The scientific basis of medical therapy of acute pancreatitis - Could it work, and is there a role for lexipafant?

For a 30-year period beginning in 1958, the general basis of medical therap y of acute pancreatitis had as its focus the provision of supplementary ant iprotease therapy usually given intravenously. This concept was based on th e belief that the body's natural antiprotease defense mechanism, which reli es heavily on alpha 2-macroglobulin, together with alpha 1-antiprotease (al pha 1-antitrypsin), was inadequate to cope with the vast enzyme release tha t occurred with the onset of the more severe forms of the disease. This art icle examines recent studies and emerging theories on the medical therapy o f acute pancreatitis.