News

The Arthritis Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended — via a 10-7 vote — the approval of Ofev (nintedanib) for the treatment of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). Ofev, marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim, is…

A subgroup of patients with rapidly progressive diffuse cutaneous scleroderma (dcSSc) experienced a relapse of skin manifestations shortly after stopping or lowering the dose of CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil), according to a five-year study. The findings also showed rapid improvements after restarting CellCept, and revealed that patients with faster…

Blood levels of three types of immune cells — neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes — may be associated with digital ulcers and disease severity in systemic sclerosis, researchers report. Their study, “Association of simple hematological parameters with disease manifestations, activity, and severity in patients with systemic sclerosis,”…

Lipotransfer — a procedure in which fat tissue is injected into facial scar tissue — improved mouth function, appearance, and quality of life for people with scleroderma, a study says. The study, “Stem cell enriched lipotransfer reverses the effects of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis,” was published…

A new computerized method to analyze high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans may help in identifying interstitial lung disease at early stages in scleroderma patients, the research team that developed it reports. The tool was described in the study “Performance of a new quantitative computed tomography index for…

A new international consortium based in Paris, and funded largely by the 28-member European Union, intends to speed the diagnosis of rare diseases, while also accelerating the development of treatments for the 95% of such illnesses that currently don’t have one. The European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP…

Rituximab, an immunosuppressant antibody designed to target immune B cells, has widespread effects and decreases subtypes of other immune cells called T cells in the skin and blood of people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), new research shows. The study, titled “B cell depletion treatment decreases CD4+IL4+ and CD4+CD40L+…

Measuring the lungs’ diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) may improve the ability of a screening algorithm to detect early-stage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and improve their outcomes, according to new research. The study, “Reduced diffusing capacity for carbon…

Kadmon Holdings started a Phase 2 clinical trial testing its inhibitor KD025, with the first patient with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (SSc) being dosed, the company announced. KD025 is a selective, orally available inhibitor of Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase 2 (ROCK2), an enzyme involved in signals that modulate the…

Being older, male, using opioids, having the diffuse cutaneous disease type, and muscle disease, increase the risk of pseudo-obstruction in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a study shows. The research, “Evaluation of risk factors for pseudo-obstruction in systemic sclerosis,” was published in the journal…