Current status of the anticoagulant hirudin: its biotechnological production and clinical practice
Research article published in Applied microbiology and biotechnology (2001)
Abstract
Hirudin is a potent thrombin inhibitor originally derived from the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Owing to its high affinity and specificity for thrombin, hirudin has been intensively investigated for research and therapeutic purposes. The investigation of hirudin has contributed greatly to the understanding of the mode of action of thrombin and the clotting system. Hirudin and several hirudin analogues have also been demonstrated to have several advantages as a highly specific anticoagulant over the most widely used drug, heparin. Due to the great demand for hirudin in physicochemical and clinical studies, various recombinant systems have been developed, using bacteria, yeasts, and higher eukaryotes, to obtain the biologically active hirudin in significant quantities. After 10 years of clinical applications, two recombinant hirudins and a hirudin analogue have gained marketing approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration, for several applications. Clinical trials are currently ongoing for other treatments for thrombotic disease. As a consequence, it is conceivable that hirudin may expand its therapeutic utility over heparin in the near future.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
Hirudin is a potent thrombin inhibitor originally derived from the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Owing to its high affinity and specificity for thrombin, hirudin has been intensively investigated for research and therapeutic purposes.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Este artículo examina la hirudin, un potente inhibidor de la trombina originalmente derivado de la sanguijuela medicinal Hirudo medicinalis, y analiza su producción biotecnológica mediante sistemas recombinantes en bacterias, levaduras y eucariotas superiores, así como sus aplicaciones clínicas, incluyendo la aprobación de comercialización por parte de la FDA para dos hirudins recombinantes y un análogo de la hirudin. Para el ámbito de ASH, esto es directamente relevante, ya que aborda el potencial terapéutico de una proteína anticoagulante derivada de la sanguijuela, señalando las ventajas demostradas frente a la heparina y sus contribuciones a la comprensión del modo de acción de la trombina y del sistema de coagulación. El resumen no proporciona datos cuantitativos específicos, resultados de ensayos ni detalles metodológicos, y sus afirmaciones son generales y de amplio alcance en lugar de estar vinculadas a experimentos particulares, conjuntos de datos o resultados en pacientes.
Citación
Current status of the anticoagulant hirudin: its biotechnological production and clinical practice.
Sohn J et al. · Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 2001
Contexto clínico relacionado
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: March 18, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: June 18, 2026