Celea Therapeutics secured $180 million to fund a pivotal Phase 3 head-to-head study of deupirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, focusing on an oral small-molecule comparison against standard of care. The financing is earmarked for the company’s de-risking push toward a late-stage efficacy and safety readout. The trial design described in the coverage targets real-world clinical decision points by positioning deupirfenidone against an established comparator rather than placebo. That approach can sharpen the signal for payers and clinicians evaluating an additional option for IPF management. For the respiratory biotech landscape, the round reflects continued investor appetite for fibrosis programs when trial strategy and comparator selection are clear.