Pharmaxis Ltd has commenced the dosing phase of the phase II clinical trial in patients with cystic fibrosis has. The study, which aims to determine the benefits of Bronchitol in children also receiving the market leading treatment, rhDNase, is being conducted at two sites in the United Kingdom.

Pharmaxis chief executive officer Alan Robertson said, ''Our previous clinical study demonstrated that Bronchitol offers significant benefit for people with cystic fibrosis. This trial will enable us to understand how Bronchitol performs in conjunction with the leading treatment for mucus clearance and help position Bronchitol in the marketplace. It is an important study that will run in parallel with our final phase III programme.''

Patients enrolled in the study will receive three months treatment with each of three different therapies Bronchitol alone, both Bronchitol and rhDNase together and rhDNase alone. The trial will measure changes in lung function, airway inflammation, infections, and quality of life. Full patient recruitment is expected to take about eight months, states a company release.

Bronchitol is a proprietary formulation of mannitol administered as a dry powder in a convenient hand-held inhaler. It is designed to hydrate the lungs, restore normal lung clearance mechanisms, and help patients clear mucus more effectively.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary, life-limiting disease that affects the body's exocrine glands which produce mucus, saliva, sweat and tears.

Pharmaxis is a specialist pharmaceutical company involved in the research, development and commercialisation of therapeutic products for chronic respiratory and autoimmune diseases.