title: The use of snake venom-derived compounds for new functional diagnostic test kits in the field of haemostasis.
abstract: Pentapharm Ltd. has a long tradition of producing and proceeding snake venom components as APIs and tools in pharmaceutical and diagnostic applications, beginning with the snake venom-derived product Reptilase about 60 years ago. In recent years diagnostic test kits in the field of haemostasis have been developed, like Pefakit APC-R Factor V Leiden and Pefakit PiCT, which make use of one or more snake venom compounds as key reactants. The venom-derived compounds are responsible for many outstanding properties of these tests and account for their top ranking performance qualities confirmed in non-clinical and clinical studies. Both tests are on the market in Europe. Pefakit APC-R Factor V Leiden is also marketed in the US since January 2005. Research on snake venom-derived compounds for diagnostic and pharmaceutical use is ongoing.
authors.affiliation: R & D Haemostasis and Test Kit Development, Pentapharm Ltd., Basel, Switzerland. reto.schoeni@pentapharm.com
authors.forename: Reto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schoni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D005165:Factor V / Q000032:analysis; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012910:Snake Venoms; C095381:factor V Leiden; D005165:Factor V