[Frontiers in Bioscience E4, 1210-1223, January 1, 2012]

FVIIa as therapeutic agent in hemophilia and beyond

Ulla Hedner1

1Department of Medicine, Malmo University Hospital, University of Lund, Malmo, Sweden

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Development of recombinant FVIIa (rFVIIa)
4. Preclinical development
5. Clinical development
6. Mechanism of action
7. FVIIa as a hemostatic agent
8. Dosing of rFVIIa
9. Effect of rFVIIa as prophylaxis
10. Clinical experience with rFVIIa in other than hemophilia patients
11. Safety
12. Summary
13. References

1. ABSTRACT

Around 20% of the patients with severe hemophilia develop inhibitory antibodies against the factor they lack. In these patients the administration of FVIII/FIX-concentrates are not hemostatically effective. Since FVIIa is not enzymatically active unless complexed with tissue factor (TF) exposed following an injury to the vessel wall, it was considered an attractive candidate for improved treatment of patients with inhibitors. Plasma-derived FVIIa was purified and shown to induce hemostasis in two hemophilia A patients with inhibitors. Later recombinant FVIIa (rFVIIa) was developed and pharmacological doses have an efficacy rate of around 90% in serious bleedings and permit major orthopaedic surgery. These findings were a breakthrough in understanding the FVII-TF pathway in hemostasis. The initially formed FVIIa-TF complexes provide a limited amount of thrombin, activating FVIII, FV, FXI as well as platelets. On the activated platelet surface the full burst of thrombin necessary for generating a firm fibrin hemostatic plug occurs. In case of impaired thrombin generation, loose fibrin plugs easily dissolved are formed. Extra rFVIIa enhances thrombin generation and generates tight fibrin plugs.