Recombinant Neorudin for the Prevention of Deep-Vein Thrombosis After Spinal-Cord Injury

BACKGROUND: Whether anticoagulant therapy should be used after spinal-cord injury (SCI) surgery was controversial. The anticoagulation characteristics of a newly developed anticoagulant, recombinant neorudin (EPR-hirudin (EH)), were explored using a rat model of SCI to provide a basis for clinical anticoagulation therapy of SCI. METHODS: A rat model of SCI was developed by Allen's method. Then, thrombosis in the inferior vena cava was induced by ligation. The low-bleeding characteristics of EH were explored by investigating dose-response and time-effect relationships, as well as multiple administration of EH, on thrombus formation complicated with SCI. RESULTS: EH inhibited thrombosis in a dose-dependent manner by reducing the wet weight and dry weight of the thrombus. An inhibiting action of EH on thrombosis was most evident in the group given EH 2 h after SCI. After multiple intravenous doses of EH, thrombosis inhibition was improved to that observed with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) (87% vs 90%). EH administration after SCI neither increased bleeding in the injured spine nor damaged to nerve function. Bleeding duration and activated partial thromboplastin time were increased in the high-dose EH group compared with that in the normal-saline group, but were lower than those in the LMWH group. CONCLUSION: EH can reduce thrombus formation in a rat model of SCI, and bleeding is decreased significantly compared with that using LMWH. EH may prevent thrombosis after SCI or spinal surgery.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Novel EPR-hirudin (neorudin) cleaved by factor Xa or XIa showed dose-dependent thrombus inhibition equal to LMWH (87% vs 90%) in a rat spinal-cord injury model without increasing bleeding in injured spine or damaging nerve function.

Leech-derived molecules this paper discusses, each with a full profile in the ASH compound registry:

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