Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

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…

Talaris Therapeutics plans to initiate a Phase 1/2a trial to test its investigational cell therapy, FCR001, in people with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), the company has announced. The trial follows the recent approval of an investigational new drug application for FCR001 by the U.S.

The active ingredient in EHP-101 — known as VCE-004.8, derived from synthetic cannabidiol — is not classified as a controlled substance under Canada’s Controlled Drug and Substance Act (CDSA),  the potential treatment’s developer, Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals, reported. VCE-004.8 is a non-reactive, non-psychotropic synthetic compound derived from cannabidiol, or CBD,…

The number of treatments for children with rare diseases has grown over the past decade, according to a new study. However, despite the increase, nearly 7,000 rare diseases are still lacking treatment. And federal incentives to boost treatment development for these rare diseases have primarily focused not on creating new…

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the approval of Ofev (nintedanib) to preserve lung function in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) in the European Union. Boehringer Ingelheim, the company marketing Ofev, submitted the request for this indication in…

Inhibiting a protein known as KLHL42 may ease lung fibrosis (scarring) associated with systemic scleroderma (SSc), according to a recent study. The findings were published in an article, “Kelch-like protein 42 is a pro-fibrotic ubiquitin E3 ligase involved in in systemic sclerosis,” in the Journal…

Women with scleroderma take longer to perform daily living tasks, especially those that require hand strength and gripping objects, such as moving things between shelves, a new study found. These findings suggest that incorporating the Glittre Activities of Daily Living test (GA-T) in clinical evaluations may help better…

Health Canada has approved Ofev (nintedanib) as a treatment to slow the decline of pulmonary function in people with scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). The approval makes Ofev, by Boehringer Ingelheim, the first treatment for people with SSc-ILD available in Canada. It follows the therapy’s recent approval in the…