Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a relentlessly progressive disease that is responsible for the deaths of over 5000 people in the UK each year. At present, despite a dramatic increase in clinical trials in the last decade, there are no licensed treatments for IPF. The pathogenesis of the condition remains incompletely understood, nonetheless there is good evidence to suggests that the condition arises as the consequence of an aberrant wound healing response in genetically susceptible individuals. Basic science research into IPF has identified a wide range of potential treatment targets. However, in many cases developing compounds to act against these targets, because of their role in normal wound healing, is limited by the possibility of major systemic side effects.