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Curosurf® (poractant alfa)
is an intratracheal suspension used by healthcare professionals
for the prevention and treatment of Respiratory
Distress Syndrome (RDS) in premature infants. The active
ingredient of this natural surfactant is the phospholipid fraction
obtained from porcine lung.
In adults, but also in term babies,
surfactant lines the lungs and stops them from sticking together
making normal breathing possible. However premature babies can be
born with little or no surfactant, and develop RDS. Nowadays many
hospitals give babies born at less than 30 weeks’ gestation
age surfactant at birth because it can increase their chances of
survival.
Curosurf® is a natural surfactant
developed by Chiesi
Farmaceutici, S.p.A. , Parma – Italy, in the
early 1990s and is now marketed throughout the world in over 40
different countries. It works in the same way as the baby's own
surfactant would have done and, therefore, will help the baby to
breathe normally until the baby produces his own surfactant.
The introduction of surfactant
replacement therapy has contributed to the dramatic decrease of
mortality in the premature: in the 1980s (prior to surfactant) a
baby born around 28 week gestational age had a 50-70% survival rate
whilst nowadays that same baby has a 90% chance of survival. For
those born as early as 24 weeks surfactant, along with other improvements
in the neonatal care, has resulted in improvements in survival but
to a lesser extent.
If a baby is at risk of RDS it
is important that a surfactant is given either as a preventative
treatment as soon as possible after birth or alternatively, as soon
as RDS has been diagnosed, the neonatologist will decide how much
is necessary.
Since its first introduction
in 1992 it has been estimated that more than 400,000 premature babies
have been treated with Curosurf®. Good clinical results together
with an excellent safety profile has made surfactant replacement
therapy with Curosurf® a well established treatment.
Patient
information leaflet
List
of countries where Curosurf is available
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Verify here:
