Burn injuries, including those induced by chemicals, may have systemic effects, and can lead to acute lung injury (ALI). Chemical burn injuries account for about 2% to 5% of total skin burn injuries. Among the chemicals, vesicating agents like Lewisite are particularly relevant due to the lack of antidotes.

A common molecular pathway associated with lung fibrosis may also hold the key to pulmonary vascular repair. A group of scientists at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) found that when a viral infection damaged these vessels, the injury could be restored by activating the transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (TGF-βR2) in endothelial cells, which led to cell proliferation.

Royal Philips NV agreed with the U.S. FDA to the terms of a consent decree focused on its Respironics business, following the recall of millions of its devices over the last few years. Although the details of the decree are being finalized, Philips said it will halt the sales of new continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) sleep therapy machines as well as other respiratory care devices in the U.S. until the conditions of the decree are met.

Exxel Pharma Inc. is advancing EX-937 for patients suffering from refractory chronic cough. EX-937 works by specifically inhibiting the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme, thereby increasing the levels of anandamide, a naturally occurring signaling molecule.

Inhibrx Inc. and Sanofi SA have agreed to a deal worth up to $2.2 billion, whereby the latter’s Aventis Inc. subsidiary will acquire INBRX-101, an optimized, recombinant alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) augmentation therapy undergoing a registrational trial for AAT deficiency (AATD), an inherited genetic disorder caused by single nucleotide variants in the SERPINA1 gene.

Researchers from Nextcure Inc. have reported the development and preclinical characterization of a novel agonist monoclonal antibody (MAb) against V-set and transmembrane domain containing 1 (VSTM-1).