CA2689066A1

CA2689066A1 - Reconstituted surfactants having improved properties

Info

Publication number: CA2689066A1
Application number: CA002689066A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jan Johansson; Tore Curstedt; Bengt Robertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA
Priority date: 2007-06-01
Filing date: 2008-05-22
Publication date: 2008-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-22
Also published as: AU2008256449B2; BRPI0811320A2; EA200901459A1; EP2152288A1; JP2010528997A; CN101687006A; AU2008256449A1; ATE544461T1; HK1140420A1; EP2152288B1; US20090088379A1; CA2689066C; KR20100015802A; EA017697B1; ZA200908445B; MX2009012675A; KR101516443B1; WO2008145298A1; JP5575639B2; CN101687006B

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a reconstituted surfactant comprising a lipid carrier, a polypeptide analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C, and a polypeptide comprising a sequence of repeated units constituted of a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8 and one basic amino acid residue. The invention is also directed to the pharmaceutical compositions thereof and to its use for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of RDS and other respiratory disorders.

Description

RECONSTITUTED SURFACTANTS HAVING IMPROVED PROPERTIES
The present invention is directed to a reconstituted surfactant comprising a lipid carrier, and a combination of particular polypeptide analogs of the native surfactant protein SP-C with polypeptides comprising a sequence of repeated units constituted by a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8 and one basic amino acid residue.
The invention is also directed to the corresponding pharmaceutical compositions and to their use for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of RDS
and other respiratory disorders.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The human lung is composed of a large number of small air sacs, called alveoli, in which gases are exchanged between the blood and the air spaces of the lungs. In healthy individuals, this exchange is mediated by the presence of a protein-containing surfactant complex that prevents the lungs from collapsing at the end of expiration.

Lung surfactant complex is composed primarily of lipid and contains minor amounts of various proteins. An absence of adequate levels of this complex results in malfunction of the lung. This syndrome is called Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and it commonly affects preterm infants.

Said syndrome is effectively treated with modified natural surfactant preparations extracted from animal lungs.

Commercially available modified surfactant preparations are, for example, Curosurf, derived from porcine lung, Infasurf, extracted from calf lung lavage and Survanta, a chemically modified natural bovine lung extract.

The main constituents of these surfactant preparations are - phospholipids, such as 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, CONFIRMATION COPY

commonly known as dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and surfactant hydrophobic proteins B and C
(SP-B and SP-C).

Due to the drawbacks of the surfactant preparations from animal tissues, such as the complex production and sterilization processes and possible induction of immune reactions, synthetic surfactants mimicking the composition of the modified natural surfactants have been developed.

Said synthetic surfactants are known as reconstituted surfactants.
However the development of clinically active reconstituted surfactants has turned out to be complicated since the native hydrophobic proteins are too big to synthesize, structurally complex and unstable in pure form.

In order to replace said native hydrophobic proteins, some synthetic polypeptides partially corresponding to their sequences and analogs thereof have been proposed in the prior art, and are for example disclosed in WO 89/06657, WO 92/22315, WO 95/32992, US 6,660,833, EP 413,957, WO 91/18015 and WO 00/47623.

However, according to the available literature, in animal studies, the treatment with reconstituted surfactants gives rise to poor lung gas volumes and grade of alveolar patency at the end of expiration, and a ventilation is required with a positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) in order to achieve an in vivo activity comparable to that achieved with modified natural surfactants (Johansson J et al J Appl Physiol 2003, 95, 2055-2063; Davis AJ
et al Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1998; 157, 553-559).

The available reconstituted surfactant preparations are indeed not able to form a stable phospholipid film in the alveoli at the end of expiration.
Therefore there is still an unmet need for a reconstituted surfactant with improved properties in terms of lung compliance.

In particular there is a need for a reconstituted surfactant preparation which is able to guarantee alveolar stability, and hence to maintain alveolar stability at the end of expiration without requiring ventilation with PEEP.

It has now been found, and it is the object of the present invention, that particular polypeptide analogs of the native SP-C protein can advantageously be combined with particular polypeptides comprising a sequence alternating a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8 and one basic amino acid residue in order to provide a reconstituted surfactant preparation with improved properties in terms of lung compliance, and in particular, in terms of capacity to effectively maintain alveolar patency at the end of expiration without requiring ventilation with PEEP.

In a model of RDS wherein the immature newborn were treated with exogenous surfactant preparations without applying PEEP, a combination of said polypeptides acts on the lung gas volumes which is an index of the alveolar patency at the end of expiration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a reconstituted surfactant comprising a lipid carrier, and 'a combination of particular polypeptide analogs of the native surfactant protein SP-C with polypeptides comprising a sequence of repeated units constituted of a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8, preferably from 4 to 5, and one basic amino acid residue.

In particular the invention is directed to a reconstituted surfactant comprising:

a) a lipid carrier;

b) a polypeptide of at least 20 amino acid residues and no more than 40 amino acid residues having the sequence represented by the general formula (I) FeGeIfPfS9SPVHLKRXaBXbGALL^pGpLp (I) wherein:

X is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of I, L, and nL;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K, R, H, W, F, Y, and Orn;

S is optionally substituted with acyl groups containing 12-22 carbon atoms, preferably 16 carbon atoms, linked to the side chain via an ester bond;

0 is an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of M or M oxidized on the sulfur atom, I, L, and nL;

a is an integer having a value comprised from 1 to 8;
b is an integer having a value comprised from 1 to 19;
e, f, g and p are integers having a value of 0 or 1;

with the proviso that XaBXb is a sequence having a maximum of 22 amino acids;

c) a polypeptide of at least 12 amino acid residues and no more than 60 amino acid residues comprising the sequence represented by the general formula (II) B(UaB)x (II) wherein U is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of L, I, nL, V, A, M and F;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K, R, H, and Orn;

a is an integer having a value comprised between 3 and 8, preferably from 4 to 5; and x is an integer having a value comprised between 2 and 6, preferably from 3 to 4.

The invention also includes the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of said polypeptides and their blocked N- and/or C-terminus derivatives, e.g via acetylation and amidation.

5 The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the reconstituted surfactant of the invention.

The invention is further directed to the use of the reconstituted surfactant described before as a medicament.

According to another aspect the present invention refers to the use of the reconstituted surfactant described before for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in prematurely born babies, diseases related to a surfactant-deficiency or dysfunction, and other respiratory disorders.

A still further aspect of the present invention refers to a method of preventing and/or treating respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in prematurely born babies, otherdiseases related to a surfactant-deficiency or dysfunction and other respiratory disorders, said method comprising the administration of an effective amount of the reconstituted surfactant described before.

FIGURES

Figure 1 shows the amino acid sequence of human protein SP-C. The Cys residues are palmitoylated in native SP-C.

Figure 2 shows the helical wheel representation of the polypeptide KLa. The basic amino acid residues are circled.

Figure 3 shows the results in terms of lung gas volumes (mI/kg).

Figure 4 shows the results in terms of tidal volumes (mi/kg) as a function of time/pressure.

DEFINITIONS

The respiratory function after in vivo treatment with the exogenous surfactant preparations is carried out by measuring two parameters:

i) the tidal volume which is an index of the lung compliance and ii) the lung gas volume which is an index of the alveolar air expansion or patency at the end of expiration, and hence of the capability of forming a stable phospholipid film in the alveoli at the end of expiration.

As used herein, an effective amount of a compound for treating a particular disease is an amount that is sufficient to ameliorate, or in some manner reduce the symptoms associated with the disease. Said amount will depend on the kind and the severity of the disease and the conditions (weight, sex, age) of the patient.

As used herein, the term "reconstituted surfactant" means a lipid carrier to which polypeptide analogs of the surfactant proteins, made through recombinant technology or synthetic methods, have been added.

As used herein, the term "lipid carrier" means a mixture of phospholipids and optionally further lipid components, for example neutral lipids such as triacylglycerols, free fatty acids and/or cholesterol.

As used herein, the term "polypeptide analogs of the native surfactant protein SP-C", includes polypeptides having an amino acid sequence in which, compared to the native proteins, one or more amino acids are missing or have been replaced by other amino acids, so long as the polypeptides, in a mixture with a lipid carrier, show pulmonary surfactant activity.

The amino acid sequences are shown according to the three-letter code with the amino acid which carries the free amino group at the left end (amino terminus) and the amino acid which carries the free carboxyl group at the right end (carboxy terminus).

All the amino acid residues identified herein are in the natural L-configuration and the sequences identified herein are reported according to standard abbreviations for amino acid residues as shown in the following Table of Correspondence.

TABLE OF CORRESPONDENCE

AMINO ACID SYMBOL

One-letter Three-letter Glycine G GIy L-proline P Pro L-isoleucine I Ile L-Ieucine L Leu L-tyrosine Y Tyr L-cysteine C Cys L-tryptophan W Trp L-alanine A Ala L-Iysine K Lys L-arginine R Arg L-glutamine Q Glu L-methionine M Met L-serine S Ser L-valine V Val L-asparagine N Asn L-aspartic acid D Asp L-glutamic acid E Glu L-histidine H His L-threonine T Thr L-phenylalanine F Phe L-nor-Ieucine - nLeu L-ornithine - Orn DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a reconstituted surfactant comprising a lipid carrier and a combination of polypeptides of general formula (I) with polypeptides comprising a sequence of repeated units constituted of a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8, preferably 4 or 5, and one basic amino acid residue.

We have indeed found that, in a model of RDS wherein immature newborn were treated with exogenous surfactant preparations without applying PEEP, polypeptides of general formula (I), in combination with polypeptides of general formula (II), favourably act on the lung gas volumes which is an index of the alveolar patency at the end of expiration.

The claimed reconstituted surfactant preparation turned out to improve the respiratory function as expressed by the tidal volumes to an extent comparable with that achieved after administration of a modified natural surfactant.

Advantageously, the analog of the native protein SP-C is a polypeptide of at least 20 amino acid residues and no more than 40 amino acid residues, and has the sequence represented by the general formula (I) FeGeIfPfS9SPVHLKRXaBXbGALLS2pGpLp (I) wherein:

X is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of I, L, and nL;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K, R, H, W, F, Y, and Orn;

S is optionally substituted with acyl groups containing 12-22 carbon atoms, preferably 16 carbon atoms, linked to the side chain via an ester bond;

f2 is an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of M

or M oxidized on the sulfur atom, I, L, Q and nL;

a is an integer having a value comprised from 1 to 8;
b is an integer having a value comprised from 1 to 19;
e, f, g and p are integers having a value of 0 or 1;

with the proviso that XaBXb is a sequence having a maximum of 22 amino acids, preferably comprised between 10 and 22 amino acids.
Preferably, the polypeptide of general formula (I) consists of at least 30 and no more than 35 amino acids, more preferably no more than 33 amino acids.

In particular embodiments the polypeptides of general formula (I) consist of 30 or 33 or 35 amino acids.

Preferably, the polypeptide analog of the SP-C protein is represented by the general formula (Ia) in which e and n are 0, and g is 1 IfPfSSPVHLKRXaBXbGALLS2pGpLp (Ia) wherein X, B and C2 are as defined above;
a is 1;

b is 14;

fand p are 0 or 1.

More preferably, the polypeptide analog of the SP-C protein is represented by the general formula (Ib) in which fis 1 IPSSPVHLKRXaBXbGALLS2pGpLp (Ib) wherein:

X, B, (), a and b are as defined above;
pis0or1.

Even more preferably, the polypeptide analog of the SP-C protein is represented by the general formula (Ic) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLS2pGpLp (Ic) wherein:

S2 is as defined above p is0or1 Examples of polypeptides of formula (Ic) are reported below:

5 IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLMGL (Id) (SEQ ID NO :1) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLIGL (le) (SEQ ID NO :2) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLLGL (If) (SEQ ID NO :3) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLnLGL(Ig) (SEQ ID NO :4) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALL (Ih) (SEQ ID NO :5) 10 The polypeptide (Id) has also been referred to in the prior art as SP-.
C33.

Most preferably, the SP-C analog is a polypeptide selected from the group of polypeptides having the formulae (le), (If), (Ig) and (Ih).

The most preferred polypeptide has formula (If).

Advantageously, the polypeptide comprising a sequence alternating a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8 and one basic amino acid residue consists at least 12 amino acid residues and no more than 60 amino acid residues, preferably of least 20 and no more than 35, and is represented by the general formula (II) B(UaB)x (II) wherein U is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of L, I, nL, V, A, M and F;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K, R, H, and Orn;

a is an integer having a value from 4 to 5, preferably 4; and x is an integer having a value from 3 to 4, preferably 4.

A group of preferred polypeptides comprise or consist of a sequence wherein U is L or I, B is K or R, a is 4 or 5, preferably 4, and x 3 or 4, preferably 4.

A particularly preferred polypeptide is the one which has been referred to in the art as KL4 and which has the sequence reported below KLLLLKLLLLKLLLLKLLLLK (KL4) (SEQ ID NO :6) Another example of particularly preferred polypeptide is the one having the sequence reported below referred herein KL5:
KLLLLLKLLLLLKLLLLLKLLLLLK (KL5) (SEQ ID NO: 7) It has indeed been found that KL5 shows a distribution of the charged residues around the entire helical circumference of the peptide similar to that of KLa Further examples of preferred polypeptides are those having the sequence (III):
FGIPSSPVHLKBX4BX4BX4BLGALLMGL (III) An example of polypeptide of general formula (Illa) is the one which has been referred to in the art as SP-C (LKS) FGIPSSPVHLKRLLILKLLLLKILLLKLGALLMGL [SP-C (LKS)] (SEQ ID NO :8) The polypeptides of general formulae (I) and (II) may be prepared by any known technique such as those described in J.M. Steward and J.D.
Young, "Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis", W.H. Freeman Co., San Francisco, 1969, and J. Meienhofer, Hormonal Proteins and Peptides", Vol.2, p. 46, Academic Press (New York), 1983 for solid phase peptide synthesis, and E.
Schroder and K. Kubke, "The Peptides", Vol. 1, Academic Press (New York), 1965 for classical solution synthesis. A summary of polypeptide synthesis techniques may be found in J. Stuart and J.D. Young, Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, Pierce Chemical Company, Rockford, IL, 3d Ed., Neurath, H. et al., Eds., p. 104-237, Academic Press, New York, NY (1976).

Appropriate protective groups for use in such syntheses will be found in the above texts as well as in J.F.W. McOmie, Protective Grouts in Organic Chemistry, Plenum Press, New York, NY (1973).

In general, these methods comprise the sequential addition of one or more amino acid residues or suitably protected amino acid residues to a growing peptide chain. Usually, either the amino or carboxyl group of the first amino acid residue is protected by a suitable, selectively removable protecting group.

Using a solid phase synthesis by way of example, the protected or derivatized amino acid is attached to an inert solid support through its unprotected carboxyl or amino group. The amino- or carboxyl- protecting group is then selectively removed and the next amino acid in the sequence having the complementary (amino or carboxyl) group suitably protected is admixed and reacted under conditions suitable for forming the amide linkage with the residue already attached to the solid support. The amino- or carboxyl- protecting group is then removed from this newly added amino acid residue, and the next amino acid (suitably protected) is then added, and so forth.

After all the desired amino acids have been linked in the proper sequence, any remaining terminal and side group protecting groups (and solid support) are removed sequentially or concurrently, to obtain the final polypeptide.

In particular the polypeptides of general formulae (I) and (III) may be prepared according to the methods disclosed in WO 00/47623, while the polypeptides consisting of a sequence of general formula (II) may be prepared according to the methods described in WO 92/22315.

The reconstituted surfactant of the invention may be prepared by mixing a solution or a suspension of the polypeptides of general formula (I) and (II) and lipids and by subsequently drying the mixture, otherwise they may be prepared by lyophilisation or spray-drying.

Preferably, the polypeptides of general formula (I) and the polypeptides of general formula (II) are present in the reconstituted surfactants of the invention in a fixed amount and quantitative ratio as a fixed combination.

The proportion of the polypeptides of general formulae (I) and (II) to the reconstituted surfactant can vary. Advantageously, each polypeptide may be present in an amount comprised between 0.5 and 10% based on the weight of the surfactant (w/w), preferably between 1 and 5%, most preferably between 1 and 3%.

Advantageously, the lipid carrier comprises the phospholipids that are contained in natural pulmonary surfactant preparations, for example phosphatidylcholines (PC) such as dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), and phosphatidylglycerols (PG), such as palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG) and dipalmitoylposphatidylglycerol (DPPG).

Other phospholipids which can be advantageously used are phosphatidylinositols (PI), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), phosphatidylserines and sphingomyelins (SM).

In a particular embodiment, the lipid carrier may comprise further components, for example neutral lipids such as triacylglycerols, free fatty acids and/or cholesterol.

Advantageously, the reconstituted surfactant according to the invention comprises 90 to 99% by weight of the lipid carrier, preferably 92 to 98%, more preferably 94 to 96%, and 1 to 10% by weight of the sum of both peptides, preferably 2 to 8%, more preferably 4 to 6%.

In a particular embodiment of the invention the reconstituted surfactant comprises 96% by weight of a lipid carrier, 2% by weight of a polypeptide of general formula (I) and 2% by weight of a polypeptide of general formula (II).

The phospholipids comprised in the lipid carrier are preferably mixtures consisting of DPPC and a paimitoyloleylphospholipid selected from POPG or a mixture thereof with POPC in weight ratios ranging from 95:5 to 50:50, preferably from 80:20 to 60:40. The weight ratio of DPPC to POPG

ranges preferably from 75:25 to 65:35, and is more preferably 68:31. In the case of DPPC:POPG:POPC mixtures, the phospholipids are preferably used in weight ratios of 60:20:20 or 68:15:16.

In a preferred embodiment, the reconstituted surfactant comprises from 1 to 5% by weight of a polypeptide of general formula (Ia), from 1 to 5%
by weight of a polypeptide of formula (II) and a mixture of DPPC and POPG
in a weight ratio of 68:31.

In an even more preferred embodiment, the reconstituted surfactant comprises from 1.5 to 3% by weight of a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of (le), (If), (Ig) and (Ih), more preferably the polypeptide (If), from 1.5 to 3% by weight of a peptide of general formula (II) and a mixture of DPPC and POPG in a weight ratio of 68:31.

The administration of the reconstituted surfactant of the invention is carried out conventionally, preferably by intratracheal instillation (infusion or bolus) or by nebulisation.

The effective dose of the reconstituted surfactant varies depending upon many different factors including means of administration, type and severity of the disease and whether the treatment is prophylactic or therapeutic. In general the dose is comprised between 0.01 mg and 10 g per kg of body weight, preferably between 10 and 500 mg per kg, more preferably between 40 and 200 mg per kg. The skilled person can easily determine the optimum dose and frequency of administration thereof.

The present invention also concerns pharmaceutical compositions comprising the reconstituted surfactant of the invention. Said compositions.

are advantageously administered in the form of a solution, dispersion, suspension or dry powder. Preferably said compositions comprise the reconstituted surfactant dissolved or suspended in a suitable solvent or resuspension medium.

5 Preferably, said pharmaceutical compositions are supplied as suspension in a buffered physiological saline aqueous solution in single-use glass vials. Advantageously the reconstituted surfactant concentration (expressed as phospholipid content) is in the range of from about 2 to about 160 mg of surfactant per ml, preferably between 10 and 100 mg/mI, more 10 preferably between 20 and 80 mg/mI.

To achieve a lower viscosity, said compositions may further comprise electrolytes, such as calcium, magnesium and/or sodium salts (for example calcium chloride or sodium chloride).

The pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention are 15 suitable for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in prematurely born babies or other diseases related to a surfactant-deficiency or dysfunction including acute lung injury (ALI), RDS in adults (ARDS), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

They can also be useful for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of other respiratory disorders such as pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma, and cystic fibrosis as well as for the treatment of serous otitis media (glue ear).

The following example illustrates the invention in more details.
EXAMPLE

In vivo experiments with a reconstituted surfactant based on the polypeptides SP-C33 and KL4 The surfactant preparations are assayed in premature newborn rabbits, obtained by hysterectomy at the gestational age of 27 days. The experiments are performed without applying a positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP).

As SP-C analog, the polypeptide referred to as SP-C33 is used which is prepared as described in WO 00/47623.

As analog of the protein SP-B, the polypeptide referred to as KL4 was used, which is prepared according to the teaching of WO 92/22315.

The animals are treated at birth with 200 mg/kg (80 mg/mI) of reconstituted surfactant preparations containing 2% SP-C33 or 2% SP-C33+
2% KL4 in combination with a phospholipid mixture consisting of DPPC:POPG in the ratio 68:31 w/w.

Animals treated with Curosurf (80 mg/mI) serve as positive controls and non-treated littermates as negative controls.

The immature newborn rabbits are ventilated in parallel with a standardized sequence of peak insufflation pressures. To open up the lungs, pressure is first set at 35 cmH2O for 1 min. After this recruitment manoeuvre, pressure is lowered to 25 cmH2O for 15 min and further on to 20 and 15 cm H20. Finally, pressure is raised again to 25 cmH2O for 5 min, after which the lungs are ventilated for additional 5 min with nitrogen and then excised for gas volume measurements.

Both lung gas volumes and tidal volumes expressed as mi/kg are measured and the results, given as median values, are reported in Figures 4 and 5, respectively.

Figure 3 shows that animals treated with the reconstituted surfactant preparation containing 2% w/w SP-C33 in combination with 2% KL4 had higher lung gas volumes than animals that received 2% w/w SP-C33, indicating that addition of 2% w/w KL4 to SP-C33 surfactant produced an increment in lung gas volumes.

Said result demonstrates that the reconstituted surfactant of the.

invention provides better stabilization of the phospholipid film in the alveoli at the end of expiration than a reconstituted surfactant preparation comprising only an analog of the protein SP-C.

Moreover Figure 4 shows that the claimed reconstituted surfactant preparation turned out to significantly improve the respiratory function as expressed by the tidal volumes.

Claims

1 1. A reconstituted surfactant comprising a lipid carrier and a combination of an analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C with a polypeptide comprising a sequence of repeated units constituted of a number of hydrophobic amino acid residues comprised between 3 and 8 and one basic amino acid residue, wherein said analog of the protein SP-C is represented by the general formula (Ia) I f P f SSPVHLKRX a BX b GALL.OMEGA.p G p L p (Ia) wherein X is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of I, L, and nL;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K, R, H, W, F, Y, and Orn;

S is optionally substituted with acyl groups containing 12-22 carbon atoms, preferably 16 carbon atoms, linked to the side chain via an ester bond;

.OMEGA. is an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of M or M oxidized on the sulfur atom, I, L, and nL;

a is 1;

b is 14; and f and p are 0 or 1; and wherein said polypeptide comprising a sequence of repeated units has at least 12 amino acid residues and no more than 60 amino acid residues and is represented by the general formula (II) B(U a B)x (II) wherein U is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group

2 consisting of L, I, nL, V, A, M and F;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K, R, H, and Orn;

a is an integer value comprised between 4 and 5; and x is an integer having a value comprised from 3 to 4.

2. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 1 wherein the analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C is represented by the general formula (Ib) IPSSPVHLKRX a BX b GALL.OMEGA.p G p L p (Ib) wherein:

p is 0 or 1.

3. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 1 wherein the analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C is represented by the general formula (Ic) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALL.OMEGA.p G p L p (Ic) wherein p is 0 or 1.

4. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 3 wherein the analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C is selected from the group consisting of:
IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLMGL (Id) (SEQ ID NO :1) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLIGL (Ie) (SEQ ID NO :2) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLLGL (If) (SEQ ID NO :3) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLnLGL (Ig) (SEQ ID NO :4) IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALL (Ih) (SEQ ID NO :5)

5. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 1 wherein the polypeptide of general formula (II) comprises or consists of a sequence represented by the general formula (III) B(U4B)x (III) wherein U is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of L and I;

B is an amino acid residue independently selected from the group consisting of K and R; and x is an integer having a value of 3 or 4.

6. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 5 wherein the polypeptide has the formula KLLLLKLLLLKLLLLKLLLLK(SEQ ID NO :6)

7. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 1 wherein the analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C has the formula IPSSPVHLKRLKLLLLLLLLILLLILGALLLGL; and the polypeptide comprising a sequence of repeated units has the formula KLLLLKLLLLKLLLLKLLLLK

8. The reconstituted surfactant according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lipid carrier comprises a mixture of phospholipids.

9. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 8 wherein the phospholipid mixture consists of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and a palmitoyloleoylphospholipid selected from palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG) or a mixture thereof with palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) in weight ratios ranging from 95:5 to 50:50.

10. The reconstituted surfactant according to claim 9 wherein the phospholipid mixture consists of DPPC and POPG in a weight ratio of 68:31.

11. The pharmaceutical composition comprising the reconstituted surfactant according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 10 in the form of an aqueous suspension.

13. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 12 comprising the reconstituted surfactant in a concentration comprised between 2 and 160 mg/ml.

14. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 13 wherein the concentration of the reconstituted surfactant is comprised between 20 and 80 mg/ml.

15. Use of a reconstituted surfactant according to any one of claims 1 to 10 as a medicament.

16. Use of a reconstituted surfactant according to any one of claims 1 to 10 for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in prematurely born babies.

17. The use according to according to any one of claims 1 to 10 for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of a disease related to a surfactant-deficiency or dysfunction selected from the group consisting of acute lung injury (ALI), RDS in adults (ARDS), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

surfactant-deficiency or dysfunction include acute lung injury (ALI), RDS in adults (ARDS), meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

21. Use of a reconstituted surfactant according to any one of claims 1 to 12 for the manufacture of a medicament for the prophylaxis and/ore treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in prematurely born babies or in the treatment or prophylaxis of other diseases related to a surfactant-deficiency or dysfunction.