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By Wagging its ‘Tail,’ Bacteria Common in CF Lung Infections May Initiate Immune Reaction

Researchers have found that a “swimming”  movement by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacteria most commonly associated with lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, triggers an immune response against the pathogen, according to a new study. Its findings may help in targeting therapies to resolve lung infection in CF. The study, “Swimming Motility Mediates…

Mucociliary Clearance, Difficult in CF, Might Be Possible by Blocking Mucus Absorption

Blocking mucus absorption in the airways through the use of certain agents can strengthen an innate airway mechanism, called mucociliary clearance (MCC), that is often impaired in lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). The study, “Marked increases in mucociliary clearance produced by synergistic secretory agonists or inhibition of the epithelial sodium…

Australian Research Group Aiming for Better Ways of Treating Biofilm Infections

Scientists at the University of Queensland, Australia, are focusing their efforts on what is one of world’s leading sources of antibiotic resistance — biofilm. Biofilms refer to the communities of bacteria and other microorganisms that adhere to surfaces in thin layers and secrete a protective coating that diminishes the effects of antibiotics. Biofilms are considered…

Startup Raises £4 Million to Develop Mucus Clearance Treatments for CF

Enterprise Therapeutics recently announced that it has closed a £4 million (about $5 million) financing deal to accelerate the development of three new treatments  — all muco-regulatory therapies — for cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly, but also for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma. “Respiratory disease remains an area of high unmet medical…