Blockade of platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptors with agents like c7E3 Fab showed significant efficacy in reducing ischaemic complications after angioplasty in high-risk patients.
Does blockade of platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptors reduce ischaemic complications in patients undergoing angioplasty or with acute coronary syndromes?
Blockade of platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptors, such as with c7E3 Fab, is an efficacious antithrombotic strategy for reducing ischemic complications in high-risk angioplasty patients.
Platelet aggregation plays a crucial role in ischaemic arterial thrombosis. Recent biochemical data indicate that the platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor mediates platelet aggregation by binding fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, or other ligands, that can span between platelets. New antiplatelet agents that block the binding sites on GPIIb/IIIa are efficacious in arterial thrombosis animal models and are now being evaluated in human disease. A mouse/human chimeric monoclonal antibody fragment (c7E3 Fab) and agents modelled after the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) cell binding motif are in development. c7E3 Fab showed significant efficacy in reducing ischaemic complications after angioplasty in patients at high risk of such complications in the EPIC study, and thus has been approved for use in the U.S. and several European and Scandinavian countries. These new agents also hold considerable promise in the treatment of other thrombotic disorders, including unstable angina and myocardial infarction.
Barry S. Coller (Thu,) conducted a review in Arterial thrombosis. GPIIb/IIIa receptor blockers (e.g., c7E3 Fab) was evaluated. Blockade of platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptors with agents like c7E3 Fab showed significant efficacy in reducing ischaemic complications after angioplasty in high-risk patients.