News

U.S. and Canadian researchers have identified a signaling pathway that promotes lung and skin scarring. Although the study involved mice, the team said the pathway is likely involved in the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in humans as well. Targeting the pathway may be a way to treat IPF and other fibrotic…

The diagnostic potential of the Envisia Genomic Classifier to distinguish idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) from other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) has once again been demonstrated, this time with data collected in real-world clinical settings. The test, developed by Veracyte, helped improve the accuracy and effectiveness of IPF diagnoses by…

Pulmonary fibrosis treatment OFEV (nintedanib) slows the progression of lung scarring, according to high-resolution scans used in a Phase 3b clinical trial. Computed tomography imaging demonstrated for the first time that six months of Ofev could reduce  the progression of patients’ lung fibrosis lesions, compared with a placebo. Two…

The American Thoracic Society and Boehringer Ingelheim have established a two-year, $100,000 fellowship for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis research. Pulmonary fibrosis is a group of lung diseases characterized by cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and low levels of oxygen in the blood. It involves the lungs becoming stiff and holding less air…

Esbriet (pirfenidone) seems to have diminishing therapeutic effect after six months of treatment and possibly no benefit after one year in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients with advanced disease, a Greek retrospective study shows. The study, “Safety and efficacy of pirfenidone in severe Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A real-world observational…

Treatment with Esbriet (pirfenidone) reduces cough in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new European study finds. The study, “Effect of pirfenidone on cough in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,” appeared in the European Respiratory Journal. Its senior author was Dr. Marlies Wijsenbeek of the respiratory…

A gene previously shown to be associated with cancer — called T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (TIAM1) — may be an effective therapeutic target in pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a new study from China suggests. The study reporting the findings, “TIAM1 inhibits lung fibroblast differentiation in pulmonary…

Children’s National Health System no longer treats just kids. Its Rare Disease Institute, launched in April 2017, has partnered with the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) to become the first of many U.S. “centers of excellence” to look after patients with rare diseases, regardless of age. The effort…

A compound called tubastatin inhibits an enzyme-linked cell signaling pathway associated with lung tissue scarring, reducing pulmonary fibrosis, a study reports. The research on the HDAC6 enzyme in laboratory cell cultures and mice was able to identify only part of the mechanism involved in alleviating the scarring, however. The full…

Inhibiting an enzyme called phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase prevented additional lung tissue scarring in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, a study reports. The discovery means scientists might be able to develop a PF therapy by targeting the enzyme, which is involved in metabolism, or transforming food into energy. The enzyme is…