§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the(a) creation and (b) use of alpha-1-antitrypsin; and what Government research has been conducted into the effect of humans using the compounds. [20918]
§ Ms BlearsThere are two sources of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) that have been used for therapeutic purposes. Partially purified AAT may be manufactured from pooled human plasma. Recently, AAT has been synthesised with the use of recombinant technology.
Clinical trials have been undertaken in North America and Europe to evaluate the safety and efficacy of therapy with partially purified human AAT given by intravenous infusion in patients with emphysema.
More recently clinical trials of partially purified human or recombinant AAT administered by aerosol therapy to the lungs have been undertaken.
Details of these trials may be found on the websites www.aventisbehring.com/aventisbehring/newsandevents/alphaclintrial. asp. and www.ppl-therapeutics.com/Welcome/Products/Product1/bodyproduct1. html.
There have been several trials in national health service hospitals on various aspects of the use of AAT. Details of projects, completed and ongoing, can be found on the National Research Register, which is available on the internet at http: //www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr.htm.