Groundbreaking cystic fibrosis treatment to be extended to over 1,000 children
Children aged six to eleven will now be eligible to receive the treatment
A pioneering medical treatment for cystic fibrosis has been extended to help over 1,000 children in England.
The drug, known as Kaftrio - which tackles the underlying causes of the disease - was previously only available for patients aged 12 and over.
But the 'revolutionary drug' has been given an extension for its licence in England, thanks to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
As a result, around 1,300 children aged between six and eleven with the disease will now be eligible to receive the treatment, who will start receiving the medicine within weeks.
Cystic fibrosis is a degenerative disease that attacks the lungs with constant infections, making the ability to breathe harder over time.
But Kaftrio, a combination of three different drugs - ivacaftor, tezacaftor and elexacaftor - helps the lungs to function more effectively by fighting the causes of the infections.
Patients suffering from cystic fibrosis have been able to be treated with Kaftrio after the NHS secured a deal to offer the drug in June 2020.
Currently there are 8,000 people with cystic fibrosis living in England, making it the second highest proportion in the world.
Speaking about the treatment's extension, NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard said that thousands of lives have been saved by the drug.
"Innovative treatments like Kaftrio are life-changing for patients and their families, and that is why the NHS has done all it can since we secured the deal for Kaftrio to ensure patients benefit as soon as possible," she said.
"The latest development will ensure hundreds of children will now be able to access this incredible treatment for the first time."