News

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…

Supplemental oxygen during exercise can improve pulmonary fibrosis patients’ breathing and workout capabilities, according to a report in the journal Respirology. A key feature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is higher levels of damaging oxygen oxidants, or substances that oxidize other substances. These compounds trigger tissue scarring known as…

Former New York Yankees baseball player Bernie Williams joined the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) recently as they lobbied members of Congress to raise awareness about the impact idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has on patients and families. “My father passed away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and I’m eager to raise awareness of the…