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Results from a multicenter clinical trial in Belgium further demonstrated the therapeutic effects of rituximab, marketed by Genentech under the name Rituxan, to treat early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). The treatment not only improved skin symptoms but also prevented disease progression. The results were discussed in…

Inventiva Pharma, which develops therapies for fibrotic diseases, said the World Health Organization (WHO) has granted the International Non-Proprietary Name lanifibranor for IVA337. Lanifibranor is Inventiva’s lead drug candidate now being investigated to treat systemic sclerosis (SSc) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The anti-fibrotic drug functions by activating three isoforms of…

Mycophenolate mofetil stabilizes the lung function of patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease, or SSc-ILD, a study confirms. The stabilization occurs even when the therapy, whose short name is MMF, is administered in doses lower than those used in a previous Phase 2 clinical trial. The latest study is retrospective, which…

Treatment with Uptravi (selexipag) was shown to be safe and reduced the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) progression in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), according to a follow-up analysis of GRIPHON trial data. The findings were featured in a report titled, “Selexipag for the treatment…

Restoring the activity of the protein adiponectin ameliorates skin fibrosis in mouse models of scleroderma, a new study shows. The study, “Adiponectin is an endogenous anti-fibrotic mediator and therapeutic target,” appeared in the journal Scientific…

An analysis of focus group discussions between patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), or scleroderma, found that participants coped with their disease in three general ways: by concentrating on solutions to a problem and seeking professional help, managing their emotions, and looking for benefits and adjusting goals to the realities of their…

High levels of a cytokine called CCL2 circulating in the blood can predict how quickly and severely lung disease will progress in people in the early stages of systemic sclerosis (SSc), a study suggests. The research “CCL2 in the Circulation Predicts Long-Term Progression of Interstitial Lung Disease in…

Prucalopride, marketed under the name Resolor in Europe and Resotran in Canada, can safely manage mild to severe gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc), including bowel movement and transit, reflux disease, and bloating, finds a study published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy. Doctors have proposed using medicines to…

Switching to Adempas (riociguat) is a potential therapeutic option for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who failed to improve when treated with phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors such as Adcirca (tadalafil), a case series study reported.

The prevalence of autoantibodies, particularly Anti-Topo I, anti-CENP, and anti-RNA pol III, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) can aid in predicting disease outcome, Greek researchers have found. Their study, “Disease-related autoantibody profile in patients with systemic sclerosis,” appeared in the journal Autoimmunity. SSc is characterized…