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Scleroderma patients self-administer relaxin using an insulin pump, says Dr. Mayes.
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Those who suffer from
scleroderma, a chronic
autoimmunde disease, may have hope in a new drug being tested at Wayne State
University School of Medicine. Phase II clinical studies of
relaxin, a naturally
occurring hormone, show that the druge may reverse skin thickening, which is a
clinical measure of the progression of scleroderma. The study, sponsored by
California-based Connetics Corp., was tested by Maureen Mayes, MD, a WSU
rheumatologist at Hutzel Hospital, in addition to 12 other sites nationally. About 300,000 people in the United States have a form
of scleroderma, a disease that causes a wide range of symptoms, including
thickening of the skin. Up to one-third of those with scleroderma have a form
called “systemic scleroderma,” which causes scarring of the internal organs;
only 50 percent of systemic scleroderma patients survive as long as 10 years. “The cure part is hard because we have no idea what causes it,” Dr. Mayes said.
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Relaxin promotes connective tissue remodeling by inhibiting excess tissue formation. WSU is one of 13 centers participating in Phase II clinical trials of relaxin for scleroderma treatment.
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The relaxin study involved 68 patients who had
moderate to severe scleroderma for less than five years. Three groups of
patients were treated with either a placebo, or one of two doses of relaxin.
Those treated with the lower dose demonstrated significant improvement at four,
12 and 24 weeks compared with the placebo group. They had reduced skin
thickening, improved mobility and improved lung function. Findings of the study were published in the June 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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