Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) has premiered a docuseries called “Helping the World to Breathe,” showcasing the society’s commitment to advancing care for people with lung diseases. Over 16 episodes, the series highlights stories from clinicians, researchers, and patients collaborating to advance care. For example, scientists and patients at…

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a grant to support research into immune mechanisms that could allow for the reversal of fibrosis, or tissue scarring, in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The $469,034 award went to Narendiran Rajasekaran, PhD, and Archana Varadaraj, PhD, both of whom are assistant…

Reviva Pharmaceuticals is planning to seek the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) permission to begin Phase 2 clinical trials testing its investigational therapy brilaroxazine in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). “We … expect to begin regulatory submissions to the FDA…

Agomab Therapeutics and Origo Biopharma are joining forces to develop new therapies for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and other conditions caused by excessive tissue scarring, or fibrosis. “Agomab and Origo share a common vision that targeting growth factors has tremendous disease-modifying potential,” Tim Knotnerus, Agomab’s CEO, said in…

Healthcare providers should broach the topic of palliative care — specialized care that may or may not include hospice — with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients shortly after they are diagnosed, according to a position statement recently issued by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). “Soon after diagnosis, discussions of…

Smoking cigarettes substantially increases the risk of developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a population-based study conducted in Korea. The findings indicate the risk of IPF is greater in current smokers, compared with people who used to smoke but have since quit. The study, “Impact…

A new diagnostic tool, the Envisia Genomic Classifier, can help make doctors more confident and accurate in diagnosing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new survey suggests. Using the Envisa tool, by Veracyte, also may help in increasing the proportion of patients referred to proper treatment, the survey found.

RXC007, an investigational oral therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is showing favorable safety and pharmacological properties in an ongoing Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers. The experimental therapy being developed by Redx Pharma works by blocking the activity of ROCK2, a protein involved in a signaling cascade that…

People with a familial history of short telomere syndrome (STS) — a disorder involving shortened telomeres, or chromosome “caps” — may be at an increased risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis, even if they themselves do not have the mutation that causes STS, a new study highlights. “This has…

Syndax Pharmaceuticals and Incyte are forming a global partnership to develop and commercialize axatilimab, an investigational therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other diseases characterized by excessive scarring. The companies are planning to launch a proof-of-concept Phase 2 clinical trial to test axatilimab in IPF patients…