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Abstract

A synthetic lung surfactant composition and process for depositing a monolayer of a phosphatidylcholine lung surfactant to the alveoli of a mammal. The composition comprises a phosphatidylcholine lung surfactant, a phosphatidylethanolamine, and cholesterol in proportions such that the composition is in lamellar form at or below a first temperature and in non-lamellar form at a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature. A preferred phosphatidylcholine lung surfactant for use in this invention is dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), which is known to be the major lipid constituent of natural mammalian lung surfactant, and a preferred phosphatidylethanolamine is dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). In particular embodiments, the composition is in lamellar form at about room temperature (25.degree. C.), and in non-lamellar form at a temperature in the range of about 30.degree. to 37.degree. C., which is at or below normal human body temperature (37.degree. C.). The composition may also include one or more therapeutic peptides or other pharmaceutical agents. The synthetic lung surfactant may be used to treat a mammal for respiratory distress syndrome caused by an insufficiency of natural lung surfactant.

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