Magdalena Kegel,  —

Managing lung cancer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients is difficult, largely because standard lung cancer treatments create a risk of IPF exacerbations and patients dying early. An Italian study that covered four patients suggests that Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ofev (nintedanib) could be an answer. The research, “Lung Cancer in Patients with…

Clinical trials of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) therapies should include measures that reflect patients’ views of the success of treatments, Columbia University Medical Center researchers contend. In particular, the trials should add reduction in respiratory-related hospitalizations to their measurement tool kit, the team said. Patients’ views of treatment success could influence…

The European Commission (EC) recently approved a new formulation of Esbriet (pirfenidone) tablets for the treatment of mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). According to Roche, Esbriet’s developer, the new tablet formulation will reduce the number of pills patients need to take throughout the day, offering patients an easier…

A Chinese herbal remedy prevented healthy airway surface cells from transitioning to the type of cells seen in pulmonary fibrosis, a study reported. It did this by inhibiting the body’s production of proteins involved in fibrosis, or scarring, including HMGB1, TLR-4, and HIF-1α. The results prompted researchers to suggest that the remedy,…

Surgery to prevent reflux in patients with interstitial pulmonary disease may slow disease progression, by stopping tiny amounts of contents in the stomach from being repeatedly aspirated into the lungs — a process thought to contribute to disease development in IPF. This was the conclusion of a review looking into gastroesophageal reflux disease —…

A $6.9 million grant will allow researchers at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine to delve deeper into the science of how air sac epithelial cells in the lungs regenerate. The research team, led by Zea Borok — a professor of medicine at Keck —…

The resokine protein reduced interstitial lung disease (ILD) in mice, according to one of two presentations that aTyr Pharma will make at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in Washington, which starts today. Atry derived its Resolaris therapy from resokine, which helps prevent the immune system from turning against healthy cells. Scientists…

Besides its other benefits, Esbriet (pirfenidone) prevents respiratory-related hospitalizations in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a study examining data from more than 1,200 patients. Findings also showed that hospitalized patients who took Esbriet were less likely to die after one year. This effect decreased over time, though researchers…

Researchers have succeeded in growing tiny tissue structures in the lab that mirror the architecture of lungs, creating a model that opens new possibilities for researchers studying pulmonary fibrosis and other lung diseases. Although the research is still in early stages — with the tissue structures more resembling a fetal,…

An antibody that protects against radiation-induced lung fibrosis could improve the treatment of cancers that stem from radiation damage to the lungs, according to a study. The research demonstrated that an antibody against connective tissue growth factor, or CTGF,  prevented pulmonary fibrosis in up to 80 percent of irradiated mice. Those…