This document provides materials and methods for treating pancreatitis (e.g., severe acute pancreatitis), a complication associated with pancreatitis (e.g., organ failure), and/or an acute inflammatory condition in a mammal (e.g., inflammation from a burn or trauma). For example, methods and materials for using one or more colipase inhibitors to treat a mammal having pancreatitis (e.g., acute pancreatitis) are provided.