Trialling corticosteroid prodrugs to reduce lung diseases of preterm birth

Project description

Women in preterm labour are often given corticosteroids to mature the fetal lungs before birth (antenatal corticosteroids).

After birth, very preterm babies are also sometimes given corticosteroids (postnatal corticosteroids), although in that scenario the corticosteroids are being used as anti-inflammatory agents to help reduce lung inflammation and wean preterm babies off respiratory support.

Unfortunately these life-saving drugs (antenatal and postnatal corticosteroids) are also associated with adverse effects on the developing brain and other organs, but there are few if any, current alternatives to their use.

This project will trial newer, tissue-specific corticosteroids using animal models of preterm birth to determine if they mature the fetal lungs, and reduce postnatal lung inflammation, without adverse impacts on other organs.