Inching closer to a cure: ATS 2026 pulmonary hypertension & interstitial lung disease highlights

Catch up with Editorial Board member Dr Jean Elwing’s personal highlights from this year’s ATS meeting.

The American Thoracic Society’s annual conference was held in Orlando, Florida from May 15-20, bringing together global experts in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. Across the week, attendees shared new research and clinical advances through scientific sessions, abstract presentations, and collaborative discussions aimed at improving respiratory care and patient outcomes. In this interview, Dr Jean Elwing (University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA) breaks down the key presentations, sessions and abstracts from the conference, highlighting the substantial progress made in the field and the challenges that still remain.

touchRESPIRATORY coverage of ATS 2026

What were your personal highlights from this year’s ATS meeting?

This year’s ATS meeting was incredibly exciting because of the tremendous amount of new data presented in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and interstitial lung disease (ILD). The TETON data, ADVANCE outcomes data, and continued updates from the sotatercept studies were among the major highlights for me. It was inspiring to see therapies moving beyond symptom improvement and toward meaningful outcome-based benefits for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), PH-ILD and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

In addition to the scientific sessions, one of my personal highlights was participating in an outstanding mentorship and professional development session organized by Dr Nadine Al-Naamani from the University of Pennsylvania entitled, ‘Widen Your Net, Broaden Your Path: Networking and Portfolio Building for Early Career Scientists’. ATS continues to foster collaboration, education, and career growth across pulmonary and critical care medicine, and it was a privilege to be involved in discussions focused on leadership, mentorship, and supporting the next generation of clinicians and investigators in pulmonary vascular disease.

Another memorable experience was participating in the interactive Medscape Live session focused on PAH and patient-centered care: ‘Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Focus: Patient-Centered Challenges in Diagnosis, Risk Stratification, and Treatment Optimization‘. I had the privilege of moderating the session with Dr Namita Sood and Susie McDevitt, NP. The discussion highlighted the real-world complexities of PAH management, multidisciplinary decision-making, treatment escalation, and the importance of individualized patient care strategies. The interactive format created meaningful engagement and emphasized how complex and nuanced PH care has become.

Were there any key presentations, sessions, or posters that stood out for you?

The ADVANCE outcomes presentations and the TETON studies clearly stood out. Both highlighted the evolving landscape of pulmonary vascular and fibrotic lung disease care, with encouraging signals for improved patient outcomes and long-term disease management. There was also significant excitement surrounding newer biologic therapies and combination treatment approaches in PAH.

What was the most impactful takeaway for pulmonologists from this year’s conference?

For both PAH and ILD physicians, the most impactful takeaway was hope for the future. We are beginning to see therapies that may have real impact on disease progression, functional status, and long-term outcomes. ATS 2026 reinforced that the field is moving toward earlier intervention, disease modification, and more personalized approaches to care.

Did you learn about any new treatments or diagnostic approaches that could change PH care?

There was substantial discussion regarding emerging therapies, novel biologic agents, and evolving treatment strategies that could significantly reshape pulmonary hypertension care over the next several years. There was also growing focus on earlier diagnosis, improved risk stratification, and integration of multidisciplinary care models.

What challenges in managing PH stood out during the sessions?

One recurring theme throughout the meeting was that despite major advances in treatment, our current therapies are still not a cure; however, we are clearly inching closer. Challenges remain with delayed diagnosis, access to specialty care, medication complexity, cost, and management of advanced disease. Many sessions also emphasized the ongoing need to better understand right ventricular dysfunction and long-term disease progression.

Which areas of PH research or care need the most attention moving forward?

Biologic therapies and optimized combination treatment strategies remain major priorities moving forward. Continued research focused on disease modification, right ventricular adaptation, precision medicine, and improving long-term outcomes will be critically important. There is also a strong need for continued collaboration across PH, ILD, cardiology, and transplant programs to improve comprehensive care for these complex patients.