Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to Aisa Pharma’s Profervia (cilnidipine), an investigational oral calcium channel blocker also known as AISA-021, for the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc). In its request package for the designation, the company included data from an ongoing…

Higher circulating levels of a protein called thymic stromal lymphopoietin, or TSLP, may be linked to a greater risk of digital ulcers — sores in the fingers and toes — in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma, a study revealed. These findings suggest that assessments of…

Long-term treatment with Volibris (ambrisentan), marketed as Letairis in the U.S., may help prevent mild pulmonary vascular disease from developing into pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in people with scleroderma, a study suggested. “Early treatment and close follow-up could be beneficial in this high-risk group,” wrote the researchers…

More than half of people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who hesitated to get vaccinated against COVID-19 were concerned they might have a flare-up, but very few vaccinated patients have reported their symptoms worsening, according to a 2021–2022 survey study. “Even though the peak of the pandemic has passed, COVID-19…

June is awareness month for scleroderma, and this year’s theme chosen by the National Scleroderma Foundation is “Every Journey Matters,” to recognize the unique ways in which each person in the community experiences the disease. To encourage people to stay engaged in the lead-up to World Scleroderma…

Local injection with botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A), such as Botox, may ease the severity of pain associated with Raynaud’s phenomenon in people with scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, a meta-analysis study found. The study, “Efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin in treating scleroderma-associated raynaud’s phenomenon: a…

People with more circulating cholesterol — a type of lipid (fat) that plays an important role in the body — may be at a lower risk of developing systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a study of nearly 10 million people living in South Korea. Based on these findings, researchers…

In Italy, the prevalence of COVID-19 was greater, with the virus resulting in a higher death rate, among people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) than in the general population, according to a study spanning the pandemic years. The researchers also observed that while most SSc patients received three or more…

Including intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as part of routine care may help to ease muscle, skin, and digestive symptoms in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a Spanish study found. The experimental treatment was seen to be generally safe, with reported side effects being mostly mild or moderate. While these findings…

Boehringer Ingelheim has joined the CONQUEST platform trial, adding a second experimental medication to the multidrug study launched by the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) to speed therapy development for interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with scleroderma (SSc). In a platform trial, a master protocol is used…