Antifibrinolytic agent for the prevention and treatment of haemorrhages

Julen Oyarzabal Santamarina

CIMA (Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada) Universidad de Navarra, Spain

Research

CM-352 is a drug based on short-term inhibition of specific proteins called MMPs involved in many biological processes in response to injury, to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with major hemorrhages. The use of CM-352 offers substantial cost benefits and logistic advantages (transport, stability, administration route, etc.) for physicians versus other therapeutic alternatives. In addition, CM-352 provides an innovative way to control hemorrhage while reducing the risk of secondary thrombosis.

Aim

The ultimate goal is to provide a new drug that can be useful for a huge amount of patients worldwide with different types of haemorrhages associated with a variety of medical and surgical conditions. This advance will also provide financial benefits for health care systems in terms of reduction in hospitalizations, as well as in costs and morbidity associated with blood transfusions.

Problem to Solve

Bleeding is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, producing significant health and economic ramifications related to blood transfusion requirements. Prehospital methods for hemorrhage control are unsuitable for intra-abdominal or intra-cranial bleeding: the only treatment is emergency surgical intervention. Consequently, a need exists for effective prehospital hemorrhage control interventions to prolong survival.

Innovation

Control of hemorrhage currently aims to achieve normal hemostasis, representing a delicate balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis (a normal body process that prevents blood clots from growing and causing problems). Excessive activation of the fibrinolytic system can shift the haemostatic balance leading to hemorrhagic complications. CM-352 is an optimizaed compound which do not result in thrombus formation or other unwanted side effects.

Level of Innovation

Current available antihemorrhagic strategies have relied on the use of haemostatic and antifibrinolytic agents (promoting blood clotting) in combination with blood transfusions. However, these agents, including the current standard of care with a drug called TXA, have moderate efficacy and present adverse effects such as thromboembolic events, seizures and mortality.

CM-352 is more efficacious than the other antifibrinolytic agents and operates through a novel mode of action, independent of hemostasis, leading to a safer antihemorrhagic compound.