This competitive renewal SBIR proposal extends our current Phase II translational research on novel synthetic lipid/peptide lung surfactants containing the highly active Super Mini-B (S-MB) peptide incorporating crucial functional regions of human surfactant protein (SP)-B, the most active apoprotein in biologic surfactant. Our initial Phase II grant focused on S-MB synthesized by solid-state chemistry, and documented the high activity of synthetic Minisurf"""""""" surfactant containing solid-state S-MB combined with lipids. This renewal application continues the commercial development of Minisurf"""""""" surfactant. This proposal will scale-up the production of the S-MB peptide and the Minisurf"""""""" surfactant product, develop effective QA/QC methods for analyzing the S-MB peptide and Minisurf"""""""" surfactant product, and demonstrate biological equivalency to laboratory research scale batches of Minisurf"""""""" surfactant. Pilot lots of the Minisurf"""""""" surfactant product will be manufactured and teste to ensure that the process is robust, the analytical controls are appropriate and the efficacy is maintained. Samples from selected pilot lots of Minisurf"""""""" surfactant will be placed on stability and sent to a contractor to conduct GLP-compliant pharmacology and toxicology studies. The proposal also provides for active consultation with the FDA during the grant to facilitate successful IND preparation. Successful execution of these activities will lead to the development of a novel, commercially-attractive Minisurf"""""""" synthetic surfactant product having significant advantages in manufacturing economy, activity, and inhibition resistance over current animal and synthetic surfactant drugs.

Public Health Relevance

This SBIR competitive renewal grant will continue the development of a synthetic exogenous lung surfactant product having significant advantages in manufacture, activity and inhibition resistance compared to current drugs. This innovative surfactant product is expected to have great future utility in treating patients with severe acute respiratory failure from the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), clinical acute lung injury (ALI), and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The synthetic surfactant in this grant can also potentially be used in novel delivery systems for other pulmonary therapeutic agents such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, or genetic materials (gene therapy).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) - Phase II (R44)
Project #
5R44HL080775-05
Application #
8532016
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-CVRS-H (11))
Program Officer
Blaisdell, Carol J
Project Start
2005-05-01
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2013-08-01
Budget End
2014-07-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$957,467
Indirect Cost
Name
Molecular Express, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
058878682
City
Rancho Dominguez
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90220
Sharifahmadian, Mahzad; Sarker, Muzaddid; Palleboina, Dharamaraju et al. (2013) Role of the N-terminal seven residues of surfactant protein B (SP-B). PLoS One 8:e72821
Holten-Andersen, Niels; Michael Henderson, J; Walther, Frans J et al. (2011) KL? peptide induces reversible collapse structures on multiple length scales in model lung surfactant. Biophys J 101:2957-65
Keating, Eleonora; Waring, Alan J; Walther, Frans J et al. (2011) A ToF-SIMS study of the lateral organization of lipids and proteins in pulmonary surfactant systems. Biochim Biophys Acta 1808:614-21
Walther, Frans J; Waring, Alan J; Hernandez-Juviel, Jose M et al. (2010) Critical structural and functional roles for the N-terminal insertion sequence in surfactant protein B analogs. PLoS One 5:e8672