Rapid Improvement after Starting Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and Advanced Pulmonary Disease.

Elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor is a CFTR (cystic fibrosis [CF] transmembrane conductance regulator) modulator combination, developed for patients with CF with at least one Phe508del mutation. To evaluate the effects of elexacaftor-tezacaftor- ivacaftor in patients with CF and advanced respiratory disease. A prospective observational study, including all patients aged ⩾12 years and with a percent-predicted FEV (ppFEV) <40 who initiated elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor from December 2019 to August 2020 in France was conducted. Clinical characteristics were collected at initiation and at 1 and 3 months. Safety and effectiveness were evaluated by September 2020. National-level transplantation and mortality figures for 2020 were obtained from the French CF and transplant centers and registries. Elexacaftor-tezacaftor- ivacaftor was initiated in 245 patients with a median (interquartile range) ppFEV = 29 (24-34). The mean (95% confidence interval) absolute increase in the ppFEV was +15.1 (+13.8 to +16.4;  < 0.0001), and the mean (95% confidence interval) in weight was +4.2 kg (+3.9 to +4.6;  < 0.0001). The number of patients requiring long-term oxygen, noninvasive ventilation, and/or enteral tube feeding decreased by 50%, 30%, and 50%, respectively ( < 0.01). Although 16 patients were on the transplant waiting list and 37 were undergoing transplantation evaluation at treatment initiation, only 2 received a transplant, and 1 died. By September 2020, only five patients were still on the transplantation path. Compared with the previous 2 years, a twofold decrease in the number of lung transplantations in patients with CF was observed in 2020, whereas the number of deaths without transplantation remained stable. In patients with advanced disease, elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor is associated with rapid clinical improvement, often leading to the indication for lung transplantation being suspended.