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GALLERY

Cystic Fibrosis: Then & Now

Recent Advances Attack Both the Symptoms and Cause of the Disease

Treatments were only able to address the symptoms of CF, but not the underlying cause of the disease. 

 

For the first time, targeted therapies are available to address the underlying cause of CF, improving lung function for patients with a number of genetic sub-types. 

Average life expectancy for CF patients was in the mid-30s. 

Early screening and improved treatment contributed to an increase of life expectancy for patients. If mortality continues to decline at current rates, patients now may hope to live into their 50s. 

Additional treatment options were needed to better manage disease symptoms and further extend the lives of those with CF. 

Improved delivery mechanisms for inhaled antibiotic breathing treatments are faster acting and can be delivered in less than 3 minutes with greater ease. 

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening, genetic disease where the body produces an accumulation of thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. In the lungs, this mucus blocks airways and results in a persistent cycle of inflammation, chronic bacterial infection, severe lung damage, and sometimes respiratory failure. In the pancreas, this mucus obstructs the movement of digestive enzymes that are important for helping the body to break down food and absorb nutrients.

CF Inline

An estimated 30,000 children and adults in the United States have CF, and each year 1,000 new cases are diagnosed. In the last 30 years, the life expectancy of a child with CF has doubled, due in part to treatment advances. A recent report examines the important therapeutic gains that have been made for patients in the last decade.