Safety and Tolerability of Pirfenidone in Acute Pancreatitis

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Patients 18 - 85 years of age 2. Admitted to hospital for AP, defined by at least 2 of the following 3: 1. amylase or lipase values, or both, that are greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal values 2. characteristic cross-sectional imaging 3. typical upper abdominal pain- acute onset of a persistent, severe, epigastric pain often radiating to the back 3. Patients identified, approached, and consented to administer study medication or placebo within 48 hours of diagnosis of AP. 4. Predicted to have MSAP or SAP by presence of one or more of the following criteria 1. APACHE II ≥ 8 2. Modified Glasgow or Imrie score ≥ 3 3. CRP \> 150 mg/dL 4. PASS score \> 140 at or within 48 hrs. of admission 5. CT or MRI imaging suggesting pancreatic and/or peri-pancreatic necrosis Exclusion Criteria: 1. Age \< 18 or \> 85 years 2. Body weight \> 200 kg 3. Presentation to the medical attention \> 48 h after diagnosis of AP 4. Inability to recruit, randomize and start the allocated treatment within 48h of start of pain 5. Ongoing AP or diagnosis of AP in previous 30 days 6. Chronic pancreatitis 7. Known hypersensitivity to pirfenidone 8. AST/ALT ≥ 2 times the upper normal limit. 9. Alkaline phosphatase ≥ 2 times the upper normal limit 10. Bilirubin higher than upper normal limit 11. Moderate to severe heart failure and/or coronary heart disease (New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class III/IV) 12. On home oxygen or home mechanical ventilation 13. Advanced liver disease 14. Paralytic ileus or significant nausea and vomiting 15. Chronic Diarrhea 16. Immunosuppressive disorder or on immunosuppressive medications 17. Active or advanced malignancy 18. Known cancer that is end-stage with ongoing palliative care or for which palliative care is appropriate 19. Known established infection prior to the onset of acute pancreatitis 20. Known history of infective hepatitis 21. Known live vaccines or therapeutic infectious agents within one month of admission 22. Known pregnancy or lactation at the time of admission 23. Ongoing photosensitivity and rash 24. Women of childbearing potential who are not on oral or injectable contraceptives or IUDs and do not consent to practice abstinence for period of 4 weeks. 25. Known to be currently participating in a trial testing any investigational medicinal product or participation in a clinical study involving a medicinal product in the last three months 26. Alcohol or substance abuse in the past 2 years 27. Family or personal history of long QT syndrome ( \> 500 msec) 28. Medications like fluvoxamine or sildanefil 29. Significant photosensitivity or new rash 30. Renal disease with GFR \< 30 31. Any condition other than above that, in the opinion of the investigator, is likely to result in the death of the patient within the next 2 years 32. Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might be significantly exacerbated by the known side effects associated with the administration of pirfenidone