Disability Milestones Created a Painful Identity for My Mom

If I asked you to identify yourself, what would you say? “My name is …” “I am a …” “I work as a …” “I was born in …” There are an infinite number of ways to define and describe ourselves. If each facet of our personality were an ID…

Esbriet (pirfenidone) appears to slow the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) regardless of the presence of autoantibodies, which might mean the therapy can work even when IPF is linked to an autoimmune disease, a study suggests. The study, “Effectiveness of pirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis according…

According to the Canadian Lung Association, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms mimic other common respiratory conditions. I have spoken with many IPF patients who can attest to this. They describe their diagnostic journey as long, complicated, and frustrating. The process of being diagnosed…

The first healthy volunteer has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating RXC007, Redx Pharma’s investigational oral therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrotic, or scarring-related, conditions. “The start of our first clinical study with RXC007 is an important milestone for Redx,” Lisa…

I just finished watching the episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in which Capt. Jean-Luc Picard was taken by the Borg. In one scene, the Borg turned him into a machine, or in Trekkie terms, a “cyborg.” This made me think of my “extra appendages,” my oxygen tanks.

Rubedo Life Sciences announced that it has partnered with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, also in California, to advance its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) program and conduct collaborative research. The biopharmaceutical’s IPF program focuses on developing senolytics, or small molecules that target harmful senescent cells. These cells increase inflammation, fibrosis…

Liminal BioSciences is stopping the clinical development of its investigative oral therapy fezagepras (PBI-4050) for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), based on interim pharmacological data from a Phase 1 clinical trial testing it at ascending doses in healthy volunteers. The decision comes less than a month after the company announced plans…

The first participant has been enrolled in a Phase 3 trial to evaluate the impact of United Therapeutics’ Tyvaso (inhaled treprostinil) on lung function in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The trial, TETON (NCT04708782), aims to recruit approximately 396 people ages 40 and older, who…

Managing symptoms is an ongoing challenge for chronically ill patients. Whether they’re caused by an exacerbation, disease progression, or environmental factors, it’s often difficult for patients to get quick relief, including from respiratory symptoms. Despite their name, rescue inhalers aren’t always effective in managing or improving pulmonary fibrosis…