News

A specific subpopulation of immune cells — known as monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages — was found to play an essential role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). This finding not only contributes new knowledge about the underlying mechanism of PF, but also paves the…

Researchers from two Southern U.S. universities and a federal healthcare agency have begun a study of pulmonary fibrosis in people with the rare disease Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS). The objective of the observational clinical trial is to learn why those with HPS develop lung fibrosis, or tissue scarring. The team from …

A University of Southern California researcher has received a $6.9 million U.S. government grant to continue her work on lung cell regeneration as a way of treating such diseases as pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Dr. Zea Borok of the university’s Keck School of Medicine received the seven-year grant under the National Heart, Lung, and…

Managing lung cancer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients is difficult, largely because standard lung cancer treatments create a risk of IPF exacerbations and patients dying early. An Italian study that covered four patients suggests that Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ofev (nintedanib) could be an answer. The research, “Lung Cancer in Patients with…

Combining genetic analysis and machine learning can improve the identification value of biopsies used to detect pneumonia that progressively scars lungs — a classic marker of pulmonary fibrosis — without doctors having to resort to surgery, according to a study. The findings apply to the transbronchial biopsies, or TBBs, that doctors…

Clinical trials of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) therapies should include measures that reflect patients’ views of the success of treatments, Columbia University Medical Center researchers contend. In particular, the trials should add reduction in respiratory-related hospitalizations to their measurement tool kit, the team said. Patients’ views of treatment success could influence…

The European Commission (EC) recently approved a new formulation of Esbriet (pirfenidone) tablets for the treatment of mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). According to Roche, Esbriet’s developer, the new tablet formulation will reduce the number of pills patients need to take throughout the day, offering patients an easier…

A Chinese herbal remedy prevented healthy airway surface cells from transitioning to the type of cells seen in pulmonary fibrosis, a study reported. It did this by inhibiting the body’s production of proteins involved in fibrosis, or scarring, including HMGB1, TLR-4, and HIF-1α. The results prompted researchers to suggest that the remedy,…

The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University has received a $10 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for its part in a project that aims to uncover the genetics behind several lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, in…

French researchers have identified 41 gene mutations in lung cancers associated with pulmonary fibrosis, a discovery that could lead to new therapy targets for both diseases. The findings applied to both non-idiopathic and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Non-idiopathic cases are those that doctors have found a cause for, while Idiopathic cases…