Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Patricia holds her PhD in cell biology from the University Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York, for which she was awarded a Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) fellowship.

Articles by Patricia Inácio

Switching to Adempas Improves Clinical Outcomes in Intermediate-risk PAH Patients, Phase 4 Trial Shows

People with intermediate-risk pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who failed to respond adequately to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) show significant benefits when transitioned to Adempas (riociguat) treatment, a Phase 4 trial has found. A total of 41% of patients who made that transition experienced significant clinical improvements, compared with…

Epigenetic Changes May Boost PAH Development, Study Reports

Changes in the epigenetic profile — a collection of marks that turn genes on and off  — of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells from people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) may contribute to disease development, a study suggests. The study, “Remodeling of active endothelial enhancers is associated with aberrant…

PAH Trials Pausing Enrollment for COVID-19, United Therapeutic Says

United Therapeutics has temporarily stopped enrolling patients in ongoing clinical trials of treprostinil-based therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced. Treprostinil is a man-made version of the hormone prostacyclin, a natural compound that helps blood vessels relax and widen, prevents arteries from blocking, and…

Benefits of Orenitram for PAH Patients Detailed in New Data

United Therapeutics’ Orenitram (treprostinil) improves heart function and lowers risk status in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who had begun treatment with another approved therapy, new data from a Phase 3 clinical trial show. Moreover, compared with Actelion’s Uptravi (selexipag), treatment with Orenitram was linked to significantly…

Exosomes from Stem Cells May Slow Vascular Remodeling in PAH

Small vesicles, called exosomes, released by mesenchymal stem cells helped to ease vascular remodeling in a rat model of pulmonary hypertension (PH), a study reports. The study “Mesenchymal stromal cell-derived exosomes improve pulmonary hypertension through inhibition of pulmonary vascular remodeling” was published in the journal …


A Conversation With Rare Disease Advocates