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CF research
- Question
- Are there any tests done in Belgium to cure people with CF ?
- Answer
- Thank you for this interesting question and the answer is YES, in Belgium as well as in Holland.
The current treatment of CF aims at slowing down the disease process and keeping the patients as healthy as possible. These medicines are thus not “curing”. At present new substances are under research and for the first time these aim at curing the basic defect of CF itself. That is why we call these compounds possible “disease modifying drugs”. Some of these medicines have been used in tests in Belgium, more specifically PTC124. After a first positive effect of PTC in people with stopcodon mutations (see topic “drugs under development_genetic therapy” in the central Archive; these mutations end with X f.i. G542X) the effect of this drug is now being examined in a larger group of patients. This specific drug trial is starting this summer. VX809 is also a drug aimed at correcting the CFTR protein. VX 809 will be tested in patients who carry the most common mutation, the F508del mutation. This first trial with this new drug in patients with CF will also start this summer in Belgium as well as in Holland. Because about 75% of patients with CF in Belgium carry this mutation this is extremely important research. Patients who are interested in participating in such trials should discuss this with their doctor. The more patients participate the faster better treatments will be available.
To get newer and better treatments to CF patients faster, the European Clinical Trial Network was formed as an initiative of the “European Cystic Fibrosis Society” (ECFS). This research network groups 18 specialized CF centres in 8 European countries. These centres comply with strict quality criteria and will closely work together with the aim of speeding up CF clinical research. In Belgium the CF centre of Leuven is part of this network, in Holland the centres of Rotterdam and Utrecht are part of this research network. You can read more information on this network via the link www.ecfs.eu/ecfs_supported_initiatives/ecfs_clinical_trials_network
Kind regards
V. Bulteel
- 13.07.2009
