Polymyositis News and Research

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Polymyositis is a fairly uncommon condition that leads to increasing weakness of the skeletal muscles (those muscles involved in movement) and it can affect the body bilaterally (on both sides).

Novel member of a class of anti-diabetes drugs could help treat muscle wasting disease

Inflammatory myopathies can be challenging to treat, but a new study reports encouraging findings for patients with these debilitating conditions. Researchers from Japan have found that a novel member of a class of anti-diabetes drugs could be the key to treating patients with muscle wasting disease.

18 Aug 2022

Targeting necroptosis using a necroptosis inhibitor lessens myositis-induced muscle weakness

A new study has suggested that treatment to target necroptosis in muscle fibers using a necroptosis inhibitor lessens myositis-induced muscle weakness as well as muscle cell death and inflammation in the muscles. This has been shown to be a promising strategy for treating polymyositis.

2 Mar 2022

FDA grants seven years of marketing exclusivity for Octapharma’s Octagam 10%

Octapharma USA today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) has awarded seven years of marketing exclusivity for Octagam® 10% [Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)], the first and only intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) to be indicated for the treatment of adult dermatomyositis (DM).

31 Aug 2021

Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases

A recent study discusses the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with SARDs who were previously vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

11 Aug 2021

Lupus patients receiving prophylactic therapy are at high risk for adverse reactions

New research shows that adults with systemic lupus erythematosus, who receive trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), a prophylactic therapy to help prevent pneumocystis pneumonia, are at high risk for adverse reactions to the drug, particularly if they are also positive for anti-Smith (anti-Sm) antibodies.

6 Nov 2020

Patients and families gather to gain more awareness, knowledge about myositis

In early 2015, Mike Matthews, a teacher, social worker, and counselor for the State of Kentucky, experienced a constellation of apparently unrelated health problems that doctors could not diagnose. He lost more than thirty pounds, had trouble swallowing and speaking, developed a rash over his knuckles and other parts of his body, and experienced extreme muscle weakness and fatigue.

29 Aug 2018

New classification criteria offers faster, more accurate path to diagnosing myositis diseases

The ability to diagnose myositis diseases and treat them properly just improved immensely. For more than 40 years, the criteria physicians have used to diagnose most myositis diseases has been based on expert opinion, not hard science.

21 Dec 2017

Endurance training can be helpful in dealing with muscle inflammation

Endurance training can actually be helpful in dealing with muscle inflammation, according to a new paper co-written by faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York, and Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.

8 Nov 2017

Exoskeleton device helps man with disabling condition to complete 10K race

Martin Jarry was a police officer in Quebec. He coached a youth hockey team. He was used to being active, used to working out, used to being strong. But when Jarry was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis (IBM), he had to do some serious re-evaluating of his activities.

10 Aug 2017

Statin medications can cause necrotizing myopathy in some patients

Statin medications, such as Crestor, Lipitor, and other lipid-lowering medications, have been prescribed increasingly in recent years to reduce cardiovascular disease and mortality in high risk individuals.

6 Jun 2017

Health care resource use and costs of H.P. Acthar® gel for multiple sclerosis relapse

Mallinckrodt plc, a leading global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced new retrospective health economic data on H.P. Acthar® Gel (repository corticotropin injection; RCI), which may be an option for the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses.

6 Jul 2016

Anti-TNF therapy offers new hope to JDM patients

The results of a UK study presented today at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress showed that tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (anti-TNF) treatment is effective at improving both muscle and skin involvement in children with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).

13 Jun 2016

Idera begins enrollment in IMO-8400 Phase 2 clinical trial for treatment of dermatomyositis

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing Toll-like receptor (TLR) and RNA therapeutics for patients with cancer and rare diseases, today announced that the company has commenced enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial of IMO-8400, an investigational TLR 7, 8 and 9 antagonist, in patients with dermatomyositis. Dermatomyositis is a rare and debilitating inflammatory muscle and skin disease associated with significant morbidity, decreased quality of life and an increased risk of premature death.

10 Nov 2015

Clinical study data on Mallinckrodt's H.P. Acthar Gel to be presented at ACR 2015

Mallinckrodt plc, a leading specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that data from a pilot study for its H.P. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology 2015 Annual Meeting to be held November 7-11 in San Francisco.

8 Oct 2015

Former all-American wrestler speaks about his personal battle with chronic muscle disease

In 2009, Mike Powell was where he'd always wanted to be. A former all-American wrestler himself, he'd returned to his Chicago-area high school to become the toughest wrestling coach around, inspiring young athletes with a brutal mix of love and punishing workouts.

2 Sep 2015

Researchers identify link between autoimmune diseases, medications and Long QT syndrome

Mohamed Boutjdir, PhD, professor of medicine, cell biology, and physiology and pharmacology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, has led a study with international collaborators identifying the mechanism by which patients with various autoimmune and connective tissue disorders may be at risk for life-threatening cardiac events if they take certain anti-histamine or anti-depressant medications.

7 Jul 2015

Idera collaborates with TMA to advance new potential treatment approach for myositis

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing nucleic acid therapeutics for patients with cancer and rare diseases, and The Myositis Association (TMA), the only nonprofit organization dedicated to solely serving all patients with inflammatory myopathies, today announced a collaboration to advance a new potential treatment approach for polymyositis and dermatomyositis known as Toll-like receptor (TLR) antagonism.

7 Aug 2014

Bristol-Myers Squibb to present new immunotherapy study data at ASCO Annual Meeting

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced that new data from studies investigating its immunotherapies in adjuvant and advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) will be presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago from May 30-June 3.

6 May 2014

Idera Pharmaceuticals reports positive top-line results from Phase 2 trial of IMO-8400

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced positive top-line data from its randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled Phase 2 trial of IMO-8400 in 32 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

28 Mar 2014

Questcor acquires rights to develop Synacthen and Synacthen Depot in US

Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced it has acquired rights to develop Synacthen and Synacthen Depot in the U.S. from Novartis Pharma AG and Novartis AG.

11 Jun 2013