Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Proteins involved in scarring and the escape of immune cells from blood vessels towards nearby tissues are found at high levels in people with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), a new study reports. The findings also revealed that greater levels of specific proteins correlated with more severe thickening of…

Elevated blood levels of a protein called galectin-3 can help diagnose people with rheumatic diseases that include scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, a study suggests. The study, “Diagnostic Power of Galectin-3 in Rheumatic Diseases,” was published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Chronic inflammation…

Elevated blood levels of the S100A12 protein, a type of danger signal released by skin cells, may contribute to skin scarring and interstitial lung disease (ILD) in people with scleroderma, a study suggests. The study, “Serum S100A12 levels: Possible association with skin sclerosis and interstitial…

Using a computer-based analysis to profile gene activity in blood samples may help identify the severe scleroderma patients who are most likely to respond to a stem cell transplant, a study suggests. That, in turn, will ultimately lead to better outcomes and faster improvement post-transplant for those who…

A Phase 3 trial testing iloprost, known as CIVI030, for the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon due to scleroderma has resumed patient enrollment, according to the therapy’s developer, CiVi Biopharma. The trial (NCT04040322), named AURORA and sponsored by Civi’s subsidiary Eicos Sciences, launched…

A new computer software, called Capillary.io, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to aid in diagnosing scleroderma at early disease stages. The tool, developed in partnership with the Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI), was designed specifically to improve a non-invasive, highly sensitive and inexpensive technique — called nailfold capillaroscopy — used by…

Muscular involvement is linked with more severe symptoms in people with scleroderma, affecting heart, lungs and the digestive system, a study from China reports. These patients are likely to have a worse disease prognosis and poorer survival, its data show. The study “Myopathy is a Risk Factor for…

Treatment with lenabasum failed to outperform a placebo when given as an add-on to standard immunosuppressants in adults with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma (dcSSc), top-line data from a Phase 3 trial show. Participants given a placebo on top of immunosuppressants experienced an unprecedented improvement, Corbus Pharmaceuticals said in…

The Scleroderma Lung Study III (SLSIII), a Phase 2 clinical trial of oral CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) alone or in combination with Esbriet (pirfenidone) in  scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) is enrolling patients. The trial (NCT03221257) is taking place across 17 clinical sites in the U.S., including the University…

Long stretches of DNA repeats in the FLI1 gene — which gives instructions for a protein that controls the activity of genes — are linked to an increased risk for scleroderma and with greater skin thickness in people with the disorder, a study suggests. Titled “Association…