A cell therapy based on human and rat lung progenitor cells — called lung spheroid cells — reduced scarring (fibrosis) when infused in two rat models of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a study has found. The safety and efficacy of human LSCs is expected to be tested in a Phase…
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While there are few silver linings to the cloud created by COVID-19, the pandemic that has killed tens of thousands, hobbled economies worldwide and drove millions to quarantine in their homes, one may be a new appreciation of telemedicine. “If something good could come out of this crisis, it’s that…
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, patient enrollment in the Phase 2 trial of setanaxib, an investigational oral treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is still expected to start by mid-year, Genkyotex, the therapy’s developer, announced in a press release. The single-site study (NCT03865927), whose protocol has been…
FFF Enterprises and Bionews announced today that both rare and orphan disease advocates are joining forces to provide patients with resources to help them connect as a community and continue to manage their health during this time when many are finding themselves alone. Recognized as the nation’s leading supplier of…
Veracyte has acquired the rights to a gene signature that may serve as a tool, based on a simple blood sample, for determining likely disease outcomes for people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The noninvasive blood-based 52-gene signature, developed by researchers at Yale University, will be offered as a complement…
Chronic lung infections caused by a variety of bacteria are a serious complication in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and are particularly risky for those with low oxygen pressure in the blood or high levels of the lung disease biomarker KL-6, a study has found.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has opened a financial assistance program for people in rare disease community who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Called the NORD COVID-19 Critical Relief Program, the effort will provide up to $1,000 annually to those eligible to…
Men with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are at higher risk of death and are more likely to require a lung transplant than women, according to a recent study. Researchers also identified coughing to be an independent predictor of survival in men with IPF. The study, “Differences in…
Taking oral dietary supplements of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) — an antioxidant in green tea — may stop and reverse the pro-fibrotic (scarring) state of the lungs of people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a small study suggests. These early findings support larger studies of EGCG’s anti-fibrotic potential in IPF,…
A person’s sex appears to affect whether or not they are diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a study that tested respiratory physicians worldwide. Women are less likely to be given an IPF diagnosis, and men may be overdiagnosed, its results suggests. Investigators also noted that the influence of…
