Author Archives: Joana Fernandes, PhD

Rockefeller University researchers have mapped the three-dimensional structure of the protein involved in cystic fibrosis (CF). The mapping is important because knowing more about the CFTR protein will provide scientists with valuable insight into its activity and may lead to novel therapies for CF. Findings of the study, “Molecular…

Sound Pharmaceuticals has received a $1.6 million Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics (CFFT) grant to test a therapy it has developed to improve hearing loss in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients being treated with tobramycin. Tobramycin is an antibiotic used to treat flare-ups in CF patients’ lung problems that are known as acute pulmonary exacerbations.

Using a virus may be a reliable way to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients’ lungs, according to a study. The approach is called phage therapy. Phage is a shortened version of bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria. The study, “Phage Therapy Is Highly Effective Against Chronic…

PTC Therapeutics’ ataluren has failed to significantly improve respiratory function in nonsense mutation cystic fibrosis (nmCF), a severe form of the disease, according to results of a Phase 3 clinical trial. “We are disappointed with the outcome of this trial as there are no treatments that target the underlying cause…

The investigative oral treatment Resunab (JBT-101) shows promise in easing inflammation mediated by immune cells in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, according to results of a preclinical study. Results from a Phase 2 study of the treatment’s safety and efficacy in patients are expected shortly. The preclinical findings will be presented at Research and Development…

Evaluating patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) before they board a flight may help predict whether they will need supplemental oxygen while in the air to prevent a severe decrease in blood oxygen levels, according to a study. The research, “Pre-Flight Evaluation Of Adult Patients With Cystic Fibrosis: A Cross-Sectional Study,”  was…

Guidelines for diagnosing cystic fibrosis (CF) were recently updated to give doctors firmer direction in determining signs of this disease, especially in those not diagnosed as newborns, and in being able to recommend the best treatment for each patient. The update, the work of 32 experts from nine countries, includes more information on mutations…

An Ohio cystic fibrosis (CF) patient was given an infusion of adult stem cells in a pioneering study that researchers hope will lead to therapies that reduce inflammation and infections linked to the disease. “I am hoping the future generations of CF patients can get better treatments and that eventually a cure…

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) joined 72 other organizations, each advocating for patients with chronic, rare and life-threatening diseases, in an open letter to President Donald Trump and leaders in Congress. The letter asks that patients’ needs be taken into consideration as lawmakers revise current healthcare policies. Other groups joining this initiative include the Pulmonary Fibrosis…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated PUR1900 a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) as a potential treatment of fungal infections in the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis(CF), its developer, Pulmatrix, announced. This  designation accelerates the development of new treatments against infectious agents, and protects the exclusivity of PUR1900 for…