Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) announced that United Therapeutics will sponsor the PFF Registry. The Registry is a research resource that tracks clinical data, samples, and patient-reported outcomes from people living with pulmonary fibrosis in the U.S. According to the PFF, United Therapeutics’ sponsorship of the Registry…

A four-year, $2.4 million federal grant given investigators at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) will support work to create a 3D cell model system helping to explain the processes that initiate and drive the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). According to a press release, the project will be…

The Open Source Imaging Consortium (OSIC), a nonprofit collaborative group focused on combatting lung diseases, announced the winners of a competition that challenged scientists to design artificial intelligence (AI) programs that predict lung function decline in people with pulmonary fibrosis. Broadly, AI refers to computer systems that are able…

People with prediabetes or diabetes who live in smog-filled cities may be more prone to pulmonary fibrosis as a result of exposure to ozone, a study in mice indicates. The study, “Repetitive Ozone Exposures and Evaluation of Pulmonary Inflammation and Remodeling in Diabetic Mouse Strains,” was published…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted treprostinil orphan drug designation for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Orphan drug designation is given to therapies with the potential to substantially improve treatment for rare diseases (conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.). The designation…

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative local impact on healthcare for most people in the U.K. with pulmonary fibrosis (PF), who have seen their medical appointments canceled, their pulmonary rehabilitation programs halted, and their health status decline as a result of lockdowns and other safety measures,…

Newly developed therapies may hold promise for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, as described in two studies. The therapies, which are expected to move into clinical trials in the next several months, were both developed by Purdue University scientists in Indiana, led by Philip…

Galapagos and OncoArendi Therapeutics have entered into an exclusive agreement for the global development and commercialization of OncoArendi’s OATD-01, an investigational treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrotic diseases. Lung diseases like IPF are characterized by increased activity of enzymes called…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)’s RareLaunch training program will host two days of free virtual workshops in December, with the aim of empowering leaders to start non-profit organizations and research programs to help people with rare diseases.  “The RareLaunch program is…

A majority of rare disease patients using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic thought the experience positive, and many would like the option of continuing its use in future appointments, a series of surveys found. The surveys were conducted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and involved more than 800…