Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease that affects ion channels on epithelial cells. This leads to thicker and dysfunctional secretions. This can be evident when looking at the major symptoms of CF patients, which include recurrent respiratory tract infections and pancreatic insufficiency. The current management options for CF are either to manage the symptoms or modulate the existing defective genes. Gene therapy aims to correct dysfunctional genes as a way to cure the disease. We aimed to review the literature looking into gene therapy for cystic fibrosis, along with the advancements and current limitations. PubMed database was used for articles selection, papers were obtained and reviewed. There are multiple options for gene therapy in cystic fibrosis. This includes either introducing wild, working genes to the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, or editing the defective genes. Gene replacement therapy is limited due to the nature of airway administration and the harsh environment of the airway of CF patients. Gene-editing therapy, however, is still under heavy research as it may offer a potential cure for this disease.
