Lung Disease News and Research

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Research roundup: Revamping NCI Clinical Trials, reducing malpractice suits, health disparities persist

A National Cancer Clinical Trials System For The 21st Century: Reinvigorating The NCI Cooperative Group Program - The "system for conducting cancer clinical trials in the United States is approaching a state of crisis," according to this report on inefficiencies and funding issues faced by the NCI's Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program - which comprises 10 groups, more than 3,100 institutions, 14,000 investigators and more than 25,000 patients in clinical trials each year.

17 Apr 2010

Volcanic ash falls across Europe

Flights were cancelled across Europe today thanks to volcanic ash drifting in to northern Europe from Iceland. More than 250 flights were grounded from London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports alone, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The ash is drifting in from a volcanic eruption in Iceland and the cloud is capable of damaging jet engines that travel through it.

16 Apr 2010

Stem cell scientists receive stimulus grants to study lung and blood disorders

Stem cell scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) were awarded stimulus grants totaling almost $2 million to research experimental treatments for blood disorders and inherited lung diseases affecting children.

13 Apr 2010

Three nonprofit organizations launch campaign to increase national awareness of PF

The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis, The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Association of Texas today announced the launch of a special, grassroots campaign to build increased national awareness of Pulmonary Fibrosis.

12 Apr 2010

Study provides benchmark data to evaluate quality of management of sickle cell disease

The largest study to date of the use of acute care medical services by people with sickle cell disease found four of every 10 had to return to the hospital within 30 days of a previous hospitalization or go to the emergency department for treatment of pain, according to a new study funded in part by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

7 Apr 2010

Sickle cell disease: Rehospitalization rates high

7 Apr 2010

Two Phase I studies of Stedivaze demonstrate safety in patients with asthma and COPD

Clinical Data, Inc., today announced results from two Phase I studies of Stedivaze™ (apadenoson), which demonstrated that Stedivaze was safe and well tolerated in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Stedivaze is a potent and highly selective agonist of the adenosine A2A receptor subtype in development as a pharmacologic stress agent for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).

30 Mar 2010

Positive results from Pearl Therapeutics' Phase 1 study of inhaled combination bronchodilator for COPD

Pearl Therapeutics Inc., a company developing clinically differentiated combination therapies for the treatment of highly prevalent chronic respiratory diseases, today announced positive results from a Phase 1 safety and pharmacokinetics study of PT003, its lead combination therapeutic for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Based on these results, and previously announced positive results from Phase 2a studies of PT003's individual components, the company has advanced PT003 into a Phase 2b trial.

29 Mar 2010

EMA validates InterMune's pirfenidone MAA for IPF

InterMune, Inc. today announced that the company's Marketing Authorization Application (MAA), submitted on March 2 seeking approval of pirfenidone for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in adults, was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Validation of the MAA by the EMA indicates that the application is complete and that the review process will begin on March 24. The proposed trade name for pirfenidone in both the United States and Europe is Esbriet®.

23 Mar 2010

Safe to smoke?

Some Australian scientists have found that there is a new agent that can protect the lungs of mice from the harmful effects of cigarette smoke.

19 Mar 2010

Blocking GM-CSF could reduce inflammation and deleterious effects of cigarette smoke exposure

Researchers in Australia have demonstrated that blocking a certain protein can reduce or prevent cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation in mice. Inflammation underlies the disease process of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and many other smoking-related ailments.

18 Mar 2010

Research data: WTC collapse caused potentially dangerous heart problems in responders on-site

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine are presenting more than 20 ground-breaking studies at the American College of Cardiology 59th annual scientific session (ACC.10) in Atlanta. Their research includes data showing that the World Trade Center collapse has caused potentially dangerous heart problems in responders on-site.

17 Mar 2010

Most influential advances in cardiopulmonary imaging: High-resolution CT and CT pulmonary angiography

Advances in computed tomography providing high-resolution images of the lungs and a new approach to diagnosis of pulmonary embolism are "the most influential" changes in cardiopulmonary imaging over the past 25 years, according to a panel of experts surveyed in the February Journal of Thoracic Imaging official journal of the Society of Thoracic Radiology and the Japanese and Korean Societies of Thoracic Radiology.

16 Mar 2010

New cerebral protection device prevents stroke during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries

An important interventional radiology advancement-the use of a new cerebral protection device in combination with FDA-approved carotid stents in high-surgical-risk patients-provides a minimally invasive, safe and effective way to prevent stroke from occurring during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries, according to research released at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

16 Mar 2010

Children with chronic illness more likely to develop H1N1 influenza: Study

As critical care professionals develop a better understanding of the progression of H1N1, they are becoming better prepared to treat children with severe cases, according to a new study that will be published in the March issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine (PCCM).

12 Mar 2010

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals' ciprofloxacin DPI granted FDA orphan drug designation for CF treatment

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals announced today that an orphan drug designation has been granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ciprofloxacin dry powder inhaler for management of pulmonary infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients. A similar designation has already been granted by the European Medicines Agency.

12 Mar 2010

Intel, Mayo Clinic and GE launch new initiative to study care and benefits of home-based telemedicine

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. was pleased on learning the news that Intel, The Mayo Clinic and GE Healthcare have launched a new initiative to study the care and cost benefits of home-based telemedicine for elderly patients with chronic illnesses.

11 Mar 2010

Whole genome sequencing of entire family beneficial

The Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) has analyzed the first whole genome sequences of a human family of four. The findings of a project funded through a partnership between ISB and the University of Luxembourg was published online today by Science on its Science Express website. It demonstrates the benefit of sequencing entire families, including lowering error rates, identifying rare genetic variants and identifying disease-linked genes.

11 Mar 2010

FDA's Advisory Committee votes 9-3 to recommend approval of Esbriet for treatment of patients with IPF

InterMune, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee voted 9-3 to recommend approval of Esbriet® (pirfenidone) for the treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to reduce decline in lung function.

9 Mar 2010

UC researchers find CT scan screening of non-smoking women is cost-effective

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found that it is cost-effective to do CT scan screening of non-smoking women, ages 25-54, who come to the emergency room for the first time with a collapsed lung in order to diagnose and treat those with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, or LAM.

5 Mar 2010