Algernon’s NP-120 Surpasses Merck’s MK-7264 in Reducing Cough Frequency in Animal Model of Acute Cough, Study Shows

Algernon Pharmaceuticals‘s NP-120 (ifenprodil) outperformed Merck‘s MK-7264 (gefapixant) in an animal model of acute cough, a preclinical study by a contract research organization (CRO) shows. NP-120 is Algernon’s repurposed lead candidate for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), while MK-7264 is Merck’s lead candidate for the treatment…

Enrollment in Phase 2 Trial of Setanaxib for IPF to Start Soon

Enrollment in the Phase 2 clinical trial of setanaxib (GKT831), an oral investigational treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), will start in the coming weeks, Genkyotex announced in a progress report. Following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July, the study protocol now…

I’m Grateful to Celebrate My Fourth ‘Lungiversary’

Thanksgiving is over, but my feeling of gratitude remains. As a single-lung transplant recipient, the holiday is a time for me to contemplate the tremendous gift given to me on Dec. 4, 2015. I have just passed my fourth “lungiversary.” As I look back at my experience, I find it…

HHS Secretary Alex Azar Touts White House Efforts to Cure Rare Diseases

Despite skyrocketing healthcare costs, President Trump is committed to protecting the 30 million or so Americans with rare diseases and ensuring timely, affordable access to lifesaving treatments, the nation’s highest-ranking health official said. “We have to think about how our financing system can protect those with serious and rare illnesses.