Bivalirudin: a new generation antithrombotic drug.
Bivalirudin (Angiomax, The Medicines Company) is a synthetic 20 amino acid peptide rationally designed on the basis of structural studies of hirudin, a naturally occurring anticoagulant. Bivalirudin represents a new class of anticoagulant drugs that directly inhibits thrombin, a key component in blood clot formation and extension. With its high binding affinity and specificity for thrombin, bivalirudin acts directly on thrombin, rather than via other clotting factors. The compound has a variety of potential uses as an alternative to heparin in the management of cardiovascular disease and related medical procedures i.e., unstable angina (UA), myocardial infarction (MI) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).
Scatena
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Istituto Chimica e Chimica Clinica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. r.scatena@uniserv.ccr.rm.cnr.it
D000818:Animals; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D017277:Drug Approval; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024764:Hirudin Therapy; D006629:Hirudins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006629:Hirudins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C074619:bivalirudin