Have you discovered the Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forums yet? Think of them as a virtual café where you can stop in and read a couple of items from the discussion areas, comment on questions from others, or pose a question to the group. Each time a new member joins,…
Good things happen on the way to the forums
Blocking Piezo2, a protein receptor that senses mechanical forces in tissues — ones such as stress, strain, and stiffness — may be a new way to slow the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a study by U.S. researchers. The scientists, who noted that this was the…
One of the lessons idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has taught me is that not everything will go as planned. For that reason, this past weekend we celebrated Halloween and One-Half (which we call HH). Flexibility is important to everyone on this journey. Let me explain. Before my IPF…
Basal stem cells taken from the upper part of a patient’s respiratory tract can be expanded in the lab and then transplanted back into their lungs to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a recent study. “Our clinical observations herein show that [basal cells] infusion is able to…
Living with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is not for the faint of heart. That applies equally to patients, caregivers, and loved ones. While each of us is on a unique journey, there are times when support is necessary. I have shared before that when I was diagnosed with idiopathic…
Weight loss is a recurring topic during my medical appointments, and I frequently discuss it with my transplant team. I wrote about this a couple years ago in a column titled “Using Ozempic in hopes of qualifying for a lung transplant.” At appointments, my body mass index is…
Pliant Therapeutics has discontinued a pivotal Phase 2b/3 clinical trial evaluating its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) treatment bexotegrast due to safety issues. The BEACON-IPF (NCT06097260)Â trial was assessing whether once-daily doses of bexotegrast (160 mg or 320 mg) could improve lung function in about 360 IPF patients, ages 40…
It was five years ago this month that COVID-19 was beginning to consume the headlines. Around the world, those headlines provided an early view of what a pandemic might look like here in the U.S. In fact, five years ago school systems here began shutting down because of the threat.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is seeking participants for its survey-based study Living Rare, which aims to better understand the real-world lived experiences of people in the U.S. with rare diseases. Living Rare, the first large-scale study of its kind in the U.S., seeks to capture the…
Do you ever have one of those days? You know the kind: Nothing seems to go your way and the day ends with a huge sigh. When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, I learned that not every day would be sunshine and roses. Last Wednesday was a…
