Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Trials

The purpose of this study is to look at lung ventilation in people with cystic fibrosis over time (1 year) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with an inhaled contrast gas, and compare these measures to lung function assessed by spirometry and multiple breath nitrogen washout. This study also looks at how these measures change in response to a pulmonary exacerbation and treatment (if applicable). Over the span of a year, participants would be asked to complete 3-5 visits to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). with each lasting up to 4 hours. If participants do not have a pulmonary exacerbation during the year they would be asked to complete 3 visits (one at enrollment, a second roughly 2 weeks later, and the third approximately a year later). If participants do experience a CF pulmonary exacerbation they would complete 5 visits (Visit 1, Visit 2, two exacerbation visits with one before treatment and the other after, and Visit 3 at one year after Visit 1). Only one exacerbation per participant will be tracked. Participants are eligible for this study if they are 18 years old or older, have Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with mild lung disease (FEV1 >/= 60%), and can undergo an MRI. There are no known benefits for participating in this study. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the ability of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) to identify structural and functional physiological changes that occur with disease progression in cystic fibrosis patients. The investigators also aim to determine whether EIT can serve as an alternative for CT to identify regions of air trapping and consolidation, whether EIT can provide clinically useful information about response to treatment for an acute PE, and whether EIT can provide longitudinal information about structural changes in the lung. Read Less

Lung transplant is an option for treating end-stage lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). In the United States, more people with CF and low lung function die each year than undergo lung transplant. More than half of people with CF who die without a lung transplant were never referred for consideration. Patient preference not to undergo lung transplant may account for 25-40% of decisions to defer referral. Patients' health discussion networks function to support individuals in health related matters and may provide critical support during the lung transplant journey. Increasing awareness of lung transplant, and promoting the process of deliberation and utilization of social support, could reduce the number of people with CF who die without lung transplant. Additionally, the most common patient-endorsed barrier to lung transplant discussions is a worry about being a burden on family and friends after lung transplant. For lung transplant recipients with complex post-operative courses, low social support is associated with increased mortality. Additionally, adequate social support is a requirement at all lung transplant programs in the US. Investigators are interested in understanding how caregivers may benefit from using lung transplant educational resources and how caregivers prepare for having discussions with their loved ones and/or helping them make decisions about lung transplant as a treatment option for advanced CF. The purpose of this study is to test whether an investigator-designed research website compared to no caregiver intervention reduces caregiver burden (assessed with the Brief Assessment Scale for Caregivers, BASC), caregiver preparedness for lung transplant discussions, and caregiver lung transplant knowledge as an ancillary study in a multicenter RCT. Further, investigators will assess patient perceptions of caregiver support as measured by the Social Support Effectiveness Questionnaire (SSE-Q) and evaluate caregivers' willingness to provide support through semi-structured interviews in patient-caregiver dyads. Study involvement will span 6 months and study activities will involve the following: Three Zoom research sessions (15-90 minutes each) Survey assessments and an interview Access to a research website that contains educational resources about lung transplant Read Less

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of off-label CFTR modulators that may affect CFTR function in patients with CFTR mutations that are not currently approved for these drugs. Read Less

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease cause by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) manifesting in multiple organs, the most common cause of morbidity and mortality continues to be the pulmonary manifestation. CFTR dysfunction leads to reduced mucociliary clearance, impaired innate immune system function in the lungs (within the airway surface liquid [ASL] lining the epithelial barrier of the lungs) and reduced ASL hydration (stickier mucus). To try and help correct this underlying defect patients have been performing airway clearance for decades using different techniques (Percussion and postural drainage [P&PD], Positive expiratory pressure [PEP], Oscillatory positive expiratory pressure [OPEP], High-frequency chest compression [HFCC], exercise), inhaled mucolytics (Hypertonic Saline, Pulmozyme) and inhaled antibiotics. However, performing daily airway clearance can be a large burden on patients and their families with a median number of daily therapies around 7 and average time spent on therapies at almost 2 hours daily. This high treatment burden leads many patients to have reduced adherence to their regimens and multiple studies have shown around 20% of patients performing no daily airway clearance. Since the release of highly effective CFTR modulator therapy patients have experienced improvements in lung function measurements and imaging-based ventilation measurements, reduction in pulmonary exacerbations, and improvement in daily symptom scores. Over 80% of patients and their families and over 95% of clinicians in the United States support the idea of trials looking into the simplification of airway clearance regimens. Combining the inability of most patients to complete their daily regimens, patient and clinician interest in treatment simplification research, and the overwhelming cost of most inhaled medications in cystic fibrosis with the improvement in mucociliary transport and symptoms with highly effective modulator therapy suggests a research program aimed at reducing the treatment burden of daily airway clearance should be considered. The investigators propose the following: determine if there is additional benefit in continuous airway clearance regimens after starting Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor (ETI) and if so, is this benefit noticeable on pulmonary function testing and imaging. Read Less

Over 1,900 mutations in the gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein are implicated in causing Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Potential therapies that directly target defective CFTR are being evaluated in important clinical trials, but most target the most common CFTR mutation F508del. Many patients with rare CF mutations are not able to participate in those studies. The RARE study is specifically designed for people with CF caused by rare mutations. Eligible rare mutations are listed below: • CF patients who are heterozygous for pre-mature stop codons as noted below: i. one allele must be a F508del ii. the other allele must be a pre-mature stop codon mutation • CF Patients with other genotypes that require Study PI permission: i. CF patients with two mutations that are not eligible for Trikafta ii. CF patients homozygous or heterozygous (other allele must be F508del) for rare mutations of special interest (e.g., 711+3A->G, 2789+5G->A, 3272-26A->G, 3849+10kbC->T). Other rare mutations will be considered on a case by case basis This is a multi-site, specimen collection study. Investigators will collect blood, intestinal cells and nasal cells from each participant. Cells from these specimens will be used to test future CFTR modulators to see if they might work for people with study eligible rare mutations. Having cells to test in the lab is an important first step in identifying potential new therapies for people with these mutations. Read Less

Cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD) is associated with worse CF-relevant outcomes. The mechanisms underlying CFRD development are not fully understood, but recent evidence suggests Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) mechanisms may be involved and may involve incretins (gut secreted hormones that augment insulin secretion in response to a nutrient load). This study will examine the prevalence of Genome wide association study (GWAS)-implicated T2DM alleles (including TCF7L2) across the spectrum of glucose abnormalities in CF and will use this information to compare incretin and insulin secretion in non-diabetic children and adults with high risk and low risk alleles. Read Less

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the lung is not uniform. The internal surface area is 30 times that of skin, and the different bronchioles/bronchi/alveoli differ greatly in blood perfusion, temperature, oxygen tension, and pH. Also, particularly in the context of respiratory disease, notable differences are present in the structure of epithelial cells, cilia, production of mucus, and inflammatory/immune responses. All of these factors are known to impact the physiology of bacteria, yet, there is very little understanding of how they impact a) the presence/absence of particular bacterial species throughout the respiratory tract, or b) the metabolic processes used by these bacteria within the human host environment. A greater understanding of the relationships between environmental (chemical) gradients in the lungs of diseased patients (particularly those with cystic fibrosis) and the microbial communities that are present may lead to novel hypotheses about manipulation of the respiratory environment for therapeutic benefit. To investigate this further, the investigators propose to use explanted lung specimens from cystic fibrosis patients to test the following hypothesis: Hypothesis: In patients with cystic fibrosis, bacterial community composition, metabolism and environmental chemistry will vary depending on their spatial location within the airways. Read Less

This open label, single arm pilot study, will examine the safety and tolerability of GLP-1RA semaglutide as an add-on therapy to insulin for overweight/obese adult patients with cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). Read Less

This study will provide important mechanistic information regarding the effect of inhaled mannitol (Bronchitol) in people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) with moderate to severe disease who are already using elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (E/T/I). Many patients have already discontinued hypertonic saline and other pulmonary therapies because of the profound effect of E/T/I of their symptoms and lung function. Further, because both inhaled osmotic agents (i.e., Bronchitol, hypertonic saline [HS]) and E/T/I are believed to exert their beneficial effects through improvements in mucociliary clearance (MCC), it is unknown if the combination of these therapies might be additive or are redundant in a population with moderate to severe disease where bronchiectasis and chronic infection persists, and where eventual decline in lung function is expected over time. This study, therefore, will be the first to determine whether "add on" therapy with inhaled mannitol is able to further accelerate MCC in E/T/I patients. These data would provide some guidance regarding the use of these approved therapies in PwCF. Read Less

This is a two-part, multi-center, prospective longitudinal, exploratory study of highly effective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators and their impact on children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Read Less

This is a Phase 1/2a randomized, double-blind, two-part, dose-ascending, multicenter study of AR-501 (gallium citrate) solution, administered via inhalation, in healthy adult and P. aeruginosa infected cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects. Phase 1 of the study in HV subjects will consist of a single-ascending-dose (SAD) cohort, followed by the HV multiple-ascending-dose (MAD) cohort. Phase 2a of the study in CF subjects will consist of a MAD study design. The study will evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of single and repeat administrations of inhaled AR-501 solution in healthy adults, and the safety, PK and efficacy of repeat administrations of inhaled AR-501 solution in P. aeruginosa infected CF subjects. Read Less