News

Health Canada has granted priority review to Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ application seeking the approval of Kalydeco (ivacaftor) to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, ages 4 months to 18 years, carrying the R117H mutation in the CFTR gene. The intended label extension is for patients who weigh at least 5 kilograms…

A non-invasive ultrasound imaging technique may be able to detect changes in the pancreas of children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and aid in an early diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or EPI — which occurs when the pancreas doesn’t make enough digestive enzymes — a Turkish study suggests.

Scientists using phage therapy — specifically a bacteriophage they dubbed “Muddy” — successfully treated an infection by an antibiotic-resistant strain of Mycobacterium abscessus bacteria in a zebrafish model of cystic fibrosis (CF). For five days, the team treated the zebrafish, which were infected with M. abscessus, a lung-damaging bacteria…

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has signed a letter of intent with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), which is an agreement in principle to extend public reimbursement to Trikafta, a triple-combination therapy for eligible cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The extension adds to the letter of intent (LOI) with the pCPA for…

AirPhysio, a handheld device designed to help clear the mucus that builds up in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), is now available online in the U.S. through Life Wellness Healthcare. The Australian-based company said in a press release that the AirPhysio — which…

A two-day virtual event called BreatheCon will offer adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) an opportunity to connect and share their experiences through open and honest dialogue. Registration for the Sept. 24–25 event, which is hosted by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, is free online. “CF can be extremely…

A nonprofit’s entry in the Philadelphia Marathon, Team EE is looking for enthusiastic people to join it for the November race that will help to raise funds for the 10% of people whose cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by nonsense mutations. As a member of the Emily’s Entourage marathon…

The COVID‐19 pandemic increased socioeconomic instability among people with cystic fibrosis (CF), mostly in terms of employment and ability to afford food, according to data from a single-center U.S. study. Notably, patients who were employed prior to the pandemic appeared to be the most affected, reporting job loss and concerns…

Increasing the levels of the SFPQ protein helped to restore expression and function of the CFTR protein in cells with a F508del mutation in the CFTR gene, the most common cause of cystic fibrosis (CF). Work also showed that SFPQ levels were unusually low in these cells, suggesting this protein “may play…

A new study is seeking to understand whether and how the symptoms of cystic fibrosis (CF) are affected by the menstrual cycle. To that end, CF patients ages 18 to 45, who have regular monthly periods, are being sought to participate in the aptly named MENSTRUAL study —…