ST. LOUIS, June 22 (UPI) -- U.S. molecular biologists say they've found a way to utilize the enzyme thrombin's anti-coagulant properties, opening the door to new blood clot medications.
Researchers led by Dr. Enrico Di Cera of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine said their findings might lead to new therapies to treat diseases related to thrombosis -- the presence of blood clots in blood vessels.
"Thrombosis is one of the most prevalent causes of fatal disease," Di Cera said. "If we could develop an anti-thrombotic drug that didn't carry a risk of hemorrhage, it would revolutionize the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States and Western world. This research carries us closer to that goal."
The study appears in The Journal of Biological Chemistry.
