In C&EN's cover story, Senior Editor Lisa Jarvis explains that CF, which affects 30,000 Americans, is a genetic disease with symptoms that include excessive accumulation of mucus in the lungs. The condition makes breathing difficult and predisposes patients to chronic infections. Conventional treatments include aerosolized versions of anti-inflammatory agents and antibiotics, which are time-consuming to administer and have limited effectiveness. However, these drugs target CF's symptoms rather than the underlying disease itself, the article notes.
The article describes how pharmaceutical companies are now developing new drugs that target the disease itself. Some help to keep the lungs healthier by restoring the function of the defective CF gene, according to the article. And in some cases, the drug can be taken as a pill rather than inhaled, making administration easier for patients, the article notes.-American Chemical Society
