News

Throughout 2018, Pulmonary Fibrosis News provided you daily coverage of key discoveries, potential treatments, and clinical trials related to pulmonary fibrosis (PF). As we look forward to bringing more news to patients, family members, and caregivers dealing with PF in 2019, here are the Top 10 most-read articles of 2018,…

A study found a link between MUC5B-induced mucus accumulation and the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, reporting that a MUC5B mutation can prevent mucus clearance in the small airways and induce scarring, indicating a strong risk factor in IPF. The study, “Muc5b overexpression causes mucociliary dysfunction and enhances…

Cash-strapped governments across the 28-member European Union are struggling to control runaway healthcare expenditures — at exactly the same time as the promise of new but expensive therapies to treat rare diseases has never been greater. That’s the paradox faced by pharmaceutical companies as well as patient advocacy groups in…

Bridge Biotherapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for BBT-877. The company now has permission to start human clinical trials with this potential therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The IND application was submitted in November 2018.

Sustained-release capsules of Ofev (nintedanib), which is used to treat idiopathic pul­monary fibrosis (IPF), were better at reaching systemic circulation in the body than the current marketed formulation, according to a study. Findings also suggested that the sustained-release formula of Ofev increased its absorption in the gut. The study,…

The nerve injury-induced protein 1 (Ninjurin1, or Ninj1) may contribute to pulmonary fibrosis (PF) by promoting the inflammatory response of immune cells, called macrophages, leading to the activation of lung fibroblasts, a study shows. The study, “Ninjurin1 Plays a Crucial Role in Pulmonary Fibrosis by Promoting Interaction between Macrophages…

Gait speed, measured by the four meter gait speed (4MGS) test, is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality and hospitalization in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a recent study. The tool could be used as a prognostic approach to select cohorts in clinical trials, optimize trial endpoints,…