Seeing Silver Linings During Social Isolation

Coronavirus news hasn’t gotten any less scary since I wrote about it two weeks ago. At the time of writing this column, the virus is in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. More than 100 U.S. citizens have died from the illness. I wasn’t planning to write about…

Stimulating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), found across the immune system, via a naturally produced chemical protected mice from induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and increased their survival, a study showed. These findings support further research to determine if AhR might…

Like my readers on Pulmonary Fibrosis News, I’m doing my best to stay abreast of the global COVID-19 outbreak. With that said, I am finding it pertinent for my mental health to take breaks from social media and news reports which are inundating us with information surrounding this…

A clinical trial in the U.K. is recruiting people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to test Trevi Therapeutics’ nalbuphine extended release tablets to treat chronic cough, the company announced. Nalbuphine extended release (ER) acts in two ways: the small molecule blocks the mu opioid receptor, while it…

Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pulmonary fibrosis (PF), have an increased risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack, compared to those without these lung conditions, a recent study suggests. Clinicians should take these findings into account, and screen patients with ILDs, especially those 60–69 years…

Hepion Pharmaceuticals‘ CRV431 has a similar, or even greater effect in reducing markers of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in lung tissue, compared with standard-of-care IPF treatment, the company reported. The therapy had positive results in lung tissue from an IPF patient, according to Hepion. CRV431 is a…

This weekend, we will celebrate my mom’s re-birthday. It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed since my mom, Holly, had a double-lung transplant. The important moments of that day remain vivid in my memory. The phone rang at about 8 a.m. My…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Bellerophon Therapeutics agreed on the design of Bellerophon’s Phase 3 trial to test INOpulse — inhaled nitric oxide — in people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) who are at risk for pulmonary hypertension (PH), the company said. INOpulse is a device that…

This week, March 8-14, is National Pulmonary Rehab Week. As a pulmonary fibrosis and single-lung transplant patient, I vow to promote pulmonary rehab awareness on behalf of my fellow Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forum members and others who are suffering from a debilitating lung disease. I am currently participating in…

The number of treatments for children with rare diseases has grown over the past decade, according to a new study. However, despite the increase, nearly 7,000 rare diseases are still lacking treatment. And federal incentives to boost treatment development for these rare diseases have primarily focused not on creating new…