At some point in every person’s life, death becomes part of their story. The unexpected death of a family member or friend is traumatizing. You wake up in a world of grief and confusion, which you must confront and reconcile over and over again. There is no easy way to…

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) oral treatment candidate PLN-74809 can prevent the activation of the pro-fibrotic protein TGF-beta by up to 70% in healthy volunteers, according to final results of a Phase 1b trial. Being developed by Pliant Therapeutics, PLN-74809 is a small molecule and selective inhibitor of the…

Life with a fatal lung disease like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is very unpredictable. I thrive in routine, familiarity, and structure, so I have difficulty accepting that this disease can force instant changes. I’m still working on learning to let go of what I cannot control, like an…

A less toxic precursor formulation of the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel can reduce lung fibrosis in mice with pulmonary fibrosis, a study shows. The finding suggests that this compound, named baccatin III or BAC, has the potential to represent a new treatment strategy for…

A violinist with vasculitis, two Texas politicians and a pharmaceutical company whose marijuana-derived therapy helps kids with Dravet syndrome were among winners of the 2019 Rare Impact Awards. Officials of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) presented the awards during a June 22 dinner attended by…

Genetic variants of the MUC5AC gene may contribute to the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study suggests. The study, “Novel idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis susceptibility variants revealed by deep sequencing,” was published in the journal ERJ Open Research. The existence of a genetic cause underlying…

Distal airway stem cells (DASCs), which can differentiate into bronchioles and alveoli, were found to prevent fibrosis and support tissue regeneration in the lungs of mice. These findings were reported in the study “Distal airway stem cells ameliorate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis…

It is 9 pm. My deadline for this column is in 12 hours. Some people would call this procrastination. I call it practice. I’ve been writing several columns in my head for the past three days. I decided not to worry about it and instead enjoy the last glorious days…

A treatment algorithm based on high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy reduces short-term mortality of people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who develop acute respiratory failure, a study says. The findings of the study, “High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy to treat acute respiratory failure in patients with acute exacerbation…

One of my biggest fears after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as a young adult was losing my independence. In previous columns, I’ve talked about how I regularly participated in work and volunteer roles throughout the years, building a large network of friends and colleagues. Some described…