New Treatment - Lung Disease

Scientists in Ireland are developing a new treatment for lung diseases, including cystic fibrosis and asthma, as part of an €8.8m international project.

The first of its kind dry powder inhaler will deliver an innovative drug into the lungs in a way that is hoped will effectively break up thick sticky mucus, that can cause lung infections.
Cystic fibrosis is caused by a genetic anomaly that leads to the production of a thick sticky mucus in the lungs, which in turn can lead to serious infections.



Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis in the world.

While there are therapies that can break up the mucus, there are a limited number of effective ones.
In fact there have been no new versions of these mucolytic therapies in the past 20 years, and only one in the past 50.
Scientists at the University of California and University College Dublin have developed a novel compound which shows great promise as a drug for breaking up mucus.

Professors John Fahy and Stefan Oscarson from those universities have secured €8.8m from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) for two projects associated with the development of new lung disease treatments.
As part of one of these, scientists from the Science Foundation Ireland-funded AMBER and SSPC centres, led by Prof Anne-Marie Healy, head of the school of pharmacy at TCD have been awarded €600,000 to devise a new method of delivering the drug into the lungs.
They will develop a first of its kind dry powder inhaler that will enable the treatment to reach the mucus and break it up.
Professor Anne Marie Healy, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Trinity, Investigator in AMBER and SSPC (The Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre, led by the University of Limerick) said,
"I am delighted to be part of a transnational NIH project, which aims to take the research from bench to bedside," said Prof Healy.
"Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis in the world, with approximately 1 in 19 Irish people carrying one copy of the altered gene that causes the condition.
"In addition, Ireland has the fourth highest prevalence of asthma in the world, with almost 5,000 asthma admissions to hospital on average each year.
"Our proposed new treatment has the potential to greatly improve the respiratory function of these patients with lung disease, thus improving overall quality of life and reducing hospital admissions."
It is expected that within the five year lifetime of the project the new treatment will be clinically trialled on humans.

It is hoped that as well as being used for treating cystic fibrosis and asthma, the inhaler will also be useful for tackling other lung conditions, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Cystic Fibrosis - New Treatments

New treatments give hope to cystic fibrosis sufferers:

Laura Whelan reports on the fresh hope that double-lung transplants and a new drug called Kalydeco have brought to people living with the life-limiting condition. The 65 Roses National Awareness Week begins at the Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Galway this weekend.

The event coincides with the group's 65 Roses national awareness week which aims to raise awareness on lung transplantation and new drug therapies.

The two day conference will be addressed by a number of key speakers including Minister of State and Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon and GAA commentator Joe Brolly.

It takes place in the Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill on Friday and Saturday.

Chairperson of Cystic Fibrosis Galway Mary Lane Henehan says delegates will hear courageous stories from those who are coping with the disease.

Cystic Fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis is Ireland's most common genetically inherited disease. With 1100+ CF Patients, Ireland has the highest proportion of CF people in the world.
CF Ireland was established by a small dedicated group of parents in 1963 with the first meeting in Crumlin Children's Hospital. 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the Association.

Project to build a new Paediatric Outpatient Unit for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis underway at Galway University Hospitals

Work on a new Outpatient unit for children with cystic fibrosis at Galway University Hospitals commenced today when the first sod was turned on the new build.

The new unit will cost approximately €590k with €250k being funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Association and the balance by the hospital and the HSE. The new unit will include four examination rooms, a treatment room for procedures and a gym for assessment and physiotherapy and it will be located behind the existing Paediatric Outpatient Department on the grounds of University Hospital Galway.

Bill Maher, CEO, West /North West Hospitals Group said “Cystic Fibrosis is Ireland’s most common genetically inherited fatal disease. In Ireland approx 1 in 19 carry the CF gene, compared with 1 in 25 in UK. We currently have 32 paediatric patients with CF under the care of the hospital (and 37 adults). The new unit will be a dedicated specialist facility for day care and outpatient services and will allow us to treat children in an optimal physical environment to reduce the risk of infection which can have a serious impact for patients with CF.”

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