Supramolecular Prodrug Hydrogel for One-Week Protection Against Thrombosis

In clinical anticoagulant therapy, the drug Bivalirudin (Biva) presents a lower incidence of adverse events and more predictable pharmacokinetics in comparison to heparin. However, its short half-life of ≈20 min leads to poor patient compliance and increased medical burden. Here, a long-acting anticoagulant hydrogel based on Biva for antithrombotic treatment is described. The fusion peptide (d-RADA)8-B that integrates Biva, a D-type self-assembly motif, and an activated factor X (FXa)-responsive motif exhibits both supramolecular reservoir and prodrug-like properties. After subcutaneous injection, the anticoagulant peptide forms a semi-solid depot with protease-degradation resistance and slowly disassembles to release prodrug (d-RADA)8-B into the bloodstream. The circulating prodrug acts as an inert sentinel, which can be activated to release Biva to inhibit thrombus formation when exposed to the thrombus-related protease FXa. One week after the administration of (d-RADA)8-B, significant embolism suppression is observed in animal models of carotid artery thrombosis and pulmonary embolism without increasing hemorrhagic side effects. This study demonstrates a concise strategy to engineer a supramolecular anticoagulant hydrogel with long-term, high drug loading, and on-demand antithrombotic activation.

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

Engineered supramolecular prodrug hydrogel using bivalirudin (the leech-hirudin-derived direct thrombin inhibitor) with a FXa-responsive linker, achieving one-week sustained thrombosis prevention in animal models without increased bleeding risk.

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

Узнайте, как это исследование связано с клинической практикой

More peer-reviewed studies in Разработка лекарственных препаратов.

• Novel Leech Antimicrobial Peptides — Hirunipins — Kumar et al. (2025)
• Medicinal Leech Genome Assembly — Anticoagulant Gene Catalog — Kvist et al. (2020)
• Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome — Bilden A et al. (2026)
• Hirudotherapy in Medicine and Dentistry — Jha K et al. (2015)
• Medicinal leech therapy (hirudotherapy): a brief overview — Singh A (2010)
• HIRUDOTHERAPY IN PRESBYACUZIS PRAECOX IN CLEAN-UP WORKERS AFTER THE CHORNOBYL ACCIDENT DURING THE POST-CATASTROPHE YEARS — Zabolotnyi D, Mishchanchuk N (2019)
• Investigation of oxidant-antioxidant status in patients treated with hirudotherapy: an experimental study — Sarikan I, Savas H (2024)
• Leech therapeutic applications — Abdualkader A et al. (2013)
• Non-Occlusive Mesenteric Ischemia Due to Hirudotherapy: A Case Report — Akalın Ç, Ekmen N (2020)
• Leech therapy: a history — Hyson J (2005)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →