Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

In a new study entitled “The matrix protein Fibulin-5 lies at the interface of tissue stiffness and inflammation in fibrosis,” an international team of scientists discovered a new protein – Fibulin-5 – involved in skin fibrosis, and with potential therapeutic implications in fibrosis in other organs, including…

In a new study, clinicians propose a new treatment protocol without immunosuppressants or high-dose steroids to manage and treat acute exacerbations in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study, titled “Survival in Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis acute exacerbations: the non-steroid approach,” was published in the journal…

In a new study, researchers reported a novel role for a receptor at the surface of macrophages (specialized cells of the immune system) in lung fibrosis resolution. The study, titled “TRPV4 Mechanosensitive Ion Channel Regulates LPS-Stimulated Macrophage Phagocytosis,” was published in the…

An analysis of pooled data from three Phase 3 clinical trials in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients shows that treatment with pirfenidone for one year significantly reduced disease progression. The study, titled “Pirfenidone for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: analysis of pooled data from three multinational phase 3 trials,” was published in…

A team of researchers report that a mouse’s age influences the ability of its mesenchymal stem cells to repair pulmonary fibrosis-induced damage, a finding with significant implications for stem cell therapies. The study, “Therapeutic benefits of young, but not old, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a chronic mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis,”…

Findings by a team of researchers suggest that levels of circulating endothelial cells and fibrocytes may be used as predictive biomarkers in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The team’s study, “Levels of circulating endothelial cells are low in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and are further reduced by anti-fibrotic treatments,” was published in the journal…

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals recently presented results of the Phase III INPULSIS trials investigating the efficacy of OFEV® (nintedanib) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) at the American College of Chest Physicians Annual Meeting (CHEST 2015). The Phase III INPULSIS trials were randomized, double-blind studies designed to assess both the efficacy and safety…

Reata Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, recently presented results from the LARIAT trial investigating the drug bardoxolone methyl in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The study entitled “Bardoxolone Methyl Evaluation in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)” was presented in the 2015 American College…

In a recent study entitled “Down-regulation of USP13 mediates phenotype transformation of fibroblasts in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,” a team of researchers investigated the differences in gene expression in fibroblast foci in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). They found that the expression of a particular gene, USP13,…

In a new study entitled “BARD1 mediates TGF-β signaling in pulmonary fibrosis”, researchers investigated whether the tumor suppressor gene BARD1, previously shown to have a role in lung cancer, is associated with pulmonary fibrosis. They found that TGF-beta, an established factor in promoting fibrosis, induces BARD1 protein expression…