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

Tenax Granted US Patent for Levosimendan as Treatment for PH

The experimental therapy levosimendan has been awarded a U.S. patent covering its use for pulmonary hypertension and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF), according to developer Tenax Therapeutics. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a notice of allowance to Tenax for a patent for…

PDE5 Inhibitors Improve Blood Flow, Exercise Capacity in PH: Analysis

Treatment with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors can improve blood flow parameters and exercise capacity in people with pulmonary hypertension (PH), according to a new analysis of clinical trial data. “The study found that the reduction in mean PAP [peripheral arterial pressure] was significantly greater in patients receiving PDE5 inhibitors,” the…

Top 10 Pulmonary Hypertension Stories of 2022

Over the past year, the team here at Pulmonary Hypertension News has brought you up-to-date coverage of the latest developments in research, care, and treatment related to pulmonary hypertension (PH). We hope to continue to be a resource for the PH community in the coming year. Here is a…

Inhaled Treatment MK-5475 Shows Promise in Phase 1 Trial for PAH

Merck’s investigational inhaled treatment MK-5475 was well-tolerated and showed promise among adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a Phase 1 clinical trial. Results showed that the therapy improved blood flow in patients’ lungs, but did not affect blood pressure elsewhere in the body. “The promising pulmonary selectivity and…

Inhaled Seralutinib Shows Potential to Treat PAH in Phase 2 Trial

Treatment with seralutinib (GB002), an inhaled investigational therapy, significantly improved measures of blood pressure in the lungs of people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the Phase 2 TORREY study, meeting the trial’s main goal. Promising effects also were seen on measures of exercise capacity and heart structure, with these…

Eosinophils Reduce Inflammation, Cell Overgrowth in PH: Study

Immune cells called eosinophils help protect against the progression of pulmonary hypertension (PH) by reducing lung inflammation and regulating the growth of muscle cells around blood vessels, a new study indicates. The study, “Eosinophils Protect Against Pulmonary Hypertension through 14-HDHA and 17-HDHA,” was published in the …

Study Ties anti-VEGF Therapies to PH in Preterm Newborns

Premature newborns who are treated for eye problems with anti-VEGF therapies may be at increased risk of developing pulmonary hypertension, a new study suggests. “Future studies evaluating the safety of anti-VEGF therapy should include pulmonary hypertension as a key clinical outcome. This is especially important as anti-VEGF treatment usage…

CorVista Device to Diagnose PH Gets FDA Breakthrough Designation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted breakthrough device designation to the CorVista System, a point-of-care diagnostic tool that aims to use non-invasive tests and machine learning to help diagnose pulmonary hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. The designation gives CorVista Health, the system’s developer, certain benefits aimed…