Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

The Scleroderma Foundation has named Lesley Ann Saketkoo, MD, as Doctor of the Year. This award is granted to leaders in the field who have demonstrated a commitment to the battle against scleroderma. Saketkoo is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine. She is…

Malakoplakia, a rare granulomatous disorder, was reported for the first time in a patient with systemic sclerosis in a recent case report. The report, “Bladder Malakoplakia in Systemic Sclerosis Patient: A Case Report and Review Literature,” was published in the Journal of Endourology Case Reports. Systemic sclerosis…

Genes and microRNAs that are a part of cancer-promoting signaling pathways are also overly active in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, possibly predisposing them to malignancies, a study reports. The study, “Gene Profiling in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis Reveals the Presence of Oncogenic Gene Signatures,” was published in the journal…

Blood serum levels of the protein CD163 may be a potential biomarker to identify patients with systemic sclerosis, according to new research from France. The study, “Soluble CD163 as a Potential Biomarker in Systemic Sclerosis,” was published in the journal Disease Markers. Systemic sclerosis…

In patients with systemic sclerosis, renal function is generally well-preserved, despite increased stiffness of the arteries that supply the kidneys, a study shows. The study, “Prognostic Factors of Renal Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis,” was published in the journal Kidney & Blood Pressure Research. Systemic sclerosis…

Changes in gene expression occur early in scleroderma patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension or interstitial lung disease, which means that a collection of biomarkers can be used to detect these lung conditions early, a study reports. The research dealt with what scientists call a biomarker panel for the conditions. The…

Boehringer Ingelheim‘s product nintedanib (marketed as Ofev for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) has been granted fast track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of systemic sclerosis associated with interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). Fast track designation is granted to new therapies that…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to allow Fibrocell Science to begin clinical trials testing its lead candidate FCX-013 for the treatment of moderate to severe localized scleroderma. This news comes on the heels of an investigational new drug (IND) application that was filed…

The European Medicines Agency has granted orphan drug designation to Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals’  lead cannabis-based product for treating systemic scleroderma. EHP-101 is derived from cannabidiol, a chemical found in the cannabis plant. The therapy activates the cell-surface receptors PPARγ and CB2, which in turn activate cell signaling pathways that can…

Fibrocell Science has filed an investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for FCX-013, its gene therapy candidate for moderate to severe localized scleroderma. An IND is a request for FDA authorization to administer an investigational therapy to humans. It is generally…