Dabigatran
Oral direct thrombin inhibitor — FDA approved 2010 for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Conceptual descendant of hirudin pharmacology.
Mechanistic Evidence Box
Studied off-label- Page type
- Compound profile
- Evidence type
- Oral direct thrombin inhibitor — FDA approved 2010 for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Conceptual descendant of hirudin pharmacology.
- Evidence level
- FDA-cleared regulatory context
- Drug vs leech
- Synthetic analog
- Safety domains
- Bleeding
Clinical translation limit
Dabigatran is an FDA-approved synthetic small-molecule direct thrombin inhibitor; it is chemically distinct from hirudin, sharing only the target. Its RCT evidence base (RE-LY) applies only to the drug, not to whole medicinal-leech therapy. Calling dabigatran a 'descendant' of hirudin is conceptual/pharmacological, not chemical.
Molecular Profile
- Category
- Anticoagulant
- Evidence tier
- Tier A — FDA-approved derivative
- Molecular weight
- 471.51 Da
- Source species
- Synthetic small molecule
- Discovered
- 2002 · Boehringer Ingelheim
- PubChem CID
- 216210
- Derived FDA-approved drug
- Pradaxa (FDA approved Oct 2010)
Biological Targets
- → thrombin (Factor IIa)
Key Citations
- Connolly SJ et al. (RE-LY) (2009), N Engl J Med · PMID 19717844
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.