News

Actelion European MAA for PAH Drug Selexipag Pending Approval

Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd., has just announced its has sent the European Medicines Agency (EMA) an application for the centralized Marketing Authorization of selexipag (Uptravi®), indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). While the drug’s MAA is pending validation, the company is working…

Study Finds Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Has the Worst Outcome in Patients with Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases

A recent study entitled “Spectrum of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases with special reference to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and connective tissue disease: An eastern India experience,” published in the journal Lung India, compared the clinical spectrum of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLD) with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis…

Scleroderma-Related PH Treated with Bayer’s Ventavis in Clinical Trial

Bayer is sponsoring a long-term observational clinical trial involving patients with pulmonary hypertension or pulmonary arterial hypertension due to scleroderma. The aim of the study is to determine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of inhaled Ventavis (iloprost, also known as BAYQ6256) in 160 patients with either idiopathic or familial…

New Clinical Trial Tests Ambrisentan in Preventing SSc-PAH

Treating patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who have borderline pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is vital to patient health, as life expectancy after a diagnosis of SSc-PAH is only one year. Accordingly, Heidelberg University, along with GlaxoSmithKline, initiated a clinical trial to investigate “Early Treatment…

Two Signaling Pathways Implicated in SSc-PAH

Clinicians, scientists, and researchers have acknowledged an association between systemic sclerosis (SSc) and pulmonary arterial hypertension, and have even created the disease category “SSc-PAH,” or SSc-related PAH. This category of PAH is remarkably similar to heritable PAH, yet the basis for the similarity has remained unknown. In an effort…

Eight Parameters Recommended to Monitor for PH in JSSc Patients

When young patients develop juvenile systemic sclerosis (JSSc), it is vital to monitor them for changes in cardiopulmonary parameters that may lead to conditions such as pulmonary hypertension. However, there are no current guidelines that describe which cardiopulmonary parameters are most vital to monitor in order to screen for diseases…

Researchers Discover Protein That Can Prevent Pulmonary Hypertension-Related Heart Failure

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced a recent study where company’s scientists demonstrated that Thymosin beta 4 (TB4) can reduce or even prevent heart failure in a pulmonary hypertension mouse model. The study, entitled “Thymosin Beta 4 protects mice from monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy,” was published…

SSc-PAH Patients Demonstrate Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

It is widely accepted that hypertrophic mesenchymal stem cells contribute to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in individuals with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Now, as a result of a study presented at the 2014 American College of Rheumatology Meeting, scientists have reason to believe that endothelial cells can increase the pool…

Boehringer Ingelheim’s Nintedanib for IPF Receives Positive Opinion

Boehringer Ingelheim, a leader in the pharmaceuticals industry, recently received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal  Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the use of nintedanib (suggested brand name OFEV®) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Nintedanib is now on…