New targeted therapy ‘can dissolve blood clots with fewer side effects’

A new study has indicated that a new magnetically controlled drug could represent a more effective means of dissolving blood clots.

The new drug is safe for intravenous injection and can dissolve clots up to 4,000 times more efficiently than ordinary enzyme-based drugs, according to research from ITMO University and Mariinsky Hospital in St Petersburg.

Since it can be condensed on a blood clot by means of a magnetic field, the therapy can be precisely targeted, meaning it is possible to reduce the drug dosage and avoid the numerous side effects associated with current therapeutic tactics.

Ivan Dudanov, head of the regional cardiovascular centre of Mariinsky Hospital, said: "Now we are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Dissolving a little blood clot that blocked a vessel of only one to two mm in diameter; thrombolytic drugs negatively affect the entire network of blood vessels."

Future drugs based on the same composite could be used not only for thrombosis treatment, but also for prevention. It is able to circulate in the blood in small amounts delivering an enzyme that gently cleans the blood vessels, staying active for an extended period until it is naturally excreted through the liver.