News

Agricultural workers, veterinarians, and steel and metal industry workers are at higher risk of developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new study from central Italy reports. The findings also showed that organic dust, metal dust, and fumes are risk factors for the disease. The study, “Occupational risk…

Gossypol — a pharmacological inhibitor of the LDHA enzyme — shows promising results in the prevention and treatment of lung fibrosis, according to a study performed in a mouse model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The results point to LDHA as a potential therapeutic target for this disorder. The study, “…

Results of a Phase 2 trial of Promedior’s PRM-151, a treatment candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), show a slowing in the loss of lung function among treated patients. The research, “Effect of Recombinant Human Pentraxin 2 vs Placebo on Change in Forced Vital Capacity in…

Double lung transplants are linked to significantly higher survival rates than single lung transplants among pulmonary fibrosis patients younger than 70, a retrospective study shows. The study, “Single versus Double Lung Transplantation in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Impact of Age and Pulmonary Hypertension,” was published in the journal The…

Canada’s healthcare system is excellent for people with common ailments like diabetes or high blood pressure, but it’s “basically failing the nearly three million Canadians with rare diseases.” So says Durhane Wong-Rieger, president and CEO of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD), a Toronto-based network representing 102 patient advocacy…

The progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) depends on the gender and smoking habits of patients, according to researchers. IPF-specific mortality was higher in female patients, whereas male patients were more likely to die from comorbidities associated with IPF. Female patients and non-smokers were less likely to succumb to pneumonia,…

A Rare Conditions Care Value (RCCV) program providing access to “second opinions” for patients with rare diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was recently launched by two U.S. health management companies, Express Scripts and Pinnacle Care. Second Opinion, as the service is called, offers precisely that— another opinion…

Supported by an educational research grant from Genentech, the France Foundation is launching a mentoring and relationship-building program for community healthcare providers to improve how patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are diagnosed and treated. The program aims to bring front-line health practitioners into closer and long-term contact with…

As President Trump signed the recently passed Right to Try legislation into law in a White House ceremony, Jordan McLinn of Indianapolis tried twice to embrace him. The third time, 9-year-old Jordan finally got the hug he wanted — as well as a kiss on the forehead. The video of…

A new lung-on-a-chip technology models the mechanical changes that occur in the lungs during idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, possibly allowing for a faster and less expensive screening of potential new anti-fibrotic therapies, a study reports. “Obviously it’s not an entire lung, but the technology can mimic the damaging effects of lung…