Lefaxin Family (Comparative)
Three lefaxin paralogs in H. nipponia + W. pigra genomes (Ye 2025) — H. nipponia variants exhibit stronger FXa binding and in vitro anticoagulant activity than W. pigra.
Mechanistic Evidence Box
Preclinical / mechanistic- Page type
- Compound profile
- Evidence type
- Three lefaxin paralogs in H. nipponia + W. pigra genomes (Ye 2025) — H. nipponia variants exhibit stronger FXa binding and in vitro anticoagulant activity than W. pigra.
- Evidence level
- In vitro
- Drug vs leech
- Recombinant (genetically expressed)
- Safety domains
- Bleeding
Clinical translation limit
Comparative lefaxin family in vitro FXa inhibition does NOT establish clinical efficacy. No FDA-approved derivative exists; cross-species reanalysis challenges the assumption that only hematophagous leeches have therapeutic anticoagulant utility.
Molecular Profile
- Category
- Anticoagulant
- Evidence tier
- Preclinical
- Molecular weight
- 30,000 Da
- Source species
- Hirudo nipponia, Whitmania pigra
- Discovered
- 2025 · Ye T et al.
Biological Targets
- → Factor Xa (variable affinity by paralog and species)
Key Citations
- Ye T et al. (2025), Biology (Basel) · PMID 40906077
External Resources
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