What is Argatroban?
Argatroban is a synthetic direct thrombin inhibitor that selectively binds to and inactivates thrombin in blood plasma, making it a powerful anticoagulant. (Thrombin is an enzyme in the blood critical for thrombosis, or clotting). While clotting is a normal process, it must sometimes be suppressed to permit certain medical therapies; for example, virtually all cardiac surgery requires anticoagulation to prevent clots from closing off blood vessels in the area where the procedure is performed. Originally developed by Mitsubishi in the late 1980s, Argatroban was licensed to Encysive, which has developed it as an alternative to heparin, the most widely used anticoagulant. In 2000, Encysive received U.S. FDA approval of Argatroban for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), a condition involving an allergic reaction to heparin and an elevated risk of thrombosis. In 2002, Argatroban was approved for use in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with, or at risk of developing, HIT.
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