Advanced pulmonary drug delivery formulations for the treatment of cystic fibrosis

•A reduction in the amount or absence of CFTR leads to abnormalities.•Therapy involves CFTR modulation and gene, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapies.•Devices such as MDI and DPI help in the delivery of colloidal dispersions of nanocarriers.•Cationic liposomes are a good delivery vehicle for aerosolized plasmids that encode the CFTR gene.•Formulation patents mainly revolve around the utilization of aerosols of nanoparticles. Cystic fibrosis (CF), a fatal genetic condition, causes thick, sticky mucus. It also causes pancreatic dysfunction, bacterial infection, and increased salt loss. Currently available treatments can improve the patient’s quality of life. Drug delivery aided by nanotechnology has been explored to alter the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of drugs. In this short review, we aim to summarize various conventional formulations and highlight advanced formulations delivered via the pulmonary route for the treatment of CF. There is considerable interest in advanced drug delivery formulations addressing the various challenges posed by CF. Despite their potential to be translated for clinical use, we anticipate that a significant amount of effort may still be required for translation to the clinic.