Yokomaku et al (12) revealed that the engineered EPO derivative asialoerythropoietin (AEP), whose half-life is extremely short, is non-hematopoietic but appears to retain extra-hematopoietic effects and may, similarly to native EPO, be of potential use in the treatment of patients with acute lung injury and ARDS. This evidence concerns the gene EPO and acute lung injury.