Shire in $15 million research collaboration with CFFT on novel CF treatment; pipeline news

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc, the non-profit drug discovery and development affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, announced today a $15 million research agreement with Ireland-headquartered drugmaker Shire (LSE: SHP) to support the development of a new cystic fibrosis treatment targeting the underlying cause of the disease.

The multi-year research program will evaluate a novel approach to improve the function of the defective protein associated with cystic fibrosis, called CFTR. The program is investigating a potential therapy that would be delivered to the lungs in an aerosolized form, with the goal of boosting lung function and decreasing the number and severity of lung infections in people with the disease.

The first phase of Shire's CF research program is focused on evaluating the safety and dosing of the potential therapy in the laboratory. With operational headquarters in Lexington, Massachusetts, USA, Shire develops and markets specialty medicines in the fields of rare diseases, neuroscience, gastrointestinal, and internal medicine.