Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

An inflammatory protein called CIRP may serve as a marker of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs, a new study shows. “Our study reveals elevated expression of [extracellular] CIRP in the lung tissue and [blood] of…

After a diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), rapidly starting treatment with a combination of therapies — both an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) and a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) — can lead to notable short-term improvements in heart health and physical function. That’s according to a new…

In people with pulmonary hypertension (PH), the endothelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels in the lungs take on features that are similar to what’s seen in some cancers, a new study found. The researchers who uncovered these features in these hard-to-access cells noted that they may…

People with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) related to use of methamphetamine — a potent stimulant only legally available by prescription — tend to have worse heart health and poorer exercise capacity compared with patients with other forms of PAH. That’s according to a new study, “Methamphetamine-associated…

A protein called SPHK2 helps to drive pulmonary hypertension (PH) by changing the epigenetic profiles of cells in blood vessels, a study reports. Epigenetics refers to changes in gene activity that do not change the genetic code itself. As such, study findings imply that blocking SPHK2 or otherwise reversing…

The Phase 2b portion of the IMPAHCT clinical trial, which is testing multiple doses of the inhaled imatinib formulation AV-101 against a placebo in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), has finished enrollment. Top-line results are expected in June 2024, according to AV-101’s developer, Aerovate Therapeutics. “The completion…

Tenax Therapeutics is planning to soon launch a Phase 3 clinical trial of TNX-103, an oral formulation of levosimendan, in people with pulmonary hypertension and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF). The company announced it received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct…

Beyond Air has been given an innovative technology contract from Vizient for its LungFit PH system, which was approved in the U.S. last year to administer nitric oxide to treat persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). “We’re very happy and honored…

Endotronix has been cleared by U.S. regulators to launch a clinical trial testing its Cordella Sensor, an implanted device that measures the pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs, in people with heart failure that slightly limits their physical activity. The study, given the green light by…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review an application seeking approval of sotatercept as a treatment for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The FDA has given the application priority review, shortening the review time from the usual 10 months to six months. A decision…

Note: This story was updated Jan. 30, 2024, to correct the approved indications of available treprostinil formulations. Amid ongoing litigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review an application from Liquidia that seeks to extend the approval of Yutrepia — an inhaled dry powder…

Treatment with VU6047534, an experimental therapy that blocks the activity of a specific type of serotonin receptor, reduced strain on the heart in a mouse model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a new study. The study, “Development of a Peripherally Restricted 5-HT2B Partial Agonist for Treatment…