Cystic fibrosis: novel therapies, remaining challenges

Developments in the treatment of cystic fibrosis ( CF ) over the past 50 years have seen survival extend from death in the first decade of life to an expected median survival now approaching 50 years of age. Adults with CF now outnumber children, a dramatic shift if one considers that many adult CF clinics were only established in the 1980s. Together with speciality multidisciplinary clinics, new medicines and their aggressive application have played a pivotal role in this achievement. Although there is still no clinically available cure, novel therapies targeting the underlying basic defects have resulted in major beneficial clinical outcomes and quality of life for those living with CF , albeit at significant cost. Although this review concentrates on currently available novel pharmacological therapies, the important role of potential ‘cures’, such as gene therapy, must not be overlooked. The complex drug interactions of the new agents, the need for detailed patient education and research opportunities in CF in general support the role of the specialist pharmacist in CF clinics.