Lucinactant, formerly known as KL(4) surfactant, is a novel synthetic lung 
surfactant containing phospholipids and an engineered peptide, sinapultide, 
which is designed to mimic the actions of human surfactant protein B. It has 
been developed for use in the prevention or treatment of respiratory distress 
syndrome (RDS), a common problem in premature infants, which results from a 
deficiency or degradation of pulmonary surfactant. Lucinactant is administered 
intratracheally soon after birth as a replacement surfactant. In the pivotal 
randomized, double-blind, prophylaxis trial in premature infants, the incidence 
of RDS at 24 hours after birth was significantly lower in lucinactant recipients 
than in recipients of colfosceril palmitate, a synthetic non-protein-containing 
surfactant. RDS-related mortality at 14 days was significantly lower in 
lucinactant recipients than in recipients of colfosceril palmitate or beractant, 
a bovine-derived surfactant. In another randomized, double-blind, prophylaxis 
trial in premature infants, the rate of survival without bronchopulmonary 
dysplasia at 28 days of age in lucinactant recipients was not inferior to that 
in recipients of poractant alfa, a porcine-derived surfactant. Lucinactant was 
generally well tolerated. Adverse events were transient and related to the 
administration procedure. There were no differences in the incidences of 
complications of prematurity between lucinactant and the other surfactants.