News

MyMD Earns Patent for Investigational Therapy MYMD-1

MyMD Pharmaceuticals has secured a 13th U.S. patent protecting its experimental therapy MYMD-1, which is being investigated as a potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other diseases. The new patent (11,096,933), “Method of Treating Disorders Associated with Chronic Inflammation,” covers the administration of MYMD-1 to…

Vitamin D Eases Lung Fibrosis by Blocking RAS Pathway, Study Finds

Treatment with vitamin D’s active form lessened lung scarring, and significantly reduced the levels of fibrotic markers in a mouse model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study reported. Notably, these benefits were associated with vitamin D’s suppression of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), whose chronic activation promotes the production of…

MediciNova’s MN-001 for IPF Fails to Slow Lung Function Decline

Six months of treatment with MN-001 (tipelukast), MediciNova’s investigational oral therapy, failed to significantly improve lung function in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to data from a small Phase 2 clinical trial. The therapy, however, was associated with some positive effects, such as a reduction in worsening IPF…

Daily Breathing Exercises Seen to Slow Progression in IPF Patients

Simple breathing exercises as an add-on therapy can safely slow lung function decline and improve quality of life in people with mild to moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a small study reported. After six months of disease-tailored and daily breathing exercises, participants showed significant gains in several measures of…

Register Now for Global Genes’ RARE Patient Advocacy Summit

Registration is now open for Global Genes‘ 2021 RARE Patient Advocacy Summit. This year’s hybrid event will be livestreamed from California Sept. 27-29, and some seats also are available for attending the event in person in San Diego. “Here you’ll have the opportunity to connect and engage with others…

Serious Mortality, Ventilation Risk Seen in IPF Patients With COVID-19

People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are at a greater risk of severe illness leading to mechanical ventilation or death than are infected patients without this progressive lung disease, a large database study reported. Among hospitalized individuals, however, its scientists saw…

Blood Levels Marking Collagen Turnover May Predict IPF Severity

The degree of collagen degradation, a process called collagen turnover, evident in a person’s blood at the time idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is diagnosed predicts the severity of disease progression within one year, regardless of antifibrotic treatment, a study reported. These findings support the use of collagen turnover as a blood…

NORD Rare Disease Summit, Online Oct. 18-19, Open for Registration

Registration is now open for the 2021 Rare Diseases and Orphan Products Breakthrough Summit, which will be held virtually Oct. 18–19. The event, also known as the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Summit, brings the rare disease community together to network and discuss developments in treatments and research…