News

Switching Between Antifibrotics May Help IPF Patients Live Longer

Switching antifibrotic treatment is generally well-tolerated among people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and those who did generally lived several years longer than those who did not, a study from Japan reports. Findings suggest that switching from one antifibrotic to another “is feasible and may improve prognosis [disease course]…

PF Diagnosis, Care in UK Also Fell to COVID-19 Pandemic

More than 100,000 fewer hospital appointments were logged by people with lung diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in England between March 2020 and 2021, relative to the average annual number of such appointments — which the Taskforce for Lung Health attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strain…

Partnership Aims to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Rare Disease Meds

AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, a specialty and home delivery pharmacy, is partnering with TailorMed, a healthcare technology company, to help lower out-of-pocket prescription costs for specialty pharmacy patients. Medications attained through specialty pharmacies are those used to treat rare and chronic conditions in the U.S., and are often extremely costly. For…

Computerized Imaging Tool Helps ID New IPF Subtype

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) co-occurring with a second lung disorder represents a distinct new IPF subtype with a poor prognosis and its own set of treatment considerations, a recent study found. The discovery of this new IPF subtype, made with the help of a computerized image analysis tool, could…

Automated Imaging Method Seen to Accurately Capture PF Severity

A new, automated computer image analysis technique was able to accurately assess and measure the severity of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) using patients’ lung tissue samples, a study reported. According to its researchers, this technique may complement conventional measures of disease severity, and could prove useful in assessing a range…

Nominations Open for 2022 Eurordis Black Pearl Awards

Nominations are now open for the worldwide 2022 Black Pearl Awards from Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. The 12 award categories recognize individual advocates, policy makers, researchers, organizations, and companies who work to make a difference for the global rare disease community. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 10…

Enrollment Resumes in GALACTIC-1 Trial of Inhaled Therapy GB0139

Enrollment has resumed, under a revised trial protocol, in the Phase 2b study GALACTIC-1, which is evaluating Galecto’s investigational inhaled therapy GB0139 in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Galecto in March had been advised to stop recruiting and treating certain trial participants after disparities were…