exacerbation Differs by Race and Ethnicity
PRESENTER:
Annika Sundlof, MD
Internal Medicine Resident Physician, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
This study found disparities in age, transplant access, and survival in patients with interstitial lung disease related to systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD-ILD), suggesting broader inequities including diagnostic delays and barriers to outpatient care.
Higher Average Daily Corticosteroid Dose Associated with Shorter Hospitalization in Survivors of AE-SARD-ILD
PRESENTER:
Jamey Moore, DO
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Higher average daily corticosteroid dose was associated with shorter hospitalization time among survivors of acute exacerbation of SARD-ILD, and was overall higher in patients who remained transplant-free. This suggests steroid dosing intensity may influence short-term clinical outcomes and highlights the need for prospective studies to define optimal corticosteroid regimens in a population at high risk for morbidity and mortality.
Watch Dr. Moore discuss his findings in this HCPLive interview »
Pre-Procedural Quantitative CT Analysis Identifies Strongest Correlate of Post-BLVR Pneumothorax
PRESENTER:
Isam Albaba, MBBS
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Pre-procedural quantitative CT analysis identified that the interaction between target-lobe size and air trapping of ipsilateral non-target lobes is the strongest correlate of pneumothorax following bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) — the most frequent complication of the procedure. Prospective validation in larger cohorts is warranted.
Watch Dr. Albaba discuss his findings in this HCPLive interview »
Real World Longitudinal Outcomes of Sotatercept in Group 3 Chronic Lung Disease-Related Pulmonary Hypertension Patients
PRESENTER:
Krunal Patel, MD
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
Sotatercept initiation in patients with Group 3 chronic lung disease-related pulmonary hypertension was associated with improvement in multiple clinical and hemodynamic metrics. The findings highlight sotatercept's potential clinical utility beyond Group 1 PAH and support the need for prospective studies evaluating its role in Group 3 PH — a condition associated with poor prognosis, progressive functional decline, and limited therapeutic options.
Watch Dr. Patel discuss his findings in this HCPLive interview »
Underdiagnosis and Undertreatment of COPD in Individuals Undergoing Lung Cancer Screening: The Temple Healthy Chest Initiative
PRESENTER:
Stephen R. Dachert, MD
Assistant Professor, Clinical Thoracic Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
This study found high rates of undiagnosed COPD, high symptom burden, and undertreatment — particularly among minority populations — in individuals undergoing lung cancer screening through the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative (THCI), Temple's urban health system-wide lung cancer screening program.
Association between Blood Eosinophil Levels, Symptoms and Exacerbations in a Lung Cancer Screening Cohort (THCI)
PRESENTER:
Lijo Illipparambil, MD
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
DESCRIPTION:
This study examined the relationship between blood eosinophil count (BEC) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) — two noninvasive markers of type 2 inflammation in COPD — among individuals undergoing lung cancer screening through the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative. The two markers showed only slight agreement, consistent with their reflecting distinct but interrelated inflammatory pathways, suggesting BEC and FeNO serve as complementary but distinct TH2 inflammatory biomarkers in COPD phenotyping.