News

7 Medical Centers Added to PFF’s Care Center Network

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) has added seven new medical centers to its Care Center Network (CCN) to improve pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients’ nationwide access to specialized care. The expansion brings to 81 the number of care network facilities in 35 U.S. states. Six sites were added in…

Bexotegrast for IPF Earns EMA Orphan Drug Designation

Pliant Therapeutics’ experimental oral anti-fibrotic therapy bexotegrast has received orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as a potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the company announced. EMA gives this designation to therapies that have the potential to improve care for conditions that affect fewer…

FDA Orphan Drug Designation Awarded to Ifenprodil for IPF

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to ifenprodil, the active agent in NP-120, an investigational oral medicine for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This designation gives Algernon Pharmaceuticals, as the therapy’s developer, certain incentives including tax credits, fee waivers, and a guarantee for…

Study Testing App to Ease Anxiety Opens Nationwide Enrollment

The first-of-its-kind Vicore COMPANION Study is now recruiting participants across the U.S. to test Almee, a new artificial intelligence (AI) app designed to help people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) manage their anxiety. Developed by Vicore Pharma, Almee is an investigational digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that uses…

Kinarus Explores Partnership in China to Support Its Phase 2 Trials

Kinarus Therapeutics and the Great Health Companion Group (GHCG) in China are exploring a partnership to fund further development of KIN001, Kinarus’ potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Switzerland-based Kinarus and GHCG, a subsidiary of global China conglomerate Hakim Unique Group, are also looking into ways to…

Treatment Candidate TXR-1002 Reduces IPF Rat Model Lung Fibrosis

TXR-1002, Aria Pharmaceuticals’ investigational candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), effectively prevented the buildup of scar tissue, or fibrosis, in the lungs of a rat model of the disease. Its effectiveness was comparable to that of the approved IPF therapy, Ofev (nintedanib) and was consistent with findings…

Pliant’s IPF Experimental Therapy PLN-74809 Renamed Bexotegrast

PLN-74809, an oral treatment candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), will now be called bexotegrast, its maker, Pliant Therapeutics, announced in a corporate update. The change came after the International Nonproprietary Names Expert Group selected bexotegrast as the unique generic, or nonproprietary, name for the experimental therapy. The company also announced…