title: Update on the clinical development of cangrelor.
abstract: Antiplatelet drugs represent the cornerstone of treatment for cardiovascular atherothrombotic disease. Dual oral antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and oral ADP-receptor antagonists, such as clopidogrel, has been the standard choice for prevention of ischemic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome and in those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. However, due to the limitations of clopidogrel, such as interindividual-response variability, drug-drug interactions, slow onset of action and irreversible inhibitory effects, novel antiplatelet agents are under clinical development. Cangrelor is a reversible, potent, competitive inhibitor of the ADP P2Y(12) receptor that is administered intravenously and rapidly achieves near complete inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation. These pharmacological properties make cangrelor a promising drug for clinical use. However, recent large-scale Phase III clinical investigations failed to show significant clinical benefit on the primary end point with cangrelor. This article provides an overview of the current status of knowledge on cangrelor, focusing on its pharmacologic properties and clinical development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, Shands Jacksonville, 655 West 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209, USA.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ferreiro
authors.forename: Dominick J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Angiolillo
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D058925:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y12
chemical_list: C548576:P2RY12 protein, human; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D058925:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y12; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate; C117446:cangrelor