Pirfenidone as Treatment of Chronic Pancreatitis

Patients 18 - 85 years of age

Pancreatic parenchymal and/or ductal calcification

Unequivocal CP on imaging (Tirkes et al3) (Cambridge grade 3 or grade 4)

Average pain of >/=4 (on a 0-10 scale) related to pancreatitis in the past three months [regardless of the use of pain medications (opioids or non-opioids)] and/or evidence of ongoing pancreatic inflammatory activity, with an inflammatory pancreatic flare occurring one or more times within the past six months [inflammatory pancreatic flare is defined as an exacerbation of pancreatic pain in combination with one or more of the following: 1) plasma amylase/lipase levels elevated 2-folds or more than the upper limit of normal; 2) elevated plasma levels of CRP 2-fold or more than the upper normal level without suspicion of other sources such as infection; 3) signs of pancreatic inflammation on cross-sectional imaging]