Dornase alfa, sold under the brand name Pulmozyme, is used for the treatment of

cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive manner that impairs the normal clearance of Sputum, mucus from the lungs, which facilitates the colonization and infection of the lungs by bacteria, notably ''Staphy ...

. It is a recombinant human

deoxyribonuclease I Deoxyribonuclease I (usually called DNase I), is an endonuclease of the DNase family coded by the human gene DNASE1. DNase I is a nuclease that cleaves DNA preferentially at phosphodiester linkages adjacent to a pyrimidine nucleotide, yielding 5 ...

(rhDNase), an

enzyme An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

which selectively cleaves

DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...

. Dornase alfa hydrolyzes the DNA present in sputum/mucus and reduces

viscosity Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's rate-dependent drag (physics), resistance to a change in shape or to movement of its neighboring portions relative to one another. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of ''thickness''; for e ...

in the lungs, promoting improved clearance of secretions. It is produced in

Chinese hamster ovary Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are a family of immortalized cell lines derived from epithelial cells of the ovary of the Chinese hamster, often used in biological and medical research and commercially in the production of recombinant therape ...

cells.

Medical uses

Dornase alfa is

indicated In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery. There can be multiple indications to use a procedure or medication. An indication can commonly be confused with the term diagnosis. A diagnosis ...

for the management of people with cystic fibrosis to improve pulmonary function.

Society and culture

Legal status

Dornase alfa is an

orphan drug An orphan drug is a medication, pharmaceutical agent that is developed to treat certain rare medical conditions. An orphan drug would not be profitable to produce without government assistance, due to the small population of patients affected by th ...

Research

Dornase alfa has been shown to improve lung function in non-cystic fibrosis pre-term infants

atelectasis Atelectasis is the partial collapse or closure of a lung resulting in reduced or absence in gas exchange. It is usually unilateral, affecting part or all of one lung. It is a condition where the Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli are deflated down to l ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dornase Alfa Drugs acting on the respiratory system Recombinant proteins Drugs developed by Hoffmann-La Roche Drugs developed by Genentech de:Desoxyribonuklease#Verwendung als Arzneistoff