Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are at increased risk of several cancers other than lung cancer, a new study reports. The study, “Risk of cancer incidence in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A nationwide cohort study,” was published in the journal Respirology. IPF and…

The European Commission has approved Boehringer Ingelheim‘s Ofev (nintedanib) for the treatment of progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) in adults. The approval follows a recent positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), as well as…

The protein granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) inhibited fibrosis in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, a new study shows. The data suggests this effect is driven, in part, by stem cells from the bone marrow being recruited to the lungs. The study, “G-CSF Inhibits Pulmonary…

A new molecular probe could aid in studies of pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrotic diseases, a study reports. The study, “Discovery of a Potent and Selective Covalent Inhibitor and Activity-Based Probe for the Deubiquitylating Enzyme UCHL1, with Antifibrotic Activity,” was published in the Journal of the…

The Open Source Imaging Consortium (OSIC), a nonprofit collaborative group focused on combatting lung diseases, has launched a competition aiming to create artificial intelligence (AI) programs that can help to predict lung function decline in people with pulmonary fibrosis. Called the OSIC Pulmonary Fibrosis…

New preclinical data support MRG-229, an investigative next-generation treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), as safe and effective, miRagen reported. “We believe this body of evidence supports further development of MRG-229 as a potentially differentiated approach for the treatment of IPF,” William S. Marshall, PhD, the company’s president and CEO, said in…

Severe fatigue is common among people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary sarcoidosis, and is associated with worse shortness of breath, depression, catastrophizing, and quality of life, a new study suggests. The study, “Severe Fatigue is Highly Prevalent in Patients with IPF or…

Across the world, a fair amount of variation exists in medical practices to diagnose and treat acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), reflecting a lack of evidence-based guidelines, a study based on surveys of pulmonologists reports. The study, “Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: international…

Abnormal buildup of iron in the lungs can cause lung fibrosis (scarring), and targeting this accumulation could be a therapeutic strategy for people with pulmonary fibrosis, a new study suggests. The study, “Critical role for iron accumulation in the pathogenesis of fibrotic lung disease,” was published in …

COVID-19 has been reported to cause lung fibrosis in some people, but the type of fibrosis that develops is distinct from what generally occurs in those with interstitial lung disease (ILD), according to a press release issued by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)…