The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation to PRM-151, a compound being investigated for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). PRM-151 is a recombinant (lab-made) version of the protein pentraxin-2. This protein acts on immune cells called macrophages; it can activate these cells to…
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A post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 RECAP trial shows that long-term treatment with Esbriet (pirfenidone) is safe and similarly effective in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as in those with less advanced disease. The study, “Effect of pirfenidone in patients with more advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,”…
High levels of PD-L1 protein were found in the most aggressive fibroblasts that drive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progression, making the protein — whose levels are increased in cancer cells to shield a tumor from the immune system — a potential new therapeutic target, a study suggests. The study, “…
This year’s edition of Broadway Belts For PFF! — a benefit event for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) — raised a record $400,000 to help fund pulmonary fibrosis (PF) research and patient programs. The evening of music, comedy, and performances at New York’s Edison Ballroom was hosted by Broadway…
Saracatinib (AZD0530), an investigational oral therapy under development by AstraZeneca, was granted Orphan Drug Designation as a potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by the U.S. Food and Drug…
Exposure to dust in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks increased the risk of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) among responders, according to an evaluation of self-reported surveys. Researchers found that higher levels of dust exposure were associated with increased PF incidence. The study, “Pulmonary Fibrosis among World Trade…
Exposure to silica dust may trigger pulmonary fibrosis (PF) because silica particles block a self-cleansing process used by cells, termed autophagy, which drives cell death in the lungs, a study using both human cells and mice showed. Researchers say the findings may improve…
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” — Aristotle In today’s healthcare environment, an overwhelming percentage of resources are spent on treating diseases and their associated manifestations. While treatment of disease is an essential part of wellness, there is far more to being healthy than simply not being…
Increased levels of the signaling molecule IFN-gamma in the blood, as well as of other pro-inflammatory proteins and immune-response activators, can contribute to the worsening of acute symptoms in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study finds. Therefore, assessment of these particular molecules may help predict IPF acute…
Madeline Collin, a 24-year-old activist with Gaucher disease, worries that patients like her will suffer deeply if Britain leaves the European Union (EU), as scheduled, at the end of this month. Collin is an expert on the subject. For her University of Bath dissertation, she analyzed Brexit’s long-term impact…
