Kalydeco Update

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation posted this update on their website today:

FDA Grants Six-Month Priority Review of Kalydeco (VX-770) — First Potential Drug to Target Underlying Cause of Cystic Fibrosis
December 15, 2011
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a request for a six-month priority review of a potential new CF therapy, Kalydeco™ (VX-770).

The company is seeking approval of the drug for people ages 6 and older with the G551D mutation of CF.

The expedited review sets a target date of April 18, 2012, for the FDA’s approval decision, four months earlier than the standard review time of 10 months.

If approved, Kalydeco (kuh-LYE-deh-koh) will be the first drug available that targets the underlying cause of CF. The FDA grants priority review for several reasons, including situations where a potential drug offers a major advance in treatment.

Kalydeco was discovered in a collaboration between Vertex and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which provided substantial scientific, financial and clinical support throughout the development process.

Vertex’s application for approval of Kalydeco, submitted to the FDA in October 2011, included results from Phase 3 clinical trials of the drug in people ages 6 and older with the G551D mutation of CF. The results showed that those receiving the drug had remarkable and sustained improvements in lung function and other key symptoms of the disease, compared with those on the placebo.


This is fantastic news! I'm not sure exactly when it'll be released/sold to patients, and how much it'll even cost, but it's moving along quicker than expected - can't complain about that.