Dry powder lung surfactant aerosol for people with low oxygen or ARDS on breathing support
Preclinical development of a synthetic lung surfactant dry powder aerosol for hypoxemia or acute respiratory distress syndrome patients receiving different modes of ventilation support
This project is creating a dry powder lung surfactant you could inhale to help adults with low oxygen or ARDS who are on oxygen, noninvasive breathing support, or ventilators.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145634 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have ARDS or low oxygen from direct lung injury, this work aims to develop a dry powder lung surfactant that could be inhaled rather than given as a large liquid through a tube. Researchers will design and test powder formulations and delivery devices to work during high flow nasal cannula, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, and invasive mechanical ventilation. Most testing now will be done in the lab and in animal models to measure how much medicine reaches the deep lung and to check safety. The team will optimize dosing and device methods to prepare for possible future human trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with hypoxemia or ARDS from direct lung injury who are receiving high flow nasal oxygen, noninvasive ventilation, or mechanical ventilation and who might later qualify for clinical testing.
Not a fit: People with ARDS from non-pulmonary causes, children (this project focuses on adults), those not on any respiratory support, or those with allergies to formulation components may not benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow earlier, less invasive surfactant treatment that reaches the lungs quickly and may improve oxygen levels and outcomes for people with ARDS.
How similar studies have performed: Large human trials using liquid surfactant instillation have not succeeded, but dry powder aerosol approaches have shown promising results in animal studies though they remain unproven in people.
Where this research is happening
Richmond, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Longest, P. Worth — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Longest, P. Worth
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.