SummaryThe inhibitory effects of argatroban on clot- or fibrin-bound human thrombin were studied using the thrombin-specific chromogenic substrate S2238 (200 μM). These effects were compared to those of recombinant hirudin (rHV2 Lys 47) and the heparin/antithrombin III complex. Argatroban concentration-dependently inhibited the cleavage of S2238 by a thrombin solution, which had been titrated to give the same change in OD405 nm as fibrin-bound thrombin, with an IC50 of 1.1 μM with 90% inhibition at 8 μM. rHV2 Lys 47 and heparin had IC50 values of 1.2 nM and 0.003 U/ml respectively under these conditions. However, when the compounds were tested against fibrin-bound thrombin, argatroban had an IC50 of 2.8 μM with 65% inhibiton at 8 μM, whereas rHV2 Lys 47 had an IC50 of 23 nM (with only 56% inhibition at 200 nM), and heparin had an IC50 of 0.5 α 0.38 U/ml (with only 58% inhibition at 5 U/ml); i. e. the two compounds were 19 and 168 times less active against fibrin-bound thrombin than against thrombin in solution. The differences between the inhibitory effects of the compounds against thrombin bound to a plasma clot were even more striking in that the IC50 of argatroban was increased from 1.1 (vs. thrombin in solution) to 2.7 μM, while, although rHV2 Lys 47 and heparin had IC50 values of 2.8 nM and 0.004 U/ml against thrombin in solution, they had little (32% inhibition by 4 pM rHV2 Lys 47) or no effect (even at 5.0 U/ml heparin) against the amidolytic activity of a plasma clot. We conclude that argatroban could present advantages over hirudin and heparin in the treatment of pathologies where the enzymatic activity of clot-bound thrombin may play a significant role.

1 The antithrombotic action of argatroban, a synthetic thrombin inhibitor, was studied in three models of thrombosis in the rat, and in the tail transection bleeding time test 20 tg kg', min-') had similar activity to that of heparin (180% increase at 25 jg kg-' min ') on a weight basis. Hoever, the antithrombotic effects of argatroban were accompanied by only moderate changes in the coagulation parameters (thrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, APTT), whereas, even at a subthreshold dose of heparin (12.5 pg kg' min-'), both the thrombin time and the APTT were greater than 150 s. 5 Infusions of both compounds caused dose-dependent increases in the tail transection bleeding time, with the dose of argatroban that doubles the bleeding time (11 I g kg-' min-') being five times greater than that of heparin (EDI, = 2.2 fig kg' min-').6 These data show that, when administered as an intravenous infusion, argatroban is a potent antithrombotic agent in rat models of venous 'mixed' and arterial thrombosis, this effect can be obtained with a lower degree of systemic anticoagulation than with heparin in the arterial model, and argatroban has a lower haemorrhagic potential than that of heparin.

SummaryClot-associated thrombin retains amidolytic activity, and is resistant to inhibition by heparin, but not to low molecular weight thrombin inhibitors. We show that clot-associated thrombin induces platelet aggregation, is resistant to heparin:antithrombin III, less so to recombinant hirudin (rHV2Lys47) but not to argatroban, an active-site directed thrombin inhibitor. Fibrin clots prepared with human fibrinogen and thrombin were used to aggregate rabbit washed platelets assessed by single platelet counting, thromboxane B2 (TXB2) immunoassay and scanning electron microscopy. Fibrin clots decreased platelet counts, and released TXB2. Electron microscopy showed platelet aggregates on the clot surface. Argatroban concentration-dependently inhibited such aggregation with IC50s of 21 nM and 13 nM versus aggregation and TXB2 release respectively. The IC50s of Argatroban against fluid-phase thrombin producing similar aggregation were 12 nM (aggregation) and 33 nM (TXB2). rHV2Lys47 was less active against clot-induced aggregation (IC50 = 1.8 nM) than against fluid-phase thrombin (IC50 = 0.06 nM). Heparin had an IC50 of 0.02 mU/ml against aggregation induced by fluid-phase thrombin, but much greater concentrations are required to inhibit clot-induced aggregation (IC50 = 48 mU/ml). These data provide a basis for the superiority of direct-acting thrombin inhibitors over heparin in platelet rich thrombi.

SSR182289A competitively inhibits human thrombin (K i ϭ 0.031 Ϯ 0.002 M) and shows good selectivity with respect to other human proteases, e.g., trypsin (K i ϭ 54 Ϯ 2 M), factor Xa (K i ϭ 167 Ϯ 9 M), and factor VIIa, factor IXa, plasmin, urokinase, tPA, kallikrein, and activated protein C (all K i values Ͼ250 M). In human plasma, SSR182289A demonstrated anticoagulant activity in vitro as measured by standard clotting parameters (EC 100 thrombin time 96 Ϯ 7 nM) and inhibited tissue factor-induced thrombin generation (IC 50 of 0.15 Ϯ 0.02 M). SSR182289A inhibited thrombin-induced aggregation of human platelets with an IC 50 value of 32 Ϯ 9 nM, but had no effect on aggregation induced by other platelet agonists. The anticoagulant effects of SSR182289A were studied by measuring changes in coagulation markers ex vivo after i.v. or oral administration in several species. In dogs, SSR182289A (0.1-1 mg/kg i.v. and 1-5 mg/kg p.o.) produced dose-related increases in clotting times. After oral dosing, maximum anticoagulant effects were observed 2 h after administration with increases in thrombin time, 2496 Ϯ 356%; ecarin clotting time (ECT), 1134 Ϯ 204%; and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), 91 Ϯ 20% for the dose of 3 mg/kg p.o., and thrombin time, 3194 Ϯ 425%; ECT, 2017 Ϯ 341%; and aPTT, 113 Ϯ 9% after 5 mg/kg p.o. Eight hours after administration of 3 or 5 mg/kg SSR182289A, clotting times were still elevated. SSR182289A also showed oral anticoagulant activity in rat, rabbit, and macaque. Hence, SSR182289A is a potent, selective, and orally active thrombin inhibitor.

SummaryWe studied the antithrombotic activity of a mixed micellar formulation containing 14 mg/ml argatroban administered by the subcutaneous (s. c.) route in rat and rabbit models of venous thrombosis. The effects on bleeding time in the rat tail transection bleeding time test were also studied. In a tissue factor-dependent arterio-venous shunt model, argatroban treatment led to dose-dependent reduction in thrombus weight with an estimated ID50 of 1.8 mg/kg s. c. In the same model, heparin had an estimated ID50 of 179 IU/kg. The antithrombotic activity of argatroban was accompanied by increases in the thrombin and ecarin clotting times but not the aPTT, whereas heparin increased the thrombin time and aPTT but not the ecarin clotting times. Argatroban also inhibited thrombus formation in a rabbit model of thromboplastin + stasis induced thrombosis in the rabbit jugular vein with an estimated ID50 of 1 mg/kg s. c. When tested in the rat tail transection bleeding time test, the mixed micellar formulation of argatroban caused significant increases in the bleeding time as from 8 mg/kg s. c., while heparin significantly increased the bleeding time at 800 U/kg. Mixed micellar argatroban appears to have a superior safety margin to heparin in terms of antithrombotic efficacy and bleeding risk.Thus, a mixed micellar formulation of argatroban, which markedly enhances its solubility, could be useful as a potential antithrombotic agent for subcutaneous administration.