Marisa Wexler MS,  —

Marisa holds an MS in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. She specializes in cancer biology, immunology, and genetics. Marisa began working with BioNews in 2018, and has written about science and health for SelfHacked and the Genetics Society of America. She also writes/composes musicals and coaches the University of Pittsburgh fencing club.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

Rituximab effective for all IgG4-RD disease types, study finds

Rituximab is effective for all four clinical profiles of immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), but two IgG4-RD profiles, or phenotypes, may show poorer responses, according to a multicenter study in Europe. “Patients in the retroperitoneal and aortic and head and neck-limited phenotypes may be less responsive,” the researchers said, and…

Zenas secures up to $300M to advance obexelimab for IgG4-RD

Zenas Biopharma has secured up to $300 million from Royalty Pharma to accelerate the development of obexelimab, its investigational treatment that could provide much-needed relief for people with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD). In exchange, Royalty Pharma will receive a share of royalties on sales of obexelimab, which is…

Zenas sees results from obexelimab Phase 3 trial near year-end

Zenas Biopharma said it expects top-line results from INDIGO, a Phase 3 clinical trial testing obexelimab in people with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), “around year-end.” We are very pleased with the rapid advancement of our broad obexelimab development program,” Lonnie Moulder, founder and CEO of Zenas, said…

Salivary gland imaging can make it easier to diagnose IgG4-RD

Imaging of the salivary glands can help distinguish IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) from other disorders that can cause inflammation in those glands, a new study shows. The findings indicate people with salivary gland inflammation related to IgG4-RD tend to show distinctive patterns of damage to some of the tubes, or…

Brain, eye changes are common IgG4-RD neurological problems

Eye problems, inflammation in the brain’s pituitary gland, and thickening of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord are the most common neurological complications seen with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), a review study reports. Neurological problems in IgG4-RD can usually be managed with standard treatments, though researchers emphasized…

Subset of immune T-cells may be therapeutic target in IgG4-RD

A specific subset of immune cells known as gamma-delta 2 T-cells plays a key role in the development of immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), a study reports. Particularly, these cells were found to acquire an immune profile, called T helper 2 (Th2)-like phenotype, to strongly promote the formation of plasma…