Impact of Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor Treatment on Metabolic, Epigenetic and Fecal Microbiota Profiles in People With Cystic Fibrosis.

January 23, 2026 updated by: Vito Terlizzi, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects multiple organs and systems. In recent years, the marketing of CFTR protein modulator drugs, such as the Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor (ETI) combination, has significantly improved patients' quality of life and prognosis. ETI, currently prescribed in Italy for CF patients over six years of age with at least one F508del mutation, has shown improvements in lung function, nutritional status, and a reduction in pulmonary exacerbations. In the coming months, ETI will be prescribable for patients aged $\ge$ 2 years with at least one F508del mutation; furthermore, the EMA recently approved its use in all patients aged $\ge$ 2 years, including those with mutations other than F508del (excluding patients with homozygous Class I mutations).Recent studies also highlight an impact on systemic metabolism, with an increase in blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and nutritional status, leading to a marked increase in patients with obesity. This could result in an increased long-term cardiovascular risk, especially in children with CF. Additionally, early data show that ETI also induces changes in the gut microbiota and epigenetic modifications by altering DNA methylation, particularly in genes crucial for the onset of CF-related complications, such as diabetes.The gut microbiota of CF patients differs from that of healthy controls, and ETI appears to improve microbial diversity while reducing intestinal inflammation and antibiotic resistance genes. Although ETI-related adverse events are mostly mild and similar to typical respiratory exacerbation symptoms (cough, headache, pharyngodynia, or transient bronchospasm), concerning side effects such as neuropsychiatric effects, intracranial hypertension, or liver failure have also been reported. Currently, it is not possible to predict which patients are at a higher risk of adverse events, but it is known that some of these are related to the blood levels of ETI's individual components. Therefore, monitoring these levels could be useful for dose optimization and reducing the risk of adverse events.Despite the publication of numerous real-world studies on the efficacy and safety of ETI and the sharing of recent standards of care for CF patients on modulator therapy, prospective studies are desirable, especially in the pediatric population. These are needed to monitor metabolic and epigenetic parameters, as well as changes in the fecal microbiota, correlating them with the blood levels of individual ETI components.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
150

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Florence, Italy, 5016
        • Recruiting
        • Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Meyer Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico
        • Contact:
    • Bari
      • Bari, Bari, Italy
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Centro per la Fibrosi Cistica, Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Consorziale Policlinico
        • Contact:
    • Milano
      • Milan, Milano, Italy
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Dipartimento di Pediatria, Centro Fibrosi Cistica, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
        • Contact:
    • Napoli
      • Napoli, Napoli, Italy
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Unità Pediatrica, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Centro di Riferimento Regionale per la Fibrosi Cistica, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
        • Contact:
    • Roma
      • Roma, Roma, Italy
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Ospedale pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Dipartimento Pediatrico Universitario Ospedaliero, UOC Pneumologia e Fibrosi Cistica
        • Contact:
    • Torino
      • Torino, Torino, Italy
        • Not yet recruiting
        • Centro per la Fibrosi Cistica, Ospedale Infantile Regina Margherita
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study will enroll patients with CF pre and post ETI therapy, followed up at included Italian CF centers.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with CF, of any age, about to start ETI therapy, in accordance with marketing authorization Italian legislative directives, followed at the participating CF centers.
  • Obtaining informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • CF patients not in ETI therapy and CF patients already in ETI therapy.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Difference in DNA methylation level before and after the start of therapy
Time Frame: baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months post-Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor
baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months post-Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Difference in serum levels of fatty acids, amino acids, sugars and cytokines.
Time Frame: baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months post-Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor
baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months post-Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor
Correlation between serum levels of fatty acids, amino acids, sugars and cytokines and plasma levels of individual components of the triple modulator therapy (Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor)
Time Frame: baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months post-Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor
baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months post-Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, Ivacaftor

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 2, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 15, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 15, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 23, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • MEM-ETI

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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