The arrival of spring here in Virginia is both a blessing and a curse. Despite the improved weather, I think of it as pollen and mold season. As a longtime sufferer of seasonal allergies, I don’t need the gentle yellow-green tint on vehicles and patio furniture to remind me to…
Spring is welcome, but its merging with allergy season is not
Enrollment has been completed for a Phase 2b trial that’s testing LYT-100 (deupirfenidone), PureTech Health’s experimental therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The trial, called ELEVATE IPF (NCT05321420), is assessing the safety, efficacy, and dosing regimen of LYT-100 in 240 adults with IPF, compared with a placebo.
Are you angry? If so, who are you angry with and why? I follow a number of social media groups associated with different rare disease communities. Lately, it seems that people are angry with the very groups advocating on their behalf. I must admit, that intrigues me a bit. When…
Stepping outside of our comfort zone can be an intimidating endeavor. But life often presents us with situations that require us to venture beyond what we’re used to. As I prepare for my first trip away from home since my pulmonary fibrosis (PF) diagnosis four years ago, I find…
Low doses of controlled-release morphine, a natural opioid derived from the opium poppy, may reduce the frequency of daytime cough in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to data from a Phase 2 clinical trial. In the trial, called PACIFY COUGH (NCT04429516), patients who were experiencing persistent…
“It is only because of your generous gift of life that I am here. This is the hardest letter I have ever composed. Trying to capture the full range of emotions in a single letter to say thank you is more difficult than I imagined.” These are the words that…
Pliant Therapeutics’ Phase 2b BEACON-IPF trial testing bexotegrast, an investigational oral treatment, in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is now a pivotal, adaptive Phase 2b/3 trial. Accepted by European Union and global health authorities, the implementation of the adaptive design is expected to markedly shorten the therapy’s…
Last month, I wrote about my constant battle with lung infections. As a patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive and life-threatening lung disease, I think the condition’s physical manifestations are obvious: respiratory viruses, shortness of breath, and a dry cough. But IPF has implications…
In last week’s column, I wrote about the preparations required for my first international vacation since 2019. Since I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January 2017 and received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021, many aspects of my life have changed. The most…
My wife, Susan, and I have traveled around the world by trains, planes, ships, and automobiles finding new adventures. We are now in Amsterdam — our first international trip since 2019. When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, my care team encouraged me…
