Today, I’m wrapping up another trip around the sun. On Oct. 4, 1957, the day I was born, the former Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, Earth’s first artificial satellite. I’ve often wondered if there’s any relationship between my birthday and my love of space. Astronomy was my science during my…
Progress in PF research requires patient participation
Treatment with AP01, Avalyn Pharma‘s experimental inhaled formulation of pirfenidone, appears to be slightly more effective for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) than the oral version, which is sold as Esbriet, and results in fewer side effects. AP01’s efficacy and safety profiles with progressive forms of pulmonary…
Have you ever read a book that totally resonated with you? One that reflects who you are and enables you to see yourself in the words? I love to read a variety of genres but tend to lean toward self-improvement, technical publications, and real-life stories. A longtime friend of mine, following…
The experimental oral therapy BMS-986278, taken at 60 mg twice daily for 26 weeks, resulted in a 69% reduction in the rate of lung function decline in adults with progressive pulmonary fibrosis taking part in a Phase 2 trial. These findings are consistent with previously reported data from…
When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January 2017, I began to tackle the steep learning curve almost immediately. I may never reach the summit, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up. There is always something to learn, and I acquire new knowledge on a regular basis.
A Phase 2a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ENV-101 (taladegib), Endeavor BioMedicines’ oral treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), has completed patient enrollment. Top-line data from the study (NCT04968574), which enrolled 41 adults with mild-to-moderate IPF, ages 40 and older, at sites in…
In May, my mom, Holly, told me about a memoir she’d just finished reading by Amy Silverstein, a writer who had died of cancer the previous day. Silverstein attributed her impending death to a 35-year reliance on transplant-related medications following a heart transplant at age 25 and…
Sept. 12 is always an exciting day in our house. It’s the birthday of my wife, Susan, for one thing. And it’s also our wedding anniversary. While I won’t disclose Susan’s age for my safety, I can share that it’s our 13th anniversary. For more than half of our married life,…
At the beginning of this year, I was told to start pulmonary rehabilitation to help with my pulmonary fibrosis (PF). I was prescribed 12 sessions as an outpatient, which would take six weeks (two sessions a week) out of my life. I kept putting it off, always making…
The first patients have been dosed in the Phase 2 REVERTIPF trial testing Tvardi Therapeutics’ investigational therapy TTI-101 in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). TTI-101 is an oral small molecule inhibitor of STAT3, a protein implicated in pulmonary fibrosis (PF), as well as certain types of cancer. The…
