Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

Paradigm Therapeutics acquires rights to SD-101 cream

Paradigm Therapeutics has acquired worldwide rights to SD-101, an investigational cream that’s being developed as a whole-body therapy to promote wound healing and ease pain and itching in all forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The company now plans to meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…

Biological therapies may help manage hard-to-treat EBA

The use of biological anti-inflammatory therapies effectively controlled epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) in four people with the disease, a recent study reports. “According to our clinical experience and literature data in severe EBA cases with rapid progress, biologicals should be considered promptly,” the researchers wrote. They added that the…

Abeona provides new data to FDA on EB-101 ahead of meeting

Abeona Therapeutics has submitted a data briefing package on its cell therapy candidate EB-101 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ahead of a meeting with the agency planned for this month. The meeting’s purpose is to discuss Abeona’s planned application seeking approval of EB-101 to treat recessive …

Skin stem cell therapy helped prevent new wounds in RDEB

People with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) developed fewer new wounds after getting treatment with skin-derived mesenchymal stem cells, a new clinical trial analysis shows. The treatment also led to newly developed wounds healing more quickly, and healed wounds more frequently remained closed. The study, “Kinetics of…

Novel mutation in KRT14 gene caused EBS in father, son

A never-before-reported mutation in the KRT14 gene caused epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) in a family in China. The new mutation was described in the case report, “Large intragenic deletion of KRT14 causes autosomal-dominant epidermolysis bullosa simplex with generalized hyperpigmentation,” published in the Journal of Dermatological Science.

Companies team up to ID biomarkers for cancer treatment in RDEB

Onconova Therapeutics and Pangea Biomed are teaming up to identify biomarkers that can help predict a response to the experimental cancer therapy rigosertib in people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Multiple clinical trials are underway to test rigosertib — developed by Onconova — as a potential treatment…

30+ conditions more common in EBA patients ID’d in study

People with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) are at a higher risk of developing other autoimmune disorders, certain types of cancers, and heart diseases, a study suggests. The findings also indicate that other autoimmune diseases as well as some infections may be risk factors for EBA. The study, “…

Tofacitinib treatment eases man’s EB acquisita symptoms

Tofacitinib, a therapy approved for certain inflammatory diseases effectively controlled symptoms of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) in a man with the disease. The case was described as a letter to the editor titled “Treatment of Recurrent Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita With Tofacitinib” in JAMA Dermatology. EBA is a…