Fibrosis or scarring in the lungs may blunt the ability of the body’s immune cells to fight off an infection in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study in mice found. Researchers observed that when isolated from a fibrotic lung, macrophages — a type of white blood cells that engulfs…
Lung Scarring Blunts Ability to Fight Infections, Mouse Study Suggests
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) lessened lung scarring by reducing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)-related aging of lung cells that play a key role in tissue repair, according to a study in a mouse model of IPF. Notably, these benefits were associated with a normalization of the levels of molecules involved…
One of the unique challenges of living with an invisible illness is figuring out how to tell others. Although I’ve lived with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) for five years, it’s still not easy for me to disclose my condition. Most people wouldn’t know that this life-threatening and relentless disease has…
Anti-fibrotic medications, such as Esbriet (pirfenidone) and Ofev (nintedanib), are not cost-effective treatments for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in the U.S. due to their high prices, even though they remain the only effective therapies, according to a recent study. The study, “Cost-effectiveness of the anti-fibrotics for…
I’ve found myself daydreaming lately about a return to normal. I long for the days when we didn’t need face masks, when I could see someone’s smile during a conversation, and when hand sanitizer wasn’t the most frequent smell I encountered. Most people who know me would describe me as…
Injuries to the lung from diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) can trigger an abnormal cell response that affects lung cell repair and is associated with excessive tissue scarring, a study showed. Scientists noted that further studies are needed to determine whether this process is reversible, which may lead…
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with chronic cough who are being treated with the investigational oral medication NP-120 (ifenprodil) in a small clinical trial tended to experience a reduction in coughing, according to the therapy’s developer Algernon Pharmaceuticals. The company is funding an open-label Phase 2…
I have several roles here at Bionews, the parent company that publishes Pulmonary Fibrosis News and other rare disease websites. I started with this humble column and eventually joined the forums team as a co-moderator. My most recently acquired title is “columns lead,” in which I manage and mentor…
Cudetaxestat (BLD-0409), an experimental medication for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) from Blade Therapeutics, was well-tolerated among healthy volunteers when given in combination with other IPF treatments — specifically nintedanib and pirfenidone — in a Phase 1 study. “These findings provide confidence in the potential to safely co-administer cudetaxestat…
As we approach year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am tired. I’m sure we all are. This pandemic fatigue, combined with the January blues, makes it a difficult time of year for many, and leaves the world feeling heavy and dark. While there is no immediate fix, being…
