Nanocapsules could reduce blood clot drug side effects

News

Researchers at Imperial College London have designed drug delivery nanocapsules that could reduce side effects of a major blood clot dissolving drug.

Blood clots, also known as thrombi, can be treated with a drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which dissolves clots to clear the blocked blood vessel and re-establish blood flow. 

Life-threatening off-target bleeding, including on the brain, can be a side effect of tPA. The drug only lasts a few minutes in circulation, often requiring repeated doses, which further increases risk. Due to this, tPA is only used for a minority of eligible patients.

By encasing tPA in its newly designed capsules, Imperial found that the drug can be targeted more specifically to harmful blood clots with an increased circulation time. 

Blood clots are made of blood cells called platelets which link together when activated. They are held together with proteins called fibrinogen which bind to activated platelets and form ‘bridges’ between them. 

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