Better living through chemistry

From the latest Great Strides newsletter:

...a new drug candidate that addresses the basic defect in CF, VX 770, entered Phase 2 clinical trials. This oral drug candidate, which aims to restore the function of the defective CFTR protein, has many steps to go before drug approval, but it is an exciting milestone in our ongoing efforts to advance drug development.

VX 770 looks interesting. I realize that it is several years from FDA approval but if the defective CFTR protein can be repaired - wow. The potential for those living with CF is huge.

Rangers lead the way

Sick child gets wish to train with Rangers

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Weakened by his lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis, 14-year-old Riley Woina dreams of being strong like the war heroes he watches in movies.

The Army’s 6th Ranger Training Battalion on Eglin Air Force Base recently helped him realize this unusual dream.

Susan Woina joked that her son could have taken his Plymouth, Conn., family to Walt Disney World or gone on a shopping spree through the Make-A-Wish Foundation instead of spending a week crawling in the mud with soldiers in the Florida Panhandle.

“You always want what you cannot have and he’ll never be able to join the Army because of his cystic fibrosis, so of course he wants that more than anyone else would. He would join the Army today if he could,” she said.

Thing1 lives with CF. Just over 15 years since his diagnosis. After visiting the Air Force Academy on vacation when he was in high school he started emailing the admissions staff to get details on exactly what he needed to do to try for an appointment. I had to break the news to him that he was medically unfit to serve. Tis a shame as he would have made a great officer.

Kudos to the Army Rangers and Make-A-Wish for making this happen.

via Right Thinking

OCC, Airgas, and CF

An unlikely combination? Not really.

Two Airgas Chopper motorcycles, designed and built by Orange County Choppers (OCC) using Airgas gases and hardgoods, have begun their nationwide tour.
...
“The Airgas Chopper tour will do more than just excite Airgas employees and customers – it also will benefit a great cause,” said McCausland. At many of the Chopper appearances, tour attendees will be invited to make a $5 donation and have their picture taken with the Chopper as part of Airgas Puritan Medical's national partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's GREAT STRIDES campaign.

OCC - cool bikes. Way out of my price range but very cool. Anything that attracts attention to Great Strides and the battle to cure CF is ok with me. More from Airgas here including the bike tour schedule.

This could explain things

Testing Garlic: A New Weapon in the Fight Against CF Lung Infections? February 2, 2007 A novel approach to fighting Pseudomonas infections in the lungs of people with CF is being tested in a new pilot study in the United Kingdom. Volunteers with CF will be given capsules of either garlic extract or a placebo (olive oil) for two months and the levels of bacteria in their sputum will be measured. The potential of garlic extract as an antipseudomonal agent was supported by the results of a study conducted in Denmark. In that study, exposure of Pseudomonas to garlic extract made the bacteria more sensitive to tobramycin and to immune defense system cells. The garlic extract also provided mice with significant protection from Pseudomonas lung infections. The new trial is being conducted at the University of Nottingham under the direction of Dr. Alan Smyth. Safety of the extract will be examined in addition to any potentially positive effects on weight and lung function.

Thing1 lives with CF. It's been 15 years since he was diagnosed and, thank God, he has no lung problems. On the other hand he is a big fan of garlic...

More here

Update from Thing1: "My wonder drugs: garlic and laughter"