Apixaban
Oral Factor Xa inhibitor — FDA approved 2012. Part of the DOAC class inspired by leech antistasin discovery.
Mechanistic Evidence Box
Studied off-label- Page type
- Compound profile
- Evidence type
- Oral Factor Xa inhibitor — FDA approved 2012. Part of the DOAC class inspired by leech antistasin discovery.
- Evidence level
- FDA-cleared regulatory context
- Drug vs leech
- Synthetic analog
- Safety domains
- Bleeding
Clinical translation limit
Apixaban is a chemically synthesized small-molecule Factor Xa inhibitor; it shares only the molecular target with leech antistasin and is not structurally derived from it. Its RCT evidence base (ARISTOTLE) applies only to the drug, not to whole medicinal-leech therapy.
Molecular Profile
- Category
- Anticoagulant
- Evidence tier
- Tier A — FDA-approved derivative
- Molecular weight
- 459.5 Da
- Source species
- Synthetic
- Discovered
- 2007 · Bristol-Myers Squibb / Pfizer
- PubChem CID
- 10182969
- Derived FDA-approved drug
- Eliquis (FDA approved Dec 2012)
Biological Targets
- → Factor Xa
Key Citations
- Granger CB et al. (ARISTOTLE) (2011), N Engl J Med · PMID 21870978
External Resources
Related Anticoagulant Compounds
Hirudin
The most potent natural thrombin inhibitor — and the molecular template for three FDA-approved direct thrombin inhibitor drugs.
Antistasin
Factor Xa inhibitor — prototype molecule that inspired the entire DOAC drug class (rivaroxaban, apixaban).
Ghilanten
Factor Xa inhibitor with anti-metastatic activity in animal cancer models — translational dual-use compound.
Lefaxin
Factor Xa inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties.