Evotec and MaRS Innovation have teamed to launch Fibrocor Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company that will be dedicated to developing treatments for fibrotic diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Fibrocor received $2.1 million in financing, including cash from MaRS Innovation, the commercialization arm for 15 academic institutions in Ontario, Canada.
An 84-year-old man diagnosed with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was successfully treated with Ofev (nintedanib) without antibiotics or steroids, according to a case study detailed in the journal Respirology Case Reports. Ofev, an approved treatment in the United States and EU, is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works to…
Researchers identified a specific cytokine called interleukin-13 (IL-13) as a critical mediator of radiation lung injury, and provided evidence that therapeutic targeting of IL-13 may significantly lessen radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The study, “IL-13 is a therapeutic target in radiation lung injury,” was published in the journal…
In a small study with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, alterations in the patients’ respiratory microbiome led to changes in systematic responses that may promote injury, contributing to disease progression. The study, “Host-Microbial Interactions in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis,” was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care…
The prognosis for older idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients was the same as that of younger ones in a recent study assessing relative survival rates, suggesting age might not be a factor. Results of the study, “Relationship Between Survival And Age In Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis,” were published in the…
The immune factor CCL8 could be a diagnostic marker of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and it might be useful in predicting patients’ survival times, a recent study reports. Researchers at the Soonchunhyang Graduate School and University Hospital in Korea published the study, “Gene profile of…
AdAlta biotech announced that its lead drug candidate, AD-114, reduced fibrosis in both the liver and lungs of mice with fibrotic conditions. AD-114 is a novel first-in-class drug candidate called an i-body. This bioengineered antibody mimics the shape and key stability features of specific domains of shark…
Jordan Howard, leading rusher for the Chicago Bears, is launching a fund-raising challenge to honor the 10-year anniversary of his father’s death due to pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The campaign will benefit the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) and the PF community. The challenge relies on a simple chain reaction: Every participant…
The hormone atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) decreased inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a Japanese study. The research, “Atrial natriuretic peptide protects against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis via vascular endothelial cells in mice,” was published in the journal Respiratory Research. Certain…
Aptuit and Chiesi Farmaceutici are partnering in a search for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) treatments. Aptuit will be in charge of early-discovery efforts, which will include medicinal chemistry and pharmacology, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Both companies will take part in the search for, and development of, compounds to treat IPF. “This…
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