To boldly go . . .

Gene Roddenberry 1966

Treatment to slow the progression of lung degradation by the intravenous infusion of alpha-1 antitrypsin from pooled human blood plasma has been available for the past 35 years.  Now, studies are underway to test the effectiveness of inhaled antitrypsin.  It is hoped that this may lower the cost of treatment and be more convenient for patients.

Newer treatments currently being explored are either attempting to stop the polymerisation of antitrypsin in the liver or correcting the single point mutation in the nucleotide sequence and so producing normal antitrypsin.

The next few years will produce many results in all these fields of research.  We shall know more and that can only lead to better treatments and a better outcome for Alpha patients.