Next month’s annual conference of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) in Washington, D.C., couldn’t come at a better time, says Marshall Summar, MD, chairman of NORD’s board of directors. “The pace of discovery in rare diseases has gone from brisk to hypersonic,” Summar told Bionews Services, publisher…
I’m sure that you’re familiar with the saying, “Time heals all things.” I don’t believe this is true of the grieving process. A year ago, I was texting with my friend and colleague Serena Lawrence about the terrible news she had recently received. Serena told me that she was dying…
Information about pulmonary fibrosis (PF) can be hard to find. This article aims to answer some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this disease. What is PF? PF belongs to a group of lung disorders called interstitial lung diseases (ILD). It is a progressive disease marked by…
A small RNA molecule called miR-133a can prevent tissue scarring (fibrosis) in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by interfering with a pro-fibrotic signaling pathway that is involved in disease progression, a study says. The findings of the study, “Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced miR-133a inhibits myofibroblast differentiation…
Weight loss is more common among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who are being treated with Ofev (nintedanib), and also among those at advanced stages of the disease. A study with that finding, “Choice of antifibrotic medication and disease severity predict weight loss in idiopathic pulmonary…
A mutation in the gene ZCCHC8 leads to abnormalities in the structure of telomeres, the protective caps at the end of the DNA, leading to the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new study shows. The study, titled “ZCCHC8, the nuclear exosome targeting component, is…
Citryll and Lonza have teamed up to develop Citryll’s candidate antibody, called CIT-013, as a therapy for inflammatory diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and rheumatoid arthritis, the companies announced. CIT-013 is designed to inhibit the formation of web-like structures known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs),…
I’ll never forget the day I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. After months of shortness of breath, a dry, chronic cough, and unusual fatigue, I finally sought an urgent care physician’s opinion about why my lungs were being so problematic. I’d tried multiple antibiotics, inhalers, and steroids to…
Simultaneous inhibition of two signaling pathways mediated by TGF-beta1 and periostin can halt progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in mice, a new study reveals. The study, “The Cross-Talk Between TGF-β and Periostin Can Be Targeted for Pulmonary Fibrosis,” was published in…
Nitric oxide, a gas that induces the relaxation and widening of lung airways, has received orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The gas will be delivered in pulses through Bellerophon Therapeutics’ patented…
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