Hirudin peptide from the leech data

Results of the GUSTO IIb international trial in 12,142 patients with an acute coronary disease showed only a marginal benefit of the leech-derived anti-clotting agent over heparin. As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, the primary end point of death, nonfatal heart attack or repeat heart attack at 30 days was reached in 9.8 percent of patients receiving heparin, and in 8.9 percent of patients receiving hirudin (p=0.06). No benefit had been found in a previous large study, the TIMI 9 trial.

The secondary composite end point of death, heart attack, or disability from stroke was reached in 9.2 versus 10.2 percent of hirudin- and heparin-treated patients, respectively (p=0.07). No differences in rates of serious or life-threatening bleeding were found, but hirudin was associated with a higher incidence of moderate bleeding compared to heparin (8.8 and 7.7 percent, respectively, p=0.03). ...