Tethering bleeding risk

With a mechanism that blocks thrombosis-contributing cells but not coagulation, Tetherex Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s pan-selectin inhibitor SelK2 could treat venous thromboembolism with little to no risk of bleeding.

Chairman and CEO Scott Rollins said while antithrombotic drugs including generic heparin, warfarin and approved Factor Xa inhibitors “do a good job of stopping thrombosis,” they carry risks of bleeding because they block the coagulation system. There are nine marketed VTE drugs, according to BioCentury’s BCIQ database, and all of them carry warnings on their label for bleeding or caution against use in patients at risk for hemorrhage...