Pharmacologic targeting of coagulation factors XII and XI by monoclonal antibodies reduces thrombosis in nitinol stents under flow

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular implantable devices, such as vascular stents, are critical for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, their success is dependent on robust and often long-term antithrombotic therapies. Yet, the current standard-of-care therapies often pose significant bleeding risks to patients. Coagulation factor (F)XI and FXII have emerged as potentially safe and efficacious targets to safely reduce pathologic thrombin generation in medical devices.

Objectives: To study the efficacy of monoclonal antibody-targeting FXII and FXI of the contact pathway in preventing vascular device-related thrombosis.

Methods: The effects of inhibition of FXII and FXI using function-blocking monoclonal antibodies were examined in a nonhuman primate model of nitinol stent-related thrombosis under arterial and venous flow conditions.

Results: We found that function-blocking antibodies of FXII and FXI reduced markers of stent-induced thrombosis in vitro and ex vivo. However, FXI inhibition resulted in more effective mitigation of thrombosis markers under varied flow conditions.

Conclusion: This work provides further support for the translation of contact pathway of coagulation inhibitors for their adjunctive clinical use with cardiovascular devices.

Keywords: contact pathway; monoclonal antibodies; nitinol; thrombosis; vascular stents.