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

KER-012 Prevents Heart Damage in PH Mice

Treatment with the experimental medication KER-012 helped to prevent heart damage in a mouse model of pulmonary hypertension, new research shows. The findings were showcased by KER-012’s developer, Keros Therapeutics, at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2021 Scientific Sessions, held Nov. 13–15, according to a company press…

Genetic Analysis Spots Cancer Therapies With Potential to Treat PH

By analyzing how medications affect the genetic activity of cells, researchers developed a computational pipeline that may be useful in repurposing cancer treatments for use in other diseases. Leveraging this pipeline, the team identified two compounds, I-BET762 and BRD2889, that might be refined — more quickly and at lower cost…

FDA Declines to Approve Tyvaso DPI, Citing Inspection Issue

Due to problems at a third-party facility, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to not approve Tyvaso DPI, a dry powder inhaled formulation of treprostinil, at this time. According to United Therapeutics, the medication’s developer, the issue is expected to be dealt with soon. The company anticipates…

PH Patients at High Risk of Misusing Opioids After Surgery

People with pulmonary hypertension (PH) who start treatment with opioids to manage pain after undergoing surgery are at high risk of continuing to take these addictive medications for longer than required, new research suggests. Indeed, hypertension was one of eight specifically identified “top risk factors” for “new persistent post-surgical…

Blocking Specific PI3K Protein Prevents PH in Animal Models

Targeting a protein called p110a, a part of the PI3K family of enzymes, may be useful for preventing or even reversing pulmonary hypertension, research done in cells and rodent models showed. “Targeted inhibition of [p110a] offers a disease-modifying treatment approach, which is readily accessible by small molecule inhibitors and…

Potential PAH Therapy, KER-012 Also Prevents Bone Loss in Rat Model

A lab version of an investigational treatment for bone disorders and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), KER-012 prevented bone loss in a PAH rat model, its developer, Keros Therapeutics, reported. Separate preclinical data in a PAH rat model, presented by the company earlier this year, also demonstrated that KER-012 worked to…

Potential Way of Treating PAH Seen in Blocking Specific MicroRNA

Blocking the activity of a small RNA molecule called microRNA-30a eased alterations in heart structure and blood vessel architecture in mouse models of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a new study reports. Results also showed that this molecule is present at abnormally high levels in PAH patients, supporting its potential…

Variation in Blood Vessel Anatomy May Raise Risk of CTEPH

Many people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension or CTEPH have a particular anatomical variation called May-Thurner anatomy, which may increase the risk of developing this rare disease type, according to researchers. A new study found this anomaly is very common in individuals with CTEPH, with nearly 30% of patients…