Phase I Clinical Study of Chondroitin Sulfate for Treatment of NEC

The goal of this phase 1 double blind, randomized controlled trial is to determine the safety of chondroitin sulfate supplementation in the neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis. The main questions the study aims to answer are: Is chondroitin sulfate safe to administer in the neonatal NEC population, and will it have a beneficial profile in the short term intestinal and long term neurodevelopmental sequelae of NEC? Researchers will compare all cause mortality, progression to surgery, systemic inflammatory markers, and long term neurodevelopmental outcomes in those NEC patients who receive chondroitin sulfate compared to those who receive milk or formula placebo.