Hirudin
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sheng Shi, M.D. [2]
For patient information about Desirudin, click here
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Overview
Iprivask® (desirudin for injection) is a specific inhibitor of human thrombin. It has a protein structure that is similar to that ofHirudin, the naturally occurring anticoagulant present in the peripharyngeal glands in the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Hirudin is a single polypeptide chain of 65 amino acids residues and contains three disulfide bridges. Desirudin has a chemical formula of C287H440N80O110S6 with a molecular weight of 6963.52. Desirudin, which is expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae,strain TR 1456) by recombinant DNA technology differs from the naturalHirudin by lack of a sulfate group on Tyr-63. The biological activity of desirudin is determined through a chromogenic assay which measures the ability of desirudin to inhibit the hydrolysis of a chromogenic peptidic substrate by thrombin in comparison to a desirudin standard. One vial of desirudin contains 15.75 mg desirudin corresponding to approximately 315,000 antithrombin units (ATU) or 20,000 ATU per milligram of desirudin with reference to the WHO International Standard (prepared 1991) for alphathrombin.
Category
Anticoagulants:Direct thrombin (II) inhibitors
US Brand Names
IPRIVASK
FDA Package Insert
| Indications and Usage | Dosage and Administration | Dosage Forms and Strengths | Contraindications | Warnings and Precautions | Adverse Reactions | Drug Interactions | Use in Specific Populations | Overdosage | Description | Clinical Pharmacology | Nonclinical Toxicology | Clinical Studies | How Supplied/Storage and Handling | Patient Counseling Information | Labels and Packages