A mutation in the gene ZCCHC8 leads to abnormalities in the structure of telomeres, the protective caps at the end of the DNA, leading to the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new study shows. The study, titled “ZCCHC8, the nuclear exosome targeting component, is…

Citryll and Lonza have teamed up to develop Citryll’s candidate antibody, called CIT-013, as a therapy for inflammatory diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and rheumatoid arthritis, the companies announced. CIT-013 is designed to inhibit the formation of web-like structures known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs),…

I’ll never forget the day I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. After months of shortness of breath, a dry, chronic cough, and unusual fatigue, I finally sought an urgent care physician’s opinion about why my lungs were being so problematic. I’d tried multiple antibiotics, inhalers, and steroids to…

Simultaneous inhibition of two signaling pathways mediated by TGF-beta1 and periostin can halt progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in mice, a new study reveals.  The study, “The Cross-Talk Between TGF-β and Periostin Can Be Targeted for Pulmonary Fibrosis,” was published in…

Nitric oxide, a gas that induces the relaxation and widening of lung airways, has received orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The gas will be delivered in pulses through Bellerophon Therapeutics’ patented…

Patients living with a chronic illness must learn quickly to manage their medication. Access to the right treatment can be a matter of life or death, especially when talking about a rescue inhaler in response to a respiratory crisis. I’ve experienced one respiratory crisis since being diagnosed with…

Genetic screening that can identify variants of the mucin-causing MUC5B gene — the key risk factor that predisposes people for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) — may hold the key to the development and administration of targeted therapies that may prevent the disease before it can progress…

Last week, I wrote about the benefits of having multiple caregivers during my mom’s recovery from a double-lung transplant. My dad, Aunt Shari, and I shared the responsibilities so that Mom had the best care from each of us. Preventing caregiver burnout and having someone else who…

A large number of people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) were unaware this disease even existed before they were diagnosed. I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in December 2014 and received a lung transplant a year later. Doctors speculated that I had been living with IPF…

I want to increase awareness about the impact on those of us with lung disease when people smoke in public places. Since being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I’ve twice inhaled secondhand smoke at the entrance of a grocery store. One of those times, I was rushed to…