Trade names Refludan Routes of
administration SQ or IV Legal status US: ℞-only | AHFS/Drugs.com Monograph ATC code B01AE02 (WHO) Molar mass 6,983.5 g/mol | |
Pregnancy
category US: B (No risk in non-human studies) | ||
Lepirudin is an anticoagulant that functions as a direct thrombin inhibitor.
Brand name: Refludan, Generic: Lepirudin rDNA for injection.
Lepirudin is a recombinant hirudin derived from yeast cells. It is almost identical to hirudin extracted from Hirudo medicinalis. It differs by the substitution of leucine for isoleucine at the N-terminal end of the molecule and the absence of a sulfate group on the tyrosine at position 63.
Lepirudin may be used as an anticoagulant when heparins (unfractionated or low-molecular-weight) are contraindicated because of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
Market withdrawal
Bayer announced that it ceased the production of lepirudin (Refludan) on May 31, 2012. At the time of the announcement, the company expected that supply from wholesalers was going to be depleted by mid-2013.