Inhaled Therapy Improves Lung Infection Treatment Results

Adding a new inhalation treatment may help adults with Mycobacterium avium complex clear lung infections more effectively.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Asthma

A modern medical nebulizer device rests on a clean, sterile white surface, captured in bright diffuse light. — A new clinical study indicates that adding amikacin liposome inhalation suspension to standard multidrug therapy improves infection clearance for patients with lung disease. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you trust a new drug treatment if it carried a small risk of antibiotic resistance?

A new study shows that adding amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS) to standard multidrug therapy significantly improves culture conversion rates for patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease. A separate real-world analysis indicates that initiating multidrug therapy earlier may reduce hospitalizations for those with nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary infections.

Why it matters

Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease is challenging to treat, and these findings suggest that adding ALIS to existing regimens could improve infection clearance and lower the risk of complications. For patients, earlier intervention with these therapies may help prevent severe hospitalizations compared to watchful waiting.

In a randomized trial of 425 patients, ALIS plus multidrug therapy demonstrated an 84.7% culture conversion rate at 12 months compared to 61.3% for standard treatment alone. A separate real-world analysis of 5,370 adults found that multidrug therapy reduced the relative risk of respiratory-related hospitalizations to 0.67.

The players

FDA

The federal agency responsible for regulating pharmaceuticals and conducting priority reviews for new drug applications.

Oregon Health & Science University

A public research university that contributed to the presentation of the clinical trial findings.

The details

The treatment regimen involves once-daily azithromycin and ethambutol paired with 590 mg of ALIS, an inhaled suspension designed to deliver medication directly to the lungs. This addition targets the underlying infection while maintaining low rates of treatment-emergent antibiotic resistance, which occurred in only 2.2% of patients in the trial arm. By achieving durable culture conversion, patients may experience fewer respiratory exacerbations.

January 1, 2020 - November 30, 2025: Analysis period for the real-world claims data.
May 2026: ENCORE trial data presented at the ATS conference.
October 21-24, 2026: Findings discussed at the IDWeek 2026 conference.
January 28, 2027: FDA target action date for the ALIS supplemental application.

Health Landscape

These findings sit within the ongoing effort to improve outcomes for nontuberculous mycobacteria infections, which have traditionally relied on lengthy oral antibiotic regimens. The ENCORE trial marks a shift toward integrating targeted inhalation therapies to enhance infection clearance while managing antibiotic resistance.

If you or a family member have been diagnosed with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease, these results provide a relevant topic to discuss with a pulmonologist or infectious disease specialist regarding current treatment options. It is also worth consulting your physician about the potential benefits of early intervention to minimize the risk of future hospitalizations.

The takeaway

Adding ALIS to standard treatment appears to improve success rates for clearing certain lung infections. Patients should monitor for respiratory symptoms and talk to their doctor about the risks and benefits of early multidrug treatment versus watchful waiting.