News

The phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 inhibitor, GPD1116, effectively treats pulmonary hypertension and several other diseases in animal models, and holds promise as a new therapeutic drug, researchers reported in the study, “Pharmacological profile of GPD-1116, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4,” published in the Biological and Pharmaceutical…

A microRNA, called miR-214, promotes excessive cellular proliferation in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and decreasing its expression may significantly impair phenotype changes in the lung vasculature in PAH, researcher report.The study, “MEF2C-MYOCD and Leiomodin1 Suppression by miRNA-214 Promotes Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype Switching in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension,” was published…

Sevoflurane might be suitable to sedate patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who are undergoing surgery, according to the study, “Rats with chronic, stable pulmonary hypertension tolerate low dose sevoflurane inhalation as well as normal rats do,” published in the journal PLOS One. PAH is a…

Galectin Therapeutics, Inc., will present an abstract, a collaboration with researchers at Augusta University titled “Galectin-3 Mediates Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension,” at the 2016 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) being held May 13–18 in San Francisco. The study, undertaken in the labs of Drs. Scott Barman and…

Insmed, Inc., recently announced that three abstracts related to Arikayce, its drug candidate to treat nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease, and one related to its treprostinil prodrug, will be presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2016 International Conference taking place in San Francisco on May 13–18. The presentations will cover clinical trial findings…

AVEO Oncology announced that it has filed provisional patent applications covering “composition of matter” claims for its Notch 3-specific inhibitory antibody, AV-353. The latest filings are the company’s second concerning its Notch 3 antibody program and AV-353. The Notch signaling pathway is involved in multiple cell fate decisions throughout human life,…

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association of Canada will join more than 80 other organizations worldwide to mark World Pulmonary Hypertension Day, an international event that raising awareness of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Celebrated on May 5 every year since 2012, World PH Day focuses on the importance of improving life…

A new, aerosol-delivered gene therapy has shown promising effects in a pig model of pulmonary hypertension (PH), according to a study published in the Journal of The American College of Cardiology (JACC), titled “Intratracheal Gene Delivery of SERCA2a Ameliorates Chronic Post-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension“. PH is characterized by…

Quality of life is an important measure of patient health and treatment effectiveness, but often overlooked in people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). A review of such measurements in this patient group found plenty of room for improvement both in tools selected and their use — and called for more research on the…

Brad A. Wong of San Rafael, California, has been appointed President and CEO of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), a position he assumes on June 19. Wong’s appointment by the PHA Board of Trustees coincides with the association’s 25th anniversary. The second CEO in PHA’s history, he has served has executive…

Monotherapy given to patients with congenital heart defects associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, or PAH-CHD, improved their exercise capacity more than a combined therapy, researchers report. The study, “Effect of dual pulmonary vasodilator therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease: a retrospective analysis,” was published in the journal Open…

Wall shear stress in the main pulmonary artery was found to be associated with worse hemodynamic parameters, as well as vessel stiffness and remodeling, in pulmonary hypertension patients. Findings in the study, published in the journal Pulmonary Circulation, suggest that measures of wall shear stress offer a new and non-invasive way to…