Magnetically controlled drug dissolves blood clots with fewer side effects

26-Jun-2016 - Last updated on 27-Jun-2016 at 10:30 GMT

The influence of developed thrombolytic system on vascular thrombus extracted during the operation. (Image: ITMO University)

Related tags Pharmacology Blood

Researchers have developed a new magnetically controlled drug that can dissolve clots up to 4,000 times more efficiently than ordinary enzyme-based drugs.

The new drug, which is safe for intravenous injection, was developed by scientists at ITMO University in cooperation with the Mariinsky Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

To overcome the challenges of traditional thrombolytic drugs that don’t target the clot but rather spread throughout the whole circulatory system, the scientists created a new composite material of a porous magnetite framework and molecules of urokinase; an enzyme often used in medicine as a thrombolytic agent.

Schematic image of thrombolytic drug nanoparticles. The enzyme is surrounded by magnetite framework. (Image credit: ITMO University)

According to the researchers, the composite can create a thrombolytic coating for artificial blood vessels and stable injectable solutions made of nanosized particles that can be localized near the clot via an external magnetic field.

Additionally, the magnetite framework also protects enzymes from various inhibitors that are present in the blood and can deactivate thrombolytic medications.

Andrey Drozdov, the first author of the study and researcher at the Laboratory of Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies explained that “Usually, in order to achieve a prolonged effect for such drugs, the enzyme is placed inside a polymeric matrix. The enzyme is then gradually released from the matrix and eventually looses all activity.

“We, on the other hand, experimentally demonstrated that enzymes protected using our approach do not lose therapeutic properties over extended periods of time and even after repeated use. The rate, at which the new drug can dissolve the clot outperforms unprotected enzymes by about 4000 times," she added.

The new solution also reduces drug dosage and consequently the number of side effects that may result.

According to the researchers, in the future, drugs based on the new composite could also be used for prevention; for even in small amounts, the enzyme circulating in the blood could clean the vessels and long periods of time until its excreted through the liver.

The drug has been demonstrated on artificial blood clots obtained from plasma and blood of humans, and thrombus extracted from patients. The next step will be to try the thrombolytic system on mammals.

“We are planning to carry out full-scale preclinical trials and in case of success move to first stage of clinical trials,” Drozdov told us. “After that stage, it will be possible to look for a partner in pharma, [if] it would be interesting for them.”