Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

FDA Clears Potential IPF Therapy, IM156, for Phase 1 Trial

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application for ImmunoMet Therapeutics‘ treatment candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), IM156. The decision grants ImmunoMet permission to open studies of the therapy in people in the U.S. “FDA clearance of an IND for…

Lung Function Not Closely Linked to Walking Ability in IPF

Severely reduced lung function is not closely related to walking ability in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new study indicates. The findings also point to a need to include patients with severely reduced lung function in IPF clinical trials, researchers said. The study, “Idiopathic…

United Therapeutics Sponsors PFF Registry

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…

$2.4M NIH Grant Supports Boston Team Creating Cell Model for IPF

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…

OSIC Announces Winners of Pulmonary Fibrosis Progression Challenge

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…

Treprostinil Earns FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Treating IPF

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…