Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Patricia holds her PhD in cell biology from the University Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York, for which she was awarded a Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) fellowship.

Articles by Patricia Inácio

Pliant’s IPF Experimental Therapy PLN-74809 Renamed Bexotegrast

PLN-74809, an oral treatment candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), will now be called bexotegrast, its maker, Pliant Therapeutics, announced in a corporate update. The change came after the International Nonproprietary Names Expert Group selected bexotegrast as the unique generic, or nonproprietary, name for the experimental therapy. The company also announced…

Applications Now Open for 2023 PFF Scholars Program

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) is welcoming applications for its 2023 PFF Scholars program, which helps fund early-stage investigators developing research to improve the outcomes of people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Each investigator will receive a two-year research grant totaling $100,000, which is an increase of $25,000 a scholar…

Safety of Anti-fibrotics Ofev, Esbriet Supported by Real-world Data

Real-world data support the safety profile of the anti-fibrotic medications Esbriet (pirfenidone) and Ofev (nintedanib) in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a new study. More than half of patients experienced treatment-related adverse events, the majority being non-severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Rare cases of serious heart-related…

AbbVie Gets Experimental IPF Treatment DJS-002 in Acquisition

AbbVie’s portfolio of antibodies for the potential treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) now includes DJS-002 — a first-in-class antibody directed against lysophosphatidic acid receptor-1 (LPAR1), a protein thought to drive the progression of IPF and other fibrotic diseases. This was made possible by AbbVie’s estimated $250 million acquisition of…

BenevolentAI Identifies New IPF Treatment Target for AstraZeneca

BenevolentAI has identified a new treatment target for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) that will be added to AstraZeneca’s therapeutic discovery portfolio. This is the third IPF target identified by the platform for the biopharmaceutical company following previous discoveries. Another AI-generated target for chronic kidney disease (CKD)…

NP-120 Eases Cough in IPF Patients, Top-line Data Show

Algernon Pharmaceuticals’ experimental oral therapy NP-120 (ifenprodil) significantly reduced coughing in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a new analysis of top-line data from a proof-of-concept Phase 2a clinical trial. The analysis showed the therapy was much more effective at easing cough than previously reported. NP-120’s “potential…

TTI-101 Receives FDA’s Orphan Drug Status for IPF

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to Tvardi Therapeutics’ TTI-101 for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). TTI-101 is a small molecule, given orally, that acts as a direct inhibitor of STAT3, an inflammatory protein that plays a role in the…