News

Exercise May Help IPAH Patients by Shifting Immune System Toward Healthier Balance

Physical exercise can modulate the immune response that activates inflammation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve their cardiopulmonary function and quality of life, a study published in the BMC Pulmonary Medicine reported. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive vascular disease characterized by increased blood pressure in the lung vasculature,…

Early Data Support Oral Anti-Fibrotic Treatment, PBI-4050, for Pulmonary Hypertension

ProMetic Life Sciences recently presented positive preclinical data on its fibrosis-targeting lead candidate, PBI-4050, showing that the drug effectively reduces pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy. The company also presented positive effects of PBI-4050 on cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The data…

Physical, Emotional and Financial Burden Felt by Caregivers of PAH Patients Spotlighted

The hardships felt by caregivers of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are “multidimensional” — emotional, physical and economic — and those burdens should be recognized and caregivers’ own physical and psychological needs accounted for, as their work is increasingly necessary to societies in which patients are living longer, a recent review study argues. In the review, “…

New Gene Mutation Linked to Familial PAH and May Explain Why Disease Strikes Selectively

Researchers found a new mutation in a gene — called eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α kinase 4 (EIF2AK4)  — in members of a family with hereditary pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPAH). This mutation represents a potential “second hit” that increases the likelihood of certain family members developing the disease. The study, “…

Actelion Reports Its PAH Treatment, Macitentan, Aiding CTEPH Patients in Phase 2 Study

Actelion announced that a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating its pulmonary hypertension treatment, macitentan, in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) has met its primary endpoint. At week 16, treatment resulted in a significant reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) compared to placebo. MERIT is a 24-week, randomized and…

Interim Results Published of Clinical Trial Showing Benefits of Inhaled Nitrate to Treat PH

Mast Therapeutics announced that positive interim data from its ongoing Phase 2a clinical trial of AIR001 (sodium nitrite, or Aironite) inhalation solution for the treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI). The open label, Phase 2a clinical trial (NCT01431313) is evaluating…

Opsumit Seen Help Improve Quality of Life for PAH Patients in Study

Results from a Phase 3 study showed that treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients with oral Opsumit (macitentan) improved both their physical and mental health, positively impacting their quality of life (QoL). PAH is a progressive disease characterized by the difficulty to breathe and recurrent fatigue.  Several studies have shown that PAH affects a person’s mental…