Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

Janssen seeks approval in Europe for PAH combination therapy tablet

Janssen Pharmaceuticals has submitted an application in Europe asking regulatory authorities to approve the company’s combination therapy of macitentan and tadalafil — developed as a single tablet — for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The filing comes less than a month after Janssen submitted a similar application seeking approval…

More than 50% of preterm babies with PH respond to Revatio: Study

Treatment with intravenous Revatio (sildenafil) can improve oxygen delivery and heart health in some premature babies with pulmonary hypertension, although more than four in 10 patients don’t respond to it. “Our study adds new insights on preterm and [very low birth weight]-infants with sildenafil treatment for primary early PH…

Better ways sought to gauge patients’ experiences in PAH trials

The outcomes used in clinical trials of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) don’t fully reflect the priorities of patients and clinicians, a new study asserts. The study, “‘It’s that invisible illness’: Patient and clinician perspectives on outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment,” was published in the journal…

Janssen asks FDA to approve macitentan, tadalafil combo tablet

Janssen Pharmaceuticals has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval of a combination tablet containing both macitentan and tadalafil as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). “People with PAH are often prescribed numerous medicines to manage their condition, so the potential…

Inhaled imatinib treatment found safe in healthy people in study

Treatment with AER-901, an inhaled formulation of imatinib that Aerami Therapeutics is developing as a treatment for two forms of pulmonary hypertension, was generally well-tolerated in a Phase 1 study conducted with healthy volunteers. That’s according to safety data presented by Aerami at the 2023 American Thoracic Society…

KER-012 reduces markers of heart damage, fibrosis in Phase 1 study

Treatment with KER-012, an experimental therapy Keros Therapeutics is developing to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), lowered markers of heart damage, fibrosis, and inflammation in a Phase 1 clinical trial that tested the therapy in healthy postmenopausal women. Keros presented the findings at the American Thoracic Society (ATS)…

Patients’ mental, physical health improved during pandemic: Study

Many people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) report better mental and physical health following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study found. “Unexpectedly, we found that some objective measures of pulmonary hypertension disease severity actually improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included longer 6-minute walk distances, lower NT-proBNP…

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty may be ‘life-changing’ for CTEPH patients

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty, or BPA, can be an effective treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a new study highlights. “Patients treated with BPA experienced improvement in functional class and exercise capabilities, with relatively low rates of procedure-related complications,” researchers wrote. The study, “Refined Balloon Pulmonary…