diff --git a/biosimulators_utils/_version.py b/biosimulators_utils/_version.py
index 98c7fc01..56655389 100644
--- a/biosimulators_utils/_version.py
+++ b/biosimulators_utils/_version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = '0.1.165'
+__version__ = '0.1.166'
diff --git a/biosimulators_utils/model_lang/xpp/validation.py b/biosimulators_utils/model_lang/xpp/validation.py
index fffa0be7..30d432c1 100644
--- a/biosimulators_utils/model_lang/xpp/validation.py
+++ b/biosimulators_utils/model_lang/xpp/validation.py
@@ -702,10 +702,18 @@ def sanitize_model(filename, keep_only_directives=True, exclude_options=None):
 
     with open(sanitized_filename, 'wb') as sanitized_file:
         for statement in statements:
-            i_comment = statement.find(b'#')
-            if i_comment > -1:
-                statement = statement[0:i_comment]
-            statement = statement.strip() + b'\n'
+            statement = statement.lstrip()
+            if (
+                statement.startswith(b'@')
+                or statement.startswith(b'p ')
+                or statement.startswith(b'par ')
+                or statement.startswith(b'param ')
+                or statement.startswith(b'#')
+            ):
+                i_comment = statement.find(b'#')
+                if i_comment > -1:
+                    statement = statement[0:i_comment]
+                statement = statement.strip() + b'\n'
 
             if not keep_only_directives and statement.lower().startswith(b'only '):
                 continue