News

Researchers at Genentech/Roche presented the outcomes of three studies investigating pirfenidone’s action in IPF patients, during the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2016 International Conference, held in San Francisco, May 13-18. Esbriet, also known by the generic name of pirfenidone, is an antifibrotic agent commonly prescribed as a treatment for…

A recent scientific article from researchers in Italy proposes that innate immune responses specific to individual patients could determine how rapidly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progresses. The research study, titled “Immune Inflammation and Disease Progression in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis“ appeared May 9, 2016 in the journal…

According to research published in the journal Molecular Medicine Reports, blocking the reactive oxygen species-producing NOX1 enzyme prevented fibrotic changes in the lungs of mice exposed to irradiation, suggesting that pulmonary fibrosis caused by chest radiotherapy might be prevented by the use of specific blockers of the enzyme NOX1.

Veracyte, Inc., presented new data indicating that its in-development genomic test, the Envisia classifier, has the potential to diagnosis idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), distinguishing it from other interstitial lung diseases (ILD), and reduce the need for invasive diagnostic surgeries. The findings were presented by Dr. Giulia C. Kennedy, the company’s chief scientific officer,…

Afferent Pharmaceuticals announced the results from the first cohort of a two-cohort Phase 2b study, revealing that the company’s AF-219, an orally available antagonist of the P2X3 receptors, significantly reduced cough frequency in patients with chronic cough, a commonly experienced symptom in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). P2X3 receptors are activated…

New analyses, presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2016 Annual Conference, further support the efficacy and safety of nintedanib (Ofev) in treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Boehringer Ingelheim shared a host of data at the meeting, establishing nintedanib as an important player in IPF management, irrespective of disease severity. “IPF…

Netrin-1, a factor produced by the extracellular matrix, drives the production and accumulation of fibrocytes, a fibrosis-promoting cell type in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)-induced pulmonary fibrosis, according to a study by Yale University School of Medicine researchers. Fibrocytes are cells that often reside in the extracellular matrix —…

Veracyte, Inc., recently announced that data from multiple studies supporting the ability of its diagnostic tests to help detect pulmonary disease, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), will be presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2016 International Conference taking place in San Francisco. Veracyte will discuss findings from a total of eight studies, two…

Mesenchymal stem cells can aid in treating autoimmune-related lung fibrosis by changing the composition of T-cells from a mainly toxic to a more regulatory type. The beneficial effects observed in the study were induced by the surprising contribution of TGF-β1 — a molecule normally considered strongly pro-fibrotic, indicating that treatments…

ProterixBio, Inc., is the new name for the company previously known as BioScale, Inc., reflecting a change in strategy. Whereas BioScale had focused on care management solutions for pulmonary and other diseases, ProterixBio will specialize in high-value clinical applications, such as diagnostic products and disease management services, with a…