A new drug combination, which could prolong the lives of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), has been trialled in Northern Ireland.

CF is a hereditary disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. It is caused by a defective gene, which along with its protein product, causes the body to produce unusually thick and sticky mucous.

This mucous clogs the lungs, leading to potentially life-threatening lung infections. Ireland has the highest prevalence of the disease in the developed world.

An international team which included scientists from Queen's University Belfast, France, the US, Canada and Australia, carried out clinical trials on over 1,100 people in centres worldwide. All were affected by the most common type of CF - F508del.

The scientists found that a combination of two drugs - Lumafactor and Ivacaftor - improved the lung function of sufferers and reduced the number of times they needed hospital antibiotic treatment.

The participants also recorded improvements in weight and quality of life.

"These results represent a further major advance in finding treatments which correct the basic problem in cystic fibrosis and improve the lives of patients living with the condition," commented the research's co-author, Prof Stuart Elborn, of Queen's University.

The treatment, which was developed by a pharmaceutical company based in Boston in the US, is now being assessed for approval and clinical use.