Trial Shows Cystic Fibrosis Drug Helped Ease Breathing (But Drug Cost Will Be Exhorbitant)

[HuckleB]

http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/vertex-says-cystic-fibrosis-drug-helped-patients-breathe-easier/?partner=rss&emc=rss

"...

Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced Wednesday morning that the drug, VX-770, improved lung function in people with cystic fibrosis in a late-stage clinical trial. The drug also reduced the frequency of disease exacerbations that required treatment with antibiotics.

The caveat is that VX-770 is designed to counter one specific genetic mutation that accounts for about 4 percent of cases of cystic fibrosis. Vertex is working on another drug for the most common mutation, but that one is further behind in development.

...

In the trial, those who received VX-770 gained 10.6 percentage points more on a lung function test after 24 weeks than those getting a placebo, a difference that statistically was highly significant. Patients continued to take either drug or placebo for another 24 weeks and the improvement was sustained. Lung function, the primary endpoint of the trial, was measured by how much a person could exhale in one second, a standard test.

...

Vertex has not said how much it will charge for VX-770. But since there are only about 1,200 Americans who are candidates for the drug, the price is likely to be tens of thousands of dollars a year.

..."


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A good science news and health news story -- that also shows some of the problems with our current system of health care delivery.

So... :) and :(

:hi: