News

Protagen has launched NavigAID SSc, a new disease stratification assay that, by measuring serum biomarkers, can define specific systemic sclerosis (SSc) patient subgroups, thereby facilitating differential diagnosis and supporting the development of personalized therapeutics in SSc. SSc is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the body. The condition…

At its 12th Annual Cool Comedy – Hot Cuisine gala in New York, the Scleroderma Research Foundation (SRF) raised almost $800,000 for scleroderma research. Cool Comedy – Hot Cuisine is the SRF’s signature fundraiser. It’s a night of gourmet cuisine and entertainment, featuring celebrity chefs and appearances from some of the biggest…

Current methods of dividing scleroderma patients into groups, based on characteristics of their disease in order to predict its likely progression, gives highly variable results, researchers reported, noting that no single method is able to correctly predict outcomes across groups. The study, “Subsets in systemic sclerosis: one size does not…

A rare condition of scleroderma, known as keloidal or nodular scleroderma, characterized by the presence of rigid and well-defined nodules and plaques that look like overgrown scars (keloids), was reported in a case study published in the journal Case Reports in Dermatology. Cases of nodular scleroderma were reported in patients…

Activating a class of nuclear receptors, called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), with the drug IVA337 eased fibrosis in an animal model of systemic sclerosis, researchers reported. The study, “Pan PPAR agonist IVA337 is effective in prevention and treatment of experimental skin fibrosis,” was published in the journal…

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has the potential to treat digital ulcers and Raynaud’s symptoms in patients with scleroderma, as recently reported by Scleroderma News. Now, the researcher behind the study — Edward Harris of the Scleroderma Education Project, a research fellow at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of…

Cytori Therapeutics recently revealed three-year clinical follow-up data of the SCLERADEC I trial (NCT01813279), showing that the improvement provided by a single dose of its ECCS-50 in hand dysfunction associated with scleroderma can be maintained over time in patients. These results are in line with the recently published…

Cytori Therapeutics recently published two-year clinical follow-up data of its SCLERADEC-I pilot trial showing that a single administration of the company’s Cytori Cell Therapy (ECCS-50) provided sustained clinical benefits for patients with hand dysfunction linked to scleroderma. The study, “Long-term follow-up after autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction injection into…

Researchers found that increased levels of Th-17 cytokines are associated with interstitial lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Targeting this group of cytokines may improve lung inflammation and halt the progression of lung fibrosis. Cytokines are small secreted proteins released by the immune system. They are cell-signaling molecules…

Problems with the esophagus that result in difficulties with swallowing, or regurgitation and heartburn, typically affect “only one-third” of scleroderma patients, a study reported. But in those with these difficulties, quality of life is impacted. The study, “Esophageal Motor Abnormalities in Patients With Scleroderma: Heterogeneity, Risk Factors, and Effects on Quality of…