Cancer Institute A national cancer institute
designated cancer center

Lawrence Leung

Publication Details

  • Application of combinatorial libraries and protein engineering to the discovery of novel anti-thrombotic drugs.

    Leung LL, Thromb Haemost. 1995; 74 (1): 373-6

    Combinatorial libraries and protein engineering represent two new powerful tools in drug discovery and development. The application of a combinatorial ssDNA library to thrombin led to the discovery of a sequence-specific nucleotide-based thrombin inhibitor (thrombin aptamer). The thrombin aptamer has a novel tertiary structure revealed by NMR and shows potent rapid anticoagulation with a short half-life in vivo. It has been used successfully to replace heparin in a canine cardiopulmonary bypass model. Functional mapping of the surface residues of thrombin led to the generation of a modified thrombin with markedly diminished procoagulant properties while retaining its ability to activate protein C. This engineered thrombin functions as a protein C activator and demonstrates potent anticoagulation in vivo without prolongation of the bleeding time.

    PubMedID: 8578488

Stanford Medicine Resources:

Footer Links: