The use of targeted therapy lumacaftor/ivacaftor in patients with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Accepted, basic therapy of cystic fibrosis (CF), until recently, was symptomatic and aimed at slowing down pathological processes, mainly from the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract, caused by a defect in the CFTR gene. New strategic opportunities have emerged since 2012 and are aimed at correcting a defect in a gene or its product. A mutation in the cystic fibrosis gene disrupts the function of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR or CFTR in English transcription), which is located on the surface of the apical membrane of epithelial cells and functions as a chloride channel. The basic achievement for the new CF therapy was the discovery of small molecules that restore the processes of synthesis, transport to the membrane, or the  functioning of  the defective CFTR protein. The effectiveness of  drugs that restore CFTR function is related to the ability of the molecules to deliver an adequate amount of the CFTR protein to the surface of the epithelial cell and/or improve its functional activity. Among them, correctors and potentiators for pharmacological modulation of ion transport are distinguished in clinical practice. Correctors are medicinal substances that allow the mutant CFTR protein to pass through the system of intracellular quality control and take the correct location on the apical membrane (with class II mutations). The action of potentiators is aimed at restoring (activating) the function of the ion channel formed by the mutant CFTR protein (class III–IV mutations). The purpose of this article is to analyze the literature sources, the results of clinical trials on the use of CFTR modulators, including combinations of a potentiator and a corrector. Their effectiveness and safety were evaluated. Literature sources (20) are used and own clinical observation is given. A positive assessment of the action of the modulator, the combination of a potentiator and a corrector, its safety and good tolerability is given. In conclusion, the place and indications for prescribing drugs of this class, the number of patients in the Russian Federation in need of such treatment are determined.