Alice Melão, MSc,  —

Oral administration of omipalisib, an investigational inhibitor of PI3K and mTOR cellular signals, can reduce the activity of pro-fibrotic cells in the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), results from a Phase 1 trial show. These findings support studies to further explore PI3K and mTOR signals as potential…

Evotec and Galapagos will work together to develop a strategy to target fibrosis affecting several organs, the companies announced. The collaboration will focus on the development of small molecules designed to specifically target a new fibrosis biomarker identified and validated with Evotec’s proprietary platforms for fibrotic diseases…

Canada’s SQI Diagnostics and the University Health Network (UHN) will work together to advance the development and approval of new rapid protein assays and a point-of-care (POC) diagnostic device to help surgeons assess the viability of lungs and other organs for transplant. This could represent an important step…

A new subtype of immune cells carrying a unique genetic profile was identified and found to have an important role in the progression of fibrosis in the lungs, a study reports. The study, “Reference-based analysis of lung single-cell sequencing reveals a transitional profibrotic macrophage,” was published in…

Galapagos has started the worldwide ISABELA Phase 3 program to evaluate the potential of GLPG1690 as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), reporting that the first participant has already been treated. GLPG1690 inhibits autotaxin, an enzyme that is thought to be involved in tissue scarring (fibrosis) and…

Preclinical data show that treatment with Nuformix’s investigational candidates within the NXP002 program can prevent fibrosis progression with enhanced efficiency compared to the current standard of care, the company announced. The study, conducted in collaboration with researchers at Newcastle University, U.K., revealed that the new therapeutic agents…

Middle-age adults with reduced respiratory function have up to a 27% higher risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment later in life, a study suggests. This risk pattern is even more pronounced in patients with restrictive lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to the study, titled “…

Reduced levels of decorin proteins in the blood may be linked to a lower risk of death among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who have experienced acute exacerbations, researchers suggest. Their findings were reported in the study, “Serum decorin is a potential prognostic biomarker in…

A new small molecule inhibitor of the LOXL2 enzyme, developed by Pharmaxis, is safe and holds potential to treat fibrotic diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), according to results from a Phase 1 trial. The study (ACTRN12617001564347) enrolled 48 healthy volunteers who were…

A greater decline in lung function prior to treatment start may lead idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients to stop using Ofev (nintedanib), as might older age, a real-world study from the United Kingdom found. “No predominant reason for discontinuation was identified in this group,” its researchers wrote, but it’s…